Puerto Rico: Revisited

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you must know we just went on vacation for a week in the Caribbean, specifically Puerto Rico. I have not written much about it here except for that one post when I wrote about the perks at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel Spa & Casino where we stayed. You can actually read about that by following this link.

As seasoned travelers, my husband and I have set a parameter on selecting the hotel we are going to stay in. We are not like some travelers who just want a place to turn-in to at the end of the day. We like to stay in hotels that are as comfortable as our home. We pay attention to little details like linens and toiletries that the hotel offers. To put it bluntly, we have discerning taste when it comes to hotels. As I wrote on that post, we were satisfied with the service as what is expected of a legendary hotel. Housekeeping was great and I really liked the nightly turn down service. The Bvlgari bath products and Frette linens was definitely a nice treat. Just take a look at the photos of the rooms just so you get an idea at http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/SanJuan/Rooms/Default.htm. The location was great, the beach is right there, and it is situated near the airport and a mere 10 minutes cab ride to Old San Juan. Now, don’t be scared by it’s close proximity to the airport, as once you’re inside your room, you don’t hear any sound of the airplanes landing and taking off. Besides, the famous Cuban restaurant, Metropol is just across the street so that when you get tired of dining in the hotel’s restos, which are astronomically priced anyway, you have an option close by. Believe it or not, most of our brunches was at Denny’s, as it is not even a block away from the hotel.

I had a problem with the internet connection though. I had unlimited access to a high speed internet, but boy, to my dismay, it’s like I was dealing with a dial-up connection. Remember, I am an active member of the Entrecard community, and I had to drop back on my regular visitors. Loading 50 pages at one time seemed like forever, something that I can do in 3 minutes while I’m home. I stayed on the poolside one time and had the laptop with me just to test if the speed was different using wireless connection, but it was still the same.

Overall, our stay at the Ritz -Carlton San Juan was still worth the hefty price we paid on our room per day. The hotel’s staff were pleasant, room service was very efficiently served, the casino was adequate and smoke-free which was really great, and my husband’s gym obsession was not put to a halt, because he liked the gym’s facility. In fact, throughout the duration of our stay he spent a good amount of time at the gym every night.

If you plan to visit Puerto Rico in the future, you’ll definitely be able to find nice accommodations that suit your requirements through the online portal of Hotels Combined, where you’ll see comparison of major reservation sites at once. Based on experience , if you prefer to be situated in the middle of everything, most specifically in Old San Juan where restaurants and shopping is within walking distance, the El Convento Hotel San Juan is a good choice. It is a historic boutique hotel and has been designated as Puerto Rico’s official guesthouse for visiting dignitaries and heads of state. If you like a combination of the night life and experience Puerto Rico’s thrilling nightlife and sizzling salsa beats; and relax at the most beautiful beach on the island by day, I would recommend El San Juan Hotel & Casino. You’ll appreciate the proximity so you’ll have the best of both worlds.

And how about food you may ask. Needless to say, we enjoyed and loved all the restaurants we dined in. El Patio de Sam, a Puerto Rican tradition since 1945 with authentic old world ambiance, located on San Sebastian Street, serves authentic Puerto Rican food. I really loved their Mofongo. Another restaurant that’s worth a visit is Agua Viva, rated 3 diamond by AAA, the prices are rather steep, but if you want fresh Latino inspired seafood dishes, this place is the best. Should you want to see more pictures of this great vacation, let me know so I can give you the links.