Hotels in San Juan--suggestions please?

[hmg]

We need a hotel for one night pre-cruise in early January. There are five of us, two adults and three young adult/20-somethings. One of the young people has never been to Puerto Rico and the rest of us have. Our ship leaves out of the Pan American pier.

We've staying at, and loved, El Convento but it seems we cannot book them for single night stays. We've also stayed at Marriott Courtyard Isla Verde.

I think it would be most fun for everyone if we stayed right in Old San Juan and walked around to explore. I'm also willing to taxi to the city if that's what makes the most sense.

We don't need resort since we're talking one night and I expect we'll be out and about.

So, what might be our best bets for in Old San Juan? And any chance I'll be able to find them on Priceline or Hotwire? Or use American Express points?

Thanks!!! This is such a nice "problem" to have! :)

[birdie16]

We are just back from the Adventure of the Seas and had a wonderful experience at the La Concha.

 

I bid on Priceline with the suggestions of other Cruise Critic people and started at $70/resort, $75/resort, then added $80/resort or 4 star, up to $95/resort or 4 star...I got two rooms at $95 at the La Concha! It could not have been a better location, restaurants, short walk across the street to Walgreens for last minute items before the cruise, beautiful hotel lobby, pools, beach and rooms. The hotel is still under construction, however that is just the Timeshare part, and that is next door. All the hotel areas are finished. (I think I could even done better with the price if I had booked in farther in advance, I booked one week before the cruise.

 

I should add, they charged us $15/night resort fee but cheerfully removed it when we requested.

 

I followed Toonjie's recommendations as follows:

 

Best bet is to use Priceline and choose resort only. (There are some clunker hotels at the 3 star level.) Choose San Juan as your area and then if the bid is not accepted, you can up it a bit and choose any other area in Puerto Rico besides Rio-Grande-Humacao, since that is the only other area Priceline has resorts in. All the Priceline resorts are good and 3 are great with the Marriott being the pick of the litter. If you go with 4 star you will probably get La Concha, which is nice, but it is still under construction. Good luck and keep us updated.

[sweetair]

birdie: glad yopu enjoyed the la concha! I had done a walk thru in march 08 and it definitely looked awesome but not completed. A lot from my roll call got the la concha from priceline for $115 plus taxes.

i have a couple questions if you could help...

 

Do they charge any extra fees or extra taxes at check-out?

 

Can you swim in the water at the beach or is it too rocky?

 

How are the rooms? Spacious? Beds comfy? refrigerator in room?

 

Is the casino completed?

 

Thanks in advance for your answers..

*sweet*

[wrp96]

The one issue with priceline, is priceline will only guarantee rooms for 2 people. Many hotels will give you double beds which will accommodate 4 people but it's not guaranteed. So no matter what you'd have to bid on 2 rooms. You would really be risking it as you may not end up getting the same hotel with the 2nd bid as you did with the first.

[hmg]

Thanks, birdie, for the suggestion of La Concha. I'll look into it.

 

Wrona, thanks for the information on Priceline. One room will have the three young people in it and I absolutely need to have double beds. More important, I need for all of us to be in the same hotel.

 

Does Hotwire work the same way where we could end up in different hotels? I may need to rethink using those services.

 

Anyone have thoughts on the Sheraton? I'm pretty sure I can use Amex points there.

 

Again, thanks for all suggestions.

[wrp96]

I've stayed at the Sheraton before. Good hotel, easy access to everything in OSJ. Lots of restaurants within easy reach. A cab to the Pan Am Pier was between $10-$15. If you can get it on points it would be a good value.

[sweetair]

hmg: dont worry about getting the same hotel You can bid for up to 9 rooms at 1 time so just put in 2 rooms and bid away.

 

Yes it is true that priceline only guarantees for 2 people but i have been using them for quite awhile and can always request 2 double beds at my hotel and its always been given. (dont tell them about the 3rd..they may charge you)

 

My feeling on the sheraton (located old san juan)...pool is on the roof/no beach nearby/Not my idea of a resort..i prefer condado area 1 and isla verde 2..you can always take a FREE bus(free until end of dec) or a taxi into old san juan. HOWEVER a free room IS a FREE room and cant argue with that value :D

*sweet*

[hmg]

Thanks, everyone, for the help. I ended up booking the Sheraton using points. Normally I would love to do the resort thing but free is good and I think for the amount of time we'll in San Juan the surrounding area will be more important to us than the hotel itself.

Can't wait!!!

[Lois R]

Thanks, everyone, for the help. I ended up booking the Sheraton using points. Normally I would love to do the resort thing but free is good and I think for the amount of time we'll in San Juan the surrounding area will be more important to us than the hotel itself.

Can't wait!!!

 

Hi Helene:) missing you over on our thread!

I have stayed at the Sheraton and been quite pleased:D

It is in a wonderful location and the hotel isn't too shabby

either;)

[Timethief]

Hi Helene!

