Recent opinions on The Gallery Inn
 

I've been searching this site and tripadvisor for reviews of The Gallery Inn in Old San Juan. I'm trying to decide between it and El Convento. Lots of reviews recommend El Con "if price is not an issue". Unfortunately, at high season, price IS an issue. El Convento rooms are $365/night at the cheapest. The Gallery Inn is about $100 a night cheaper and includes breakfast. We like hotels with personality but 2 things about The Gallery Inn keep popping up on the trip reports and make me nervous; is the plumbing really that bad, i.e. no hot water for showers, as some reviewers imply? For that much money, I'll forgive some quirks but cold showers are a bummer. Also, how obnoxiously loud are the birds in the courtyard in the morning. Do they make it impossible to sleep in? If we want a room that is quieter, would it help to reserve an "artists room" without windows? Thanks for opinions.

Karen,
Sorry to blow your vibe, but I would definitely skip the Gallery Inn. It is a bit cheaper that El Convento, but it is still way, way, way overpriced for what it is.
Yes it's got a funky vibe, but to me it is right on the line between quirky and just plain lousy.
The owner is an artist and the staff and management is VERY distracted and some are just plain mean. The place has a musty, dank feel to it.
I had no problem with the plumbing, but I can see those "artists rooms" would really stink because the best attraction is the nice views over Old San Juan.
Btw, the breakfast that is included at Gallery Inn is like a slice of melon and one grape! If you want eggs or anything, you have to pay more!

Tripster,
Thanks for the opinion. I sort of got this feeling reading former posts but then somebody would jump in and write,"What? It is a beautiful historic building! How could you be such a snob! Go stay in a resort if you're so picky!"
We've stayed in many older hotels in Europe and are certainly not strangers to shabby hotels...but not for $270/nite. I don't mind to pay the money to stay in OSJ at high season but I don't want to be looking around the room thinking, "They're kidding, right?"

I also hate resorts and love old places with character, which is what i was hoping for with the Gallery.
You hit the nail on the head. If it was cheap and a bit rough around the edges, OK. But at these prices, it should be a lot less rough, in my opinion.

It is hard to top El Convento...period.

If price is the main consideration, there is now a Howard Johnson's in Old San Juan, as well as a Sheraton (though in truth, the Sheraton is not usually any cheaper than the El Convento, which is far superior). A lot of people like the simple Hotel Milano.

We stayed at El Convento in low season, but it was still a splurge for us. I eased the pain a bit by calling to request a Triple-A discount, which was not advertised on the website. With the AAA discount, the rate was just a little less than the small discount shown at the time at www.hotels.com, which would be another suggestion.

Keep in mind that the rates do include a really nice wine and cheese reception in the evening out on rooftop terrace at sunset--they had at least half a dozen wines to choose from, probably a dozen different cheeses, plus fruits, crackers, and nuts. Having a couple of glasses of wine before dinner ended up cutting our bartab down considerably when we went out for dinner. Hey--every little bit of justification helps, right? :)

Jan's article is here---made mistake:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_D'Esopo

Here is the wikepedia article that wont link properly:

Jan D'Esopo
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Jan D'Esopo (born c. 1934 in New York City) is a renowned painter and sculptor of Puerto Rican descent.
Jan D'Esopo
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Jan D'Esopo

Jan (born "Janet") D'Esopo's parents moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in search of a better way of life. They first settled in New York City where Jan and her sister Teresa were born. The family later moved to Hartford, Connecticut where Jan and her sister received their primary and secondary education. With the encouragement of their parents, both sisters became interested in the arts as children. In 1943, at the age of nine, Jan won various awards in painting at an exhibition held at the Wadsworth Athenaeum. D'Esposo always spent her summer vacation in Puerto Rico, her ties with her family in the island and the island itself would in the future be reflected in her works of art.

In 1956, she enrolled and attended Bennington College in Vermont. She graduated with majors in painting and sculpture. She also studied at the Yale School of Fine Arts. D'Esposo moved to Puerto Rico where she met and married Manuco Gandia, owner of Puerto Rican thoroughbreds.

In 1961, the couple purchased an eighteenth century Spanish colonial house located on Norzagaray Street in Old San Juan. The couple restored the house, which is now known as "The Galeria Inn", and converted it into a gallery, studio, museum and home. In the gallery, D'Esopo exhibits her works of art and sculptures. The Galeria Inn also has facilities to accommodate between 14 and 250 guests.
"Seagulls" by Jan D'Esopo
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"Seagulls" by Jan D'Esopo

D'Esopo developed her own unique style of watercolor painting and in 1985 her paintings were exhibited, with that of other artists from around the world, at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Her bronze monuments are exhibited in front of the Capital Building of Puerto Rico and other public and private buildings.

D'Esopo taught watercolor at the Art Students League in San Juan and founded two art galleries to encourage and promote young artists. She also organized workshops together with her sister Teresa, who is a portrait artist.

Among the publications which have written articles or published the art works of D'Eposo are: The New York Times, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Chicago Daily News, Colonial Homes, Country Inns, Travel & Leisure, and The American Way Magazine. She has also recorded two educational videos, Landscape Painting: Old San Juan and Bronze is Her Passion.
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See also

* List of famous Puerto Ricans

I'm not crazy about the Sheraton, particularly for the price. Please read my prior trip report on PR. Perhaps some of this has changed in the interim.