Jump to content

My review of the Shearton and Old San Juan


Recommended Posts

Here is a link to the web page I built to log my trip on the CAribbean Princess. We arrived at the Sheraton 2 days ago and have absolutely loved our stay in this city!!

 

At this moment in time I'm in the lobby of the sheraton and can see the CAribbean Princess from the 9th floor rooftop pool. We will be headed to board in a few, but in the meantime here is my review of the Sheraton and a boat load of photos of Old San Juan.

 

http://www.cherylstravel.com/caribbeanprincesshome.htm

 

Bottom line: At a hotwire price of $119.00 per night, I'd stay here again in a new york minute.

 

Cheryl :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cheryl,

 

Thanks for the good review. We have stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan before when we have cruised out of San Juan. I love San Juan as well. We will be cruising again at the end of June on AOS out of San Juan. I have booked the Sheraton Old San Juan again. I am looking forward to this trip.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice review.

 

I have a question. On your pre-cruise page you said:

 

The Sheraton Old San Juan is extremely easy to identify on Hotwire.

 

Mind telling a "hotwire/Priceline" rooky how you can id various hotels? It's one of the reasons I've never tried these web sites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice review.

 

I have a question. On your pre-cruise page you said:

 

The Sheraton Old San Juan is extremely easy to identify on Hotwire.

 

Mind telling a "hotwire/Priceline" rooky how you can id various hotels? It's one of the reasons I've never tried these web sites.

 

I just put in SAN JUAN, PR in hotwire, got 2 hotels in SJ. One (a 3 star)shows a casino, probably the Sheraton as it has a casino ($113 for Sept 09)

 

Also says tennis nearby as does Old SJ Sheraton website.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got it March 15th for $86. thru priceline. Comfortable, very close to the Victory dock, OSJ food, drink an shops. Cool rooftop pool where you can hang out after you check your luggage and wait for your room.

 

Ck betterbidding .com often and make your bid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got it March 15th for $86. thru priceline. Comfortable, very close to the Victory dock, OSJ food, drink an shops. Cool rooftop pool where you can hang out after you check your luggage and wait for your room.

 

Ck betterbidding .com often and make your bid.

 

Good deal. Was my assessment correct as far as 3 stars, Casino, pool and tennis nearby ?

 

Best guess that's the Sheraton ???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good deal. Was my assessment correct as far as 3 stars, Casino, pool and tennis nearby ?

 

Best guess that's the Sheraton ???

 

 

If it's the four star one that's coming up I think not....

 

The Sheraton is completely smoke free and the one that says tennis nearby makes no mention of smoke free.... another, 3 1/2 stars mentions casino on site, smoke free, near beach and pool on site... that sounds like it.

 

At least I now see how you can narrow down the possibilities on Hotwire.... like I said.... never tried the service

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, it came up 3 stars (Later after buying it was indeed the Sheraton) I think the 4 star may be the Intercontinental, but I didn't compare the amenities that closely because I wanted the Sheraton.

 

Advice, really look at the details of the amenities of the hotel you want on their website. Hotwire's star rating is now a composition of 3 different travel sites (can't be sure which ones but they are listed on betterbidding.com). Make notes.

 

Then go to Hotwire, compare the amenities carefully. If you place the cursor over the amenities icons on Hotwire they give more detailed info.

 

In the case of the Sheraton, everything on Hotwire was a spot on match to Sheraton website (Casino with entrance off hotel lobby, pool, fitness club, wifi extra fee, tennis nearby, so on and so forth)

 

it is still a gamble as it's non refundable and non changeable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, it came up 3 stars (Later after buying it was indeed the Sheraton) I think the 4 star may be the Intercontinental, but I didn't compare the amenities that closely because I wanted the Sheraton.

 

Advice, really look at the details of the amenities of the hotel you want on their website. Hotwire's star rating is now a composition of 3 different travel sites (can't be sure which ones but they are listed on betterbidding.com). Make notes.

 

Then go to Hotwire, compare the amenities carefully. If you place the cursor over the amenities icons on Hotwire they give more detailed info.

 

In the case of the Sheraton, everything on Hotwire was a spot on match to Sheraton website (Casino with entrance off hotel lobby, pool, fitness club, wifi extra fee, tennis nearby, so on and so forth)

 

it is still a gamble as it's non refundable and non changeable.

 

Definitely three stars eh... :) I see it now.... tennis nearby blah blah blah..... very interesting. :cool: it's $ 169.00 per night for January when we'd want it.... maybe I'll wait a bit to see what happens.... it's $ 269.00 Per night on the hotels' web site :eek:

 

Thanks for the lesson! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just updated the review with a second page of 50 photos if anyone is interested.

 

For those asking about the distance from the Liberty, look on the first page of my review. There is a photo with the Liberty in the foreground at the old piers and then you can see Caribbean Princess and Adventure of the Seas in the background at PanAm pier.

