Puerto Rico: Best bet for a Hotel
Nov 25th, 2011, 07:01 AM
#1
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Puerto Rico: Best bet for a Hotel
Seeking your advice about where to stay in PR in February. Here are the priorities:
1) value for price
2) beautiful grounds/pool/beach
3) near nightlife and restaurants
4) fast, cheap access to Old San Juan
5) safe neighborhood
I'm torn between 3 places - La Concha (per Fodor's tihs is the "envy of the hospitality industry"), El San Juan Hotel & Casino (Fodor's Choice and a considered a "don't miss destination per Fodor's), San Juan Water & Beach Club.
If you have been to any of these hotels or love PR and are familiar with it, I would really appreciate your advice!! Thank you in advance!
1) value for price
2) beautiful grounds/pool/beach
3) near nightlife and restaurants
4) fast, cheap access to Old San Juan
5) safe neighborhood
I'm torn between 3 places - La Concha (per Fodor's tihs is the "envy of the hospitality industry"), El San Juan Hotel & Casino (Fodor's Choice and a considered a "don't miss destination per Fodor's), San Juan Water & Beach Club.
If you have been to any of these hotels or love PR and are familiar with it, I would really appreciate your advice!! Thank you in advance!
Nov 25th, 2011, 10:17 AM
#3
1. Value for price
February is an expensive time to go to Puerto Rico so be prepared for high rates at any hotel you choose. Hard to quantify this one because what you consider a value for the price is pretty subjeective.
2. Beautiful grounds/pool/beach
--El San Juan scores high in these areas. La Concha also scores good in this category but definitely second to El San Juan (IMHO). San Juan Water and Beach Club is a smaller property than the other two - more of a boutique hotel - and if my memory serves me correctly, it does not have a pool (maybe it has a rooftop pool?). It sits on the same stretch of beach as El San Juan.
3. Near nightlife and restaurants.
--All three are near nightlife and restaurants.
4. Fast, cheap access to Old San Juan.
--La Concha is in Condado, which is closer to Old San Juan than El San Juan and San Juan W&B Club, both of which are in Isla Verde. Both areas provide easy access to Old San Juan - either by taxi or bus but Isla Verde is probably 10 more minutes by taxi to OSJ than is Condado.
5. Both neighborhoods are tourist areas and safe.
Regarding El Convento - I don't think it's weird to stay in Old San Juan -at least for a couple or few days of yout trip. How long are you going for? It might be nice to spend the first 2 days at El Convento then move to one of the beach resorts. It is pretty cool as is OSJ in general.
February is an expensive time to go to Puerto Rico so be prepared for high rates at any hotel you choose. Hard to quantify this one because what you consider a value for the price is pretty subjeective.
2. Beautiful grounds/pool/beach
--El San Juan scores high in these areas. La Concha also scores good in this category but definitely second to El San Juan (IMHO). San Juan Water and Beach Club is a smaller property than the other two - more of a boutique hotel - and if my memory serves me correctly, it does not have a pool (maybe it has a rooftop pool?). It sits on the same stretch of beach as El San Juan.
3. Near nightlife and restaurants.
--All three are near nightlife and restaurants.
4. Fast, cheap access to Old San Juan.
--La Concha is in Condado, which is closer to Old San Juan than El San Juan and San Juan W&B Club, both of which are in Isla Verde. Both areas provide easy access to Old San Juan - either by taxi or bus but Isla Verde is probably 10 more minutes by taxi to OSJ than is Condado.
5. Both neighborhoods are tourist areas and safe.
Regarding El Convento - I don't think it's weird to stay in Old San Juan -at least for a couple or few days of yout trip. How long are you going for? It might be nice to spend the first 2 days at El Convento then move to one of the beach resorts. It is pretty cool as is OSJ in general.
Nov 25th, 2011, 12:40 PM
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La Concha my fav of yours
www.booking.com/country/pr.en.html
for recent reviews
Value Plays for me bidding priceline.com betterbidding.com
Marriott Stellaris or intercontinental.com from $70 or so.
Open/close preferred guest CCs with them for free stays
upgrades 60000 points with first CC use good for several
nts usually for me.... happy hunting...
El Convento historic very pretty pre-cruise not cheap no
beach but wonderful for me several years ago with Cunard/P&O
just walked downhill to the port.
www.booking.com/country/pr.en.html
for recent reviews
Value Plays for me bidding priceline.com betterbidding.com
Marriott Stellaris or intercontinental.com from $70 or so.
Open/close preferred guest CCs with them for free stays
upgrades 60000 points with first CC use good for several
nts usually for me.... happy hunting...
El Convento historic very pretty pre-cruise not cheap no
beach but wonderful for me several years ago with Cunard/P&O
just walked downhill to the port.
Nov 25th, 2011, 12:58 PM
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Thank you both! I'm getting worried about La Concha because the videos I've been watching don't make it look very nice at all and there are mixed reviews about that place all over the web. However, their website makes the place seem gorgeous so I am very confused. I'm a sucker for nice beaches and really luxurious facalities, and this places looks a little bit 2-3 star to me. I don't know - correct me if I am wrong. Maybe El San Jaun Hotel is the better bet? I hear Isla Verde beach is nicer anyway. The other thing is I wonder if we are going to spend $$$ on taking cabs. Do you know how much the average taxi ride is between these hotesls and OSJ because I imagine at least 2 taxi rides a day. Re: staying in OSJ for a night or two, I will be in PR for 6 nights in total. And definitely want to spend one of them in either Culebra or Vieques (suggestions?) 
. So that might be too much switching around. To be honest, El Convento looks the nicest and I really like an authentic, Spanish, European feel...
. So that might be too much switching around. To be honest, El Convento looks the nicest and I really like an authentic, Spanish, European feel...
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