Puerto Rico is full of every kind of lodging, from airbnbs to huge all inclusive resorts and everything in between. While in San Juan, we stayed at a couple different hotels. My favorite was the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino.
It is located in the Condado neighborhood which was walkable, and full of trendy restaurants, coffee shops, and some local joints thrown in. I really liked how we were part of a neighborhood and not isolated in our own world like you can feel in some big island resorts. One thing I noticed is how many people were out running each day along the sidewalks taking advantage of the perfect weather (I became one of them). Yay.
The hotel itself is located right on the beach plus has a couple of pools (one with a water slide!), swim up bar, and a few restaurants. There are bikes to use, activities like poolside yoga and a nice fitness room.
Good
The views! We had a big, spacious corner room with huge windows and two (two!) balconies…one facing the beach, one facing more of the buildings and condos next door. Even though we were pretty high up it was nice to hear the sounds of the waves below. And it was nice to simple enjoy the Caribbean Sea and beautiful sky right before us. I loved the huge, white, fluffy bed with my kind of nice, firm mattress. The room was comfy, modern and clean.
The pool area was pretty nice and roomy, when not crowded. And I liked the big lobby with various tables and spots to hang out. We also enjoyed lounging on the couches by the outdoor bar, which overlooked the beach. We were chilling out one afternoon on the couch and watched a sweet, beach wedding just a few steps away.
Could Improve
Food and drinks at the hotel were decent, but fairly expensive, as you would expect (but also another great reason the location is good with so many other places to eat right outside the door like a yummy gelato spot, Gelato & Co., which is literally just downstairs and part of the hotel, and a “shake-shack”-like spot just across the street).
The pool area, while big, can get a bit crowded. The chairs were that vinyl, strappy kind and the feeling isn’t super luxurious if that’s what you are looking for. While it’s definitely nice and a step up from a regular hotel, this isn’t a totally lux resort decked out with gauzy cabanas and impeccable service.
Overall, we really enjoyed staying here. The room was comfy and big, the pool was nice, and the location was just perfect. I like being able to walk out my door and be in the “thick of it.” We even spent one afternoon walking from our hotel all the way to Old San Juan which took us a little over an hour, but was a great way to see a good cross section of the city.
For more info:
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Disclosure: We were guests of the Marriott for a portion of our stay there. As always all opinions are my own.