SJU - Where to stay?
 

Want to be close to the beach. Also want to visit Old San Juan and El Yu
Yunke Girls getaway. Three of us, 40-42 years old. Need hotel
or vacation condo, but not sure which area of Puerto Rico to stay... Isla Verde, Carolina, Old San Juan? Any suggestions, please?

betterbidding.com for great deals bidding priceline

Stellaris for me last $80/nt great spot

El Convento more upscale if budget is good

but less casino/party beach so Stellaris best value for me.

I would choose a resort in either the Condado or Isla Verde area since you mention being close to a beach. No beach in Old San Juan. Either Condado or Isla Verde will be convenient locations from which to visit Old San Juan (Condado is closer than Isla Verde) and El Yunque.

Thanks y'all. Tom appreciate the geography clarification. By now I've usually had time to closely study maps, but being a new mom seems to have cut (way) down on my travel research. :)

Welcome additional suggestions and tips. Wondering the best way to get a taste of El Yunque without spending an entire day there?

My husband and i went to PR six months ago. We stayed at the Sheraton old San Juan and really like it. We drove to the isla verde beach area. I was debating whether we should stay in old San Juan or isla verde and was glad we stayed in OSJ. It's just a better area.

I wouldn't say it is a "better" area. It all depends on what is important to you. If I was going for a week, I wouldn't want to spend all that time in Old San Juan. I would prefer to stay at a hotel on the beach.

Hi,

I'd look at the Gran Melia or the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach if you want to be on the beach, yet close to San Juan and the El Yunque Rainforest. It is in Old San Juan, but I love the Hotel El Convento because of its heritage, historic story, with Old San Juan.

Gran Melia is about 25 miles from Old San Juan

Wyndham is about 30 miles from Old San Juan.

Both are very close to the Rainforest.

Does it need to be a resort?

I split my time, half in San Juan and half in Luquillo at the Sunrise Beach Inn. It was directly across the street from a beach, and just a mile or two from a much nicer/bigger beach. Pretty convenient to El Yunque as well. Not saying you have to stay at that particular property but Luquillo was very quiet and the beaches were basically deserted during the week.

We went to the rain forest, spent about half a day there. Just drove from Luquillo, went to the visitors center and did a couple shorter hikes (one to a waterfall, another that led uphill to an old tower(?)). Both were nice and gave a good taste of the rainforest - the waterfall hike was in the forest the whole time, the other one partly along a road and once at the top gave great views of the forest.

Hey y'all. Thanks for all the feedback. I was initially looking for a chill hotel with direct beach access. Ran across those, plus posh resorts. In the end, only two of us are going and we've decided to rent an apartment in an area of Condado that borders Isla Verde and is a few minutes walk to the beach. I'll report on the experience once we return, but here's a link to the unit.

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p363817