Anyone Stayed at the Normandie?

[LuvBNatC]

I'm looking for a hotel for January 22, 2010, and just came across the Normandie, which is an Art Deco hotel near Condado built to look like the ocean liner. It doesn't show up on any of the booking sites, and its own online booking isn't working.

 

The rooms were reasonable, starting at $169. But has anybody stayed there? I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere and wonder why.

[rainforestgirl]

I'm looking for a hotel for January 22, 2010, and just came across the Normandie, which is an Art Deco hotel near Condado built to look like the ocean liner. It doesn't show up on any of the booking sites, and its own online booking isn't working.

 

The rooms were reasonable, starting at $169. But has anybody stayed there? I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere and wonder why.

 

 

The Normandie is closed (maybe for "renovation", more likely forever).

Look elsewhere.

[vikqueen]

We stayed at the Normandie two years ago, the lobby was great but the room was NOT, the property itself was not maintained at all. The worst part was the noise -- there was a party with LOUD music until 4 am and all the rooms surround the lobby so there was no avoiding the noise, thus no sleep. All they would do was offer us a free drink when we complained, not sufficient, we needed SLEEP!! Hopefully it is being renovated, the building itself looked cool.

[rschmidt24]

Karen, we are taking the same cruise a week before you. We are looking for a place to stay the night before the cruise also. Have you found a place to stay yet? Any recommendations? We have a family of four staying the night.

[LuvBNatC]

Karen, we are taking the same cruise a week before you. We are looking for a place to stay the night before the cruise also. Have you found a place to stay yet? Any recommendations? We have a family of four staying the night.

 

I spent a couple of days checking all the travel sites and making bids on Priceline based on CC advice, but came up with nothing with any of the majors that wasn't in the $200+ range: Intercontinental, Radisson, Marriott.

 

We'll be staying at the Holiday Inn Express in the Condada area. My single room was $142 (that's including taxes) and my parents got theirs with the senior discount for $141.

 

But people have said it's reasonably clean and within walking distance of a lot of stuff, so I think it's the best we could do. It's high season in PR.

 

There was one REAL cheap place that kept coming up, the Coqui Inn. Less than $100 a night. But I read a lot of very bad reviews about it and decided not to chance it.

[LuvBNatC]

We stayed at the Normandie two years ago, the lobby was great but the room was NOT, the property itself was not maintained at all. The worst part was the noise -- there was a party with LOUD music until 4 am and all the rooms surround the lobby so there was no avoiding the noise, thus no sleep. All they would do was offer us a free drink when we complained, not sufficient, we needed SLEEP!! Hopefully it is being renovated, the building itself looked cool.

 

Your story reminds me of a similar experience I had in South Beach. There was this newly renovated hotel on Lincoln Road built to look like an ocean liner. I think its name was the Avalon. I was all excited to stay there before a cruise, so my traveling companion (former travel agency exec) got us a room there relatively cheap. The rack rate was $750 a night, and we would have killed ourselves if we'd paid it.

 

We got a 2-room suite that was like a cell. Decorated in gray, carpet, curtains. If there was anything on the walls, I don't remember it. The only mirror was over the bathroom sink. No dresser. NO drawers. We had to ask for hangers for the closet. The nightstands were just little shelves jutting from the walls. And the carpet squished like it had just been washed.

 

We complained and they moved us to another room that was no better. When we told them at checkout how disappointed we were with the sparseness, they told us it was the owner's intention to give the whole place a "minimalist" look.

 

When minimal means that 2 people can't be getting dressed at the same time due to lack of mirrors, and there's nowhere to put small items or your clothes except to leave them in the suitcase, I'd say they took it too far. Especially for that price!

 

Karen

[macaroni]

Use Priceline with Resort rating. Got Intercontinental for $90 in January. Also you can check out Hotwire.

[LuvBNatC]

Use Priceline with Resort rating. Got Intercontinental for $90 in January. Also you can check out Hotwire.

 

That's where I started on Priceline and got nothing. I kicked it up a few notches and still nothing. We're booked at the Holiday Inn Express, but maybe I should keep plugging away at Priceline.

[rschmidt24]

Finally checked back on post...thanks. I booked the Holiday Inn Express. Looks like a nice place.

[cruisegirl29]

Hi,

 

This has closed for major renovations & is reopening at the W (Westin)....Not sure if it's open yet or not?? Anyone???

 

 

 

Sue

[Fancy_Goods]

We drove past The Normandie today. It has a sign on it saying "Re-opening Dec 2009" but the place was completely boarded up. I stayed there 3 years ago and had a room decent enough for a 2 night stay but my traveling companions had a horrible room. This trip we're at the Intercontinental and it's very nice with great beach access.