Westin Rio Mar Puerto Rico
Jun 11th, 2001, 07:15 AM
#2
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We were there a few years ago and loved it. It is a bit remote maybe 45 minutes ride to San Juan. The grounds were very well kept, the restaurants were very good. Two pools (one with activities and kids and the other was for adults only); nice beach with golden sands. If you like to hike the rain forrest is a real treat. We had a jr. suite which was very well appointed and oceanfront.
Jun 11th, 2001, 09:40 AM
#4
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Yes, all the roads from airport to Westin are major highways so you will find a lot of congestion. We took a cab to and from the airport but traffic aside all roads are well lit on the way to and from San Juan. We did not go into San Juan at all this trip. This is a quiet hotel..I don't even remember seeing any clubs or nightly entertainment. They did have good golf and tennis though.
Jun 11th, 2001, 09:44 AM
#5
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Hi Lorraine! I also had a lovely time at the Westin Rio Mar. There were a lot of options for things to do, as well as restaurants. I did not care much for the Marbella restaurant for dinner, but the other ones were very good. The only drawback was that I went in the summer, and there were a lot of kids in the pool. They were having a blast, but if you're looking for something more quiet, the pool wasn't it! The beach was very wide and long - very pretty and if you walked to the left side (when facing the ocean) there was a nice stretch of secluded area, with hammocks. At times we were either the only ones there or one of a few couples. This was also a nice area to go after dinner. The rest of the people seemed to stay at the pool.
Regarding the road from the airport - it is definitely paved and lit at night. There are 3-4 lanes each way! Part of the road is a highway with no traffic lights, the rest of it has traffic lights. From the airport to the Westin, it has taken me 30-35 minutes, but it would take most people 45 minutes
I don't think it's an overstatement to say that it is the ugliest road in all of Puerto Rico! Some people tend to speed in this road, and I wouldn't recommend driving it at night for the first time, if you are unfamiliar. If you do, make sure to take it easy! If you are staying for only a few days and are not interested in exploring the rest of the island, then I would suggest you arrange for the hotel pick-up. However, the Westin is not far away from many nice places to visit, so it would be worth to rent a car and explore a bit. Some places you can go are El Yunque rain forest, Luquillo, the Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo, and of course, Old San Juan. Any other questions, just ask!
Regarding the road from the airport - it is definitely paved and lit at night. There are 3-4 lanes each way! Part of the road is a highway with no traffic lights, the rest of it has traffic lights. From the airport to the Westin, it has taken me 30-35 minutes, but it would take most people 45 minutes
I don't think it's an overstatement to say that it is the ugliest road in all of Puerto Rico! Some people tend to speed in this road, and I wouldn't recommend driving it at night for the first time, if you are unfamiliar. If you do, make sure to take it easy! If you are staying for only a few days and are not interested in exploring the rest of the island, then I would suggest you arrange for the hotel pick-up. However, the Westin is not far away from many nice places to visit, so it would be worth to rent a car and explore a bit. Some places you can go are El Yunque rain forest, Luquillo, the Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo, and of course, Old San Juan. Any other questions, just ask!
Jun 14th, 2001, 06:32 PM
#7
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Hi, Lorraine.
My family and I have gone to the Westin Rio Mar the last two years and have had a great time. We have little kids, and there was something for each of them. The beach can be windy and the waves a little rough, but my 5 year old was fine as long as we held his hand. There is a wading pool for little kids with a sand box and fountain that my 3 year old loved. The Grill Room has very good food. The Mexican restaurant is awful and the Asian restaurant has terrible service but decent food. Marbella (the main dining room) has different themes each night and is good. Skip the new restaurant is the villas, some of our food had turned. There is a game room and casino, which are both fine.
The ride from the airport is long because of road construction, but is not bad. MAKE SURE YOU INSIST ON A VAN THAT HAS SEATBELTS FOR EVERYONE. We had a problem with this, and I was not happy.
If you need a babysitter, Monica Donaldson is fantastic! She can be booked directly through the hotel, and is so great you will want to take her home with you.
Your family will have lots of fun.
My family and I have gone to the Westin Rio Mar the last two years and have had a great time. We have little kids, and there was something for each of them. The beach can be windy and the waves a little rough, but my 5 year old was fine as long as we held his hand. There is a wading pool for little kids with a sand box and fountain that my 3 year old loved. The Grill Room has very good food. The Mexican restaurant is awful and the Asian restaurant has terrible service but decent food. Marbella (the main dining room) has different themes each night and is good. Skip the new restaurant is the villas, some of our food had turned. There is a game room and casino, which are both fine.
The ride from the airport is long because of road construction, but is not bad. MAKE SURE YOU INSIST ON A VAN THAT HAS SEATBELTS FOR EVERYONE. We had a problem with this, and I was not happy.
If you need a babysitter, Monica Donaldson is fantastic! She can be booked directly through the hotel, and is so great you will want to take her home with you.
Your family will have lots of fun.
Jun 27th, 2001, 11:07 AM
#10
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Guess that's going to have to be a "night trip" --- but I bet the hotel can set it up for you! It is REALLY an incredible experience you can not duplicate anywhere. (Of the top five bioluminescent bays in the world, this is the only one NOT in China. There are other areas in the Caribbean and other tropical waters, but they do not come anywhere near to what you see in Vieques.)
Oct 22nd, 2001, 12:15 PM
#11
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Hi lorraine, I just got back on friday. the resort was nice we were there on a large convention and they didn't expect everyone to come so they had layed some employees off the had problems at check-in and dinner reservations.book your dinner reservations from home. the food was good we had the meal plan that really wasn't worth it. It cost $82.00 dollars a day for breakfast and dinner there is only one place to eat breakfast the Marabella Buffet and that was $16.50 and dinner you could have a salad or app. main course and dessert which usally added up to $50. or $60. so we lost money on the meal plan. the kids menu was very small.I wouldn't suggest the meal plan. The rooms were nice we had a Jr.suite which was a good size. The kids had a great time at the pool but there isn't anything for them to do at night.ony a casino and two small stores the staff was very friendly they couldn't do enough for you. and the pool staff was great. You will have a nice time I just thought there wasn't to much to do I didn't gamble so I was in bed by 10 oclock every night.My husband stayed at the cerromar a couple of years ago and he said he liked that better.If you have any other questions you can e-mail me at [email protected]
