san juan hotels

[mappa2]

anyone have any recommendations for pre cruise
hotel in san juan? we would like to be by the beach. would hotwire or priceline be best
for booking.

[mringenoldus]

I often recommend At Windchimes. This is a 22 room boutique hotel in Condado right near the beach. Not expensive and wonderfully quaint and clean.

CCL Holiday 2000
CCL Elation 2001
CCL Pride 2002
CCL Ecstacy 2003
RCL AOS 2003
Sun Princess May 14 2004!!

[sing2sas]

We just stayed at the Caribe Hilton pre-cruise on March 18. It is a beautiful hotel right on the beach and also has a tiered pool. We bought it on Hotwire for $104. Found out a few others paid $85 on Priceline. In 2002, we bid $75 on Priceline and got the Wyndham Condado Plaza, also a nice hotel but it didn't have as nice a beach for swimming. But the pool area was great and it was closer to restaurants not directly associated with the hotel.

I would read the Biddingfortravel.com information and also the Web site that tells what to look for to identify Hotwire properties. Sorry, can't think of the name right offhand.

Sue

Galaxy 3/04, Horizon 11/03, Mercury 3/03, Sea Princess 11/02, Dawn Princess 3/01, Paradise 10/00, Viking Serenade 3/00, Monarch of the Seas 3/99, Nordam 3/98, Westerdam 6/97

[lgarner]

Sue,
Can you tell me what part of the Caribe Hilton you stayed in? (I.e., tower, main building, wing, etc.) I have read such varying posts on this site - some love it some hate it. It sounds like there are two separate hotels. I know that's not true but I also know that only part of the hotel has been renovated - I want to call the hotel and request a room in the "good" area. Any suggestions will be appreciated! We are staying there in September and booked it on Priceline.

[Hlitner]

We also have stayed at the Caribe Hilton (March 2003) for three nights. We got our room for $65 per night on Priceline. When we checked-in, they had assigned us to the lower cost "Garden Wing" (parking lot view). I showed them my Hilton Honors Card (free to anyone who applies on-line) and ask if there was any chance of getting a better room. They told us that if we would wait until 4pm (it was about noon) they could give us a beach/ocean view room on an upper floor. We waited, and got a teriffic room. I guess sometimes it pays to ask. The Caribe sits on a small cove between Condado and the city. It was an easy mile walk over to the Condado (we went there one evening for dinner. One other night we walked all the way to Old San Juan (a good 2 1/2 mile jaunt) and took a taxi back to the hotel. The Caribe Hilton has a nice pool area, and the only truly private beach in San Juan. The beach is small, but its clean and pretty quiet. If you are looking for nightlife, its more convenient to be in one of the hotels right on Condado Beach.

Hank

[lgarner]

hlitner,

Thanks for the input. I am trying to find out the best section of the hotel. I have booked the Caribe Hilton in September and hoped to call and "request" (read beg for) a certain wing or tower, etc. in order to get a decent room. Sounds like an upper floor is a step in the right direction. Any others with suggestions - they will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
LGarner