What hotel to use in San Juan prior to cruise?

[JandBR_PHX]

I would recommend The Water Club if you are a younger couple and enjoy a bit of clubbing. Right on the beach in Isle Verde. Very similar to hotels on South Beach.

 

And avoid it if you want to get any sleep. It's not very clean, and there is NO sound insulation between rooms. Oceanfront rooms' windows don't open.

[djandnic]

We are sailing on January 3 on Adventure of the Seas. We are flying into SJU on January 2 and used Priceline to book a room for that one night. We got the Caribe Hilton (http://www.hiltoncaribbean.com/index.php?destination=sanjuan) but I've never stayed there so I don't know much about it. It will be my first time traveling to PR.

 

What criteria to you have to select on Priceline to get this hotel? I have never tried Priceline because I'm always afraid of getting a dump and then you're stuck with it. I wouldn't mind trying it if I can get this level of hotel. Thanks for the feedback.

[seagoer55]

What criteria to you have to select on Priceline to get this hotel? I have never tried Priceline because I'm always afraid of getting a dump and then you're stuck with it. I wouldn't mind trying it if I can get this level of hotel. Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

check out the Priceline sticky on the San Juan Port of call thread...LOT'S of helpful info on Priceline & San Juan Bidding... for the Caribe Hilton you would bid San Juan & Resort as your hotel choice..no star's.. there are only 4 resort hotels currently in San Juan/Priceline

[stones902]

And avoid it if you want to get any sleep. It's not very clean, and there is NO sound insulation between rooms. Oceanfront rooms' windows don't open.

 

The trick is to get a room on the middle floors - not at the top.

 

Granted, it is an older property - not for everyone - but we really have enjoyed our stays there. The staff has always been very accomodating and you can't beat the location right on the beach.

[seabreeze0389]

Hi: we have stayed at the Sheraton OSJ a couple of times. Great location, rooms were large, a little worn but clean. But, yes you will have to get a cab to the PAP. But there are vans parked right out front to take you there.

The little casino in the hotel is nice, there are lots of places to go eat and drink, some local fare, and some chain resturants that you find in the US. IT has a nice outside bar/patio to watch people. Live music at night. Lots of little shops just up the hill. Lots of historic places you can walk to.

In my opinion, good value for the price. We would stay there again, and I consider myself pretty hard to please, lol.:)

[Barrycsi]

When we sail out of San Juan we stay at the Caribe Hilton. Very nice resort.:)

[waterbugohio]

If you don't have any real preferences you may want to try priceline. As the other poster mentioned, as long as you pick "resort" there are only 4 or 5 that you can get and they are all great properties. We did priceline last year and got the El San Juan for a little over $100. Very nice hotel and on the beach. This year we opted for the Sheraton as we had friends already booked there. They gave us a website and we got even better prices for there. Since we will not be arriving till friday afternoon and heading to the pier by noon saturday, we did not care that we were not on the beach.

[Mrsosci]

We stayed at Holiday Inn Express last summer before cruise. Price was good. Hotel itself is nice and staff good, but location to Old SJ not the best. It is a cab ride to anywhere and not a big choice for eating nearby. Would not go wondering very far at night The rest of our CC friends stayed at Sheraton. Close to all the Sat. nightlife. We had to pay for cab to and from.

 

Mrsosci

[loves2cruise07]

Thanks for all the great hotel ideas. So if we are leaving from San Juan, is it from the Pan American pier?

[SEASONEDCRUZER]

Thanks for all the great hotel ideas. So if we are leaving from San Juan, is it from the Pan American pier?

 

Yes, if the cruise departs from San Juan then you will sail from the Panamerican Pier. We stayed at the Marriott San Juan & Stellaris Casino and it was great! Spacious, clean, well decorated rooms, good beach & pool, good casino, lively dance floor at night (very loud in the Lobby but no noise at all up to the rooms). Restaurants were good and the staff were very helpful, plus there is a Walgreen's just half a block away for anything you may have forgotten and a Starbucks across the street for one last Frappaccino fix before setting out for the ship. I would stay there again for sure when we sail from San Juan again and I am quite picky about hotels!:D

[dwiller]

For Priceline, you won't be stuck in a dump if you choose resort. Also, if you use this site: http://www.biddingfortravel.com and read up on the PR hotel list, you'll see which hotels deal with Priceline so you'll know when you pick your zone and star level, which possibilities could come up.

 

For anyone who has stayed at the Caribe Hilton....we are planning on taking a cab from the airport to the resort. Should we plan on a cab from the resort to the pier, or is there a hotel shuttle or something?

[RSWBADGER]

For Priceline, you won't be stuck in a dump if you choose resort. Also, if you use this site: http://www.biddingfortravel.com and read up on the PR hotel list, you'll see which hotels deal with Priceline so you'll know when you pick your zone and star level, which possibilities could come up.

 

For anyone who has stayed at the Caribe Hilton....we are planning on taking a cab from the airport to the resort. Should we plan on a cab from the resort to the pier, or is there a hotel shuttle or something?

 

You will need to secure your own cab to ther Pier (there are plenty available), or pay for the cruise line shuttle from the hotel to the cruise port, if available.

[Saracruise]

We stayed at the Caribe Hilton last year and just loved the resort.