CherylsCaribbeanTravel Posted April 5, 2009 #1 Share Posted April 5, 2009 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 More sharing options...
novicecruiser1 Posted April 5, 2009 #2 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks!! We will be at the Sheraton in Old San Juan in 3 weeks! Your information was very helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granddutchess Posted April 5, 2009 #3 Share Posted April 5, 2009 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 More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted April 6, 2009 #4 Share Posted April 6, 2009 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 More sharing options...
Caribbean Sunsets Posted April 6, 2009 #5 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I, too, enjoyed all that the Shearton and Old San Juan had to offer. It's such a beautiful city. I love the architecture. Your price was a bargain compared to a precruise stay the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 11, 2009 #6 Share Posted April 11, 2009 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 More sharing options...
TNCruzer Posted April 11, 2009 #7 Share Posted April 11, 2009 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 More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 11, 2009 #8 Share Posted April 11, 2009 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 More sharing options...
TNCruzer Posted April 12, 2009 #9 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Casino an pool~yes. Didn`t see any tennis courts, but wasn`t lookin for em. I wood give it 2 1/2 to 3 stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 12, 2009 #10 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Casino an pool~yes. Didn`t see any tennis courts, but wasn`t lookin for em. I wood give it 2 1/2 to 3 stars. Got the tennis courts from Sheraton OSJ website...says tennis nearby Hotwire icon shows "tennis nearby".. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 12, 2009 #11 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Hotwire ---> Got Old San Juan Sheraton for 1 night (Sept 5th, checking out Sept 6th) one room for 4 people... $113 (plus taxes and I guess a resort fee when we check in) Old San Juan Sheraton site was over $300 plus taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted April 12, 2009 #12 Share Posted April 12, 2009 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 More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 12, 2009 #13 Share Posted April 12, 2009 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 More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted April 12, 2009 #14 Share Posted April 12, 2009 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 More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 13, 2009 #15 Share Posted April 13, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylsCaribbeanTravel Posted April 15, 2009 Author #16 Share Posted April 15, 2009 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 More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted April 20, 2009 #17 Share Posted April 20, 2009 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. 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 More sharing options...
rickcop44 Posted April 22, 2009 #18 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
candhmama Posted April 22, 2009 #19 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
rickcop44 Posted April 22, 2009 #20 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
rickcop44 Posted April 22, 2009 #21 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
ColoRockiesFan Posted April 22, 2009 #22 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
FlaKrznNubie Posted April 22, 2009 #23 Share Posted April 22, 2009 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 More sharing options...
N-TOTO2 Posted April 22, 2009 #24 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I dont know if it is still available but I booked directly with the Sheraton OSJ for two nights for later this week and got the second night for 1/2 price. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Sixth? Posted May 3, 2009 #25 Share Posted May 3, 2009 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 More sharing options...
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