 

You are going to love the Sheraton! It is great to be that close to everything. They will probably tell you about the staircase behind the hotel that puts you on the street to all sorts of restaurants. We ate a Mojitos a couple of times, and had great food. There was a place a couple of doors down (can't remember the name, off hand) that was a little more touristy (costumes and stuff), and the food was wonderful.

 

If you get in early enough and want to do a walking tour of Old San Juan, check out the Legends of Puerto Rico. They have an evening tour, and it leaves from right in front of the hotel. Well worth it, since this is the first time in OSJ for some in your party.

 

The Sheraton has a great breakfast buffet, for the morning of your cruise.

 

Have a great trip!

[kr1st1nm]

HMG: We're considering El Convento for our 1 night stay after our cruise at the end of this month. It's more than I wanted to spend, but it looks WONDERFUL! We'll have our 2 year old with us - do you think it's "kid-friendly"? Any other info would be great! Thanks and good luck with your hotel search! I know a lot of people on our cruise have chosen the Sheraton :)

[hmg]

Hi Helene:) missing you over on our thread!

I have stayed at the Sheraton and been quite pleased:D

It is in a wonderful location and the hotel isn't too shabby

either;)

Hi Lois!! I've been reading CC but not posting too often. I'll have to stop by and say hello soon!

I thought you'd stayed at the Sheraton before and liked it. :)

 

Hi Helene!

 

You are going to love the Sheraton! It is great to be that close to everything. They will probably tell you about the staircase behind the hotel that puts you on the street to all sorts of restaurants. We ate a Mojitos a couple of times, and had great food. There was a place a couple of doors down (can't remember the name, off hand) that was a little more touristy (costumes and stuff), and the food was wonderful.

 

If you get in early enough and want to do a walking tour of Old San Juan, check out the Legends of Puerto Rico. They have an evening tour, and it leaves from right in front of the hotel. Well worth it, since this is the first time in OSJ for some in your party.

 

The Sheraton has a great breakfast buffet, for the morning of your cruise.

 

Have a great trip!

Peter, thanks for the positive "review" and the suggestions for our stay. The evening walking tour might be a great way to share our love of OSJ with our cruise and San Juan newbie!

 

HMG: We're considering El Convento for our 1 night stay after our cruise at the end of this month. It's more than I wanted to spend, but it looks WONDERFUL! We'll have our 2 year old with us - do you think it's "kid-friendly"? Any other info would be great! Thanks and good luck with your hotel search! I know a lot of people on our cruise have chosen the Sheraton :)

I wish I could help you out but, when we stayed there, our "kids" were all in their upper teens. Both my husband and I remember the courtyard restaurant and bar area as being especially lovely and plan on stopping by for a drink at least this time. I seem to remember the rooms as being kind of small but I could be totally off base here...

[Michael Kays]

We were thinking of staying at the Acacia, but it doesn't come up on trip asdvisor anyomre? Our alternative is the Marriott Stellar..is there an advantage to the small boutique hotel over the obvious of the Marriott besides $$?

[Nebr.cruiser]

We are just back from the Adventure of the Seas and had a wonderful experience at the La Concha.

 

I bid on Priceline with the suggestions of other Cruise Critic people and started at $70/resort, $75/resort, then added $80/resort or 4 star, up to $95/resort or 4 star...I got two rooms at $95 at the La Concha! It could not have been a better location, restaurants, short walk across the street to Walgreens for last minute items before the cruise, beautiful hotel lobby, pools, beach and rooms. The hotel is still under construction, however that is just the Timeshare part, and that is next door. All the hotel areas are finished. (I think I could even done better with the price if I had booked in farther in advance, I booked one week before the cruise.

 

I should add, they charged us $15/night resort fee but cheerfully removed it when we requested.

 

I followed Toonjie's recommendations as follows:

 

Best bet is to use Priceline and choose resort only. (There are some clunker hotels at the 3 star level.) Choose San Juan as your area and then if the bid is not accepted, you can up it a bit and choose any other area in Puerto Rico besides Rio-Grande-Humacao, since that is the only other area Priceline has resorts in. All the Priceline resorts are good and 3 are great with the Marriott being the pick of the litter. If you go with 4 star you will probably get La Concha, which is nice, but it is still under construction. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

 

Thanks for the advice on bidding for San Juan hotels. I'd been slogging along bidding every 24 hours because I didn't know the zones well enough and didn't want to end up with a hotel too far out. Using your rebid strategy of adding areas except Rio-Grands-Humacao, I got the LaConcha for $115 (plus taxes and fees, of course) for Nov. 29th, which seems to be the going rate for right now. I'm happy with that win. Otherwise we were going to book the Hampton Inn through our TA (we've stayed there before), but it would have been $40 more. I think we'll enjoy the resort, even if it is for less than a day!