 

For the person asking how to identify the Sheraton on hotwire, it looks as if you figured it out. Let me know if you need any help. Tennis was the dead give away for me, but I always recommend www.betterbidding.com

 

I loved our time in Old San Juan. This is a special city with a lot to offer!!

 

Cheryl :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is a picture to show just how close the Sheraton is to pier 4.

I believe the entrance to the Carnival pier is just a couple hundred feet beyond the small pier marked by the circular tower type structure.

 

KP_sheraton_9333.jpg18190534.jpg

 

Ya, we get to San Juan regularly and usually stay at the Milano. IMHO it is the best of the best departure port for Caribbean cruises, Away better than anything Floridah.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone. Still trying to learn the ins and outs of Hotwire/Priceline. A couple of questions before I take the plunge: First, am I correct that on Hotwire, you do not bid for a room? You have to accept the price shown?

 

Second, a number of people have mentioned "tennis nearby" as one way to identify the Sheraton on Hotwire. I'm looking at what I think is the Sheraton on Hotwire right now and I don't see any mention of tennis nearby. All other amenities discussed here are mentioned. Only two hotels pop up when I ask for 3.5 stars and up. One, a 3.5, is listed at $159/night and the other, a 4.0, is listed at $229/night. Am I safe in assuming that the 3.5 star is probably the Sheraton?

 

Last question: After the fees and taxes are included, the final price on the 3.5 star is $202.00. Is there a likelihood that the price will go down in the future? I really do want to book the Sheraton, but $202 doesn't sound like that much of a savings to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone. Still trying to learn the ins and outs of Hotwire/Priceline. A couple of questions before I take the plunge: First, am I correct that on Hotwire, you do not bid for a room? You have to accept the price shown?

 

Second, a number of people have mentioned "tennis nearby" as one way to identify the Sheraton on Hotwire. I'm looking at what I think is the Sheraton on Hotwire right now and I don't see any mention of tennis nearby. All other amenities discussed here are mentioned. Only two hotels pop up when I ask for 3.5 stars and up. One, a 3.5, is listed at $159/night and the other, a 4.0, is listed at $229/night. Am I safe in assuming that the 3.5 star is probably the Sheraton?

 

Last question: After the fees and taxes are included, the final price on the 3.5 star is $202.00. Is there a likelihood that the price will go down in the future? I really do want to book the Sheraton, but $202 doesn't sound like that much of a savings to me.

 

On Hotwire Sheraton is a 3 star, not a 3.5 star, and they definatley list tennis nearby in the amenities. The one you are looking at is not the Sheraton. If you go to betterbidding.com they have a list of the hotels and tell you what amenities are listed for each one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Candhmama, thanks. I did list 3.0 stars and up on Hotwire and only two hotels showed up in the San Juan search. One was 3.5 stars ($159/night) and the other was 4 stars ($229/night). I would think the 3.5 star hotel had to be the Sheraton as it matched everything folks have been saying about it (amenity wise). If you don't think the 3.5 hotel was the Sheraton, do you have any thoughts on which hotel it might have been?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should add that I just looked at the detailed amenties for the 4 star hotel that's listed at $229/night and it does list tennis nearby. Thus my dilemma. Is the 4 star the Sheraton or is the 3.5 star the Sheraton? I know, I'm probably just driving myself crazy with this. I appreciate everyone's patience as I slowly increase my intake of anti-depressants in this time of lunacy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know, I'm probably just driving myself crazy with this. I appreciate everyone's patience as I slowly increase my intake of anti-depressants in this time of lunacy.

 

LOL at this description. Neither of these hotels sound like the Sheraton. It's probably just not listed right now. I'd keep checking every day until the 3* appears. For example, I'm looking for the Sheraton for 2/6/2010 for 1 night. if I put only one night stay, no 3* hotels appear. If I put in the search a 2 night stay, the 3* hotel appears for $169/night. The amenities on this search match the Sheraton exactly. So, I can assume I cannot book the Sheraton for one night for this date. But, I'll keep checking back. (The 6th is a Saturday night ... probably very busy).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sheraton comes up as a 3 star, not a resort, no beach nearby. If you're gonna use Hotwire, read the specifics I and others posted about the Sheraton.

 

Check out the Hotwire/Priceline sticky at top of page (last couple pages of posts on that thread)

 

If you're talking about Feb 13, it's not coming up for the night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
LOL at this description. Neither of these hotels sound like the Sheraton. It's probably just not listed right now. I'd keep checking every day until the 3* appears. For example, I'm looking for the Sheraton for 2/6/2010 for 1 night. if I put only one night stay, no 3* hotels appear. If I put in the search a 2 night stay, the 3* hotel appears for $169/night. The amenities on this search match the Sheraton exactly. So, I can assume I cannot book the Sheraton for one night for this date. But, I'll keep checking back. (The 6th is a Saturday night ... probably very busy).

 

That's the weekend of the Three Kings Celebrations as I recall. Big party night in Old San Juan. Most places will insist on a two night minimum stay I would guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...