Strategy for a Hotel

[CozGurl]

We are flying in the day before our cruise around 3:00 in the afternoon. I'm trying to decide what kind of money to spend on a hotel for the night. Typically I like a hotel on the beach with a pool. Is it worth that kind of money for just a few hours? We'll leave the hotel earlyish the next morning for sight seeing.

 

Another question is in which area do we stay? Obviously I'd like to spend as little money as possible on taxis. We are planning on dropping our luggage off at that restaurant until we board the ship later. Are there hotels near the restaurant?

 

Also thinking about that hop on hop off trolley or tour. Where does that start and stop?

 

Can you tell I'm confused?

[easyboy]

We are flying in the day before our cruise around 3:00 in the afternoon. I'm trying to decide what kind of money to spend on a hotel for the night. Typically I like a hotel on the beach with a pool. Is it worth that kind of money for just a few hours? We'll leave the hotel earlyish the next morning for sight seeing.

 

 

 

Can you tell I'm confused?

 

When we are on vacation, we don't mind spending, including pre- and post-cruise accomodations and tours. However, we don't choose hotels that have premium rates for amenities that we will not use.

If you will use the beach and pool during your stay being your criteria for a hotel, I guess it will be worth your money, especially if you enjoy it. jMHO.

 

 

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[CA_Cruzing]

Priceline Express Deals. We've never had a bad experience using them for last minute bookings.

 

 

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[E@syPe@zy]

The Condado area has a lot of restaurants within walking and a Walgreens and CVS for last minute items. We have stayed at the Best Western Plus Condado Palm Inn & Suites twice and found it fit our needs just fine. They have a pool and free breakfast and in house bar. We use points off of our credit card to get gift cards for Best Western. You are also just a couple of blocks from the ocean. From our balcony we could see it between and over the top of buildings.

[Ashland]

We have liked the Sheraton Old San Juan...great location and price for a quick pre-cruise stay.

[pghsteelerfan]

We are flying in the day before our cruise around 3:00 in the afternoon. I'm trying to decide what kind of money to spend on a hotel for the night. Typically I like a hotel on the beach with a pool. Is it worth that kind of money for just a few hours? We'll leave the hotel earlyish the next morning for sight seeing.

 

Another question is in which area do we stay? Obviously I'd like to spend as little money as possible on taxis. We are planning on dropping our luggage off at that restaurant until we board the ship later. Are there hotels near the restaurant?

 

Also thinking about that hop on hop off trolley or tour. Where does that start and stop?

 

Can you tell I'm confused?

 

We've done the southern itinerary cruise out of San Juan twice fairly recently (May 2013 and again in September 2015). We flew in a day early both times and stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott - Isla Verde both times and I'd recommend it. Both times, our flights have gotten in around noon and we've been on the beach between 1 and 1:30PM. The Courtyard is right across the main road from SJU, so only about a five minute taxi ride from airport to hotel. Before our first cruise, we were looking at hotels in the Condado area, but the prices were a lot more than what we wanted to spend. The Courtyard was within our budget. The check-in time was 3PM (maybe 4PM?) both times, but the rooms have been ready both times when we arrived between 12:00 and 12:30PM. If rooms aren't ready, I'm sure you can store your luggage and still be able to use the beach/pool.

 

 

The Courtyard is right on the beach, which is very nice, and they also have a nice pool with a swim-up bar. There area few nice restaurants and a casino. If not interested in the hotel restaurants, there are places to eat within walking distance. I can't comment on those as we've been happy eating at the hotel. Very easy to get a cab the next morning to the ship as there are taxis waiting out front and when you go to check out, their porters get the cabs for you. Their customer service has been great and that will always be our "go to" hotel in San Juan.

 

 

I'm attaching a link to our Carnival Liberty review (the most recent - Sept. 2015) where I included a lot of pictures of the hotel, the beach, the pools (more than one pool there), and some interior pictures of the lobby and restaurants. I'm attaching a link that will hopefully open on Page 2, where the section on our stay at the Courtyard begins. I believe it's the 2nd post down (Post #22).

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2275573&page=2

[alfaeric]

Unfortunately, you need to really decide what you want to do in San Juan.

 

Barrichinas is in Old San Juan- so if you wanted to stay at a hotel with a beach, you have a taxi to there, and then another to the ship (assuming you are not walking, as I don't know what cruise you are taking- and an Celebrity/RCI cruise, you need to take a taxi to the Panamerican Port regardless of where you are staying).

 

Since there are so many beaches where you are going, if you can compromise on that, there are some neat hotels in Old San Juan. If not, then you may have to miss Old San Juan.

[Fred&Lily]

For just one night pre-cruise I always search for the cheapest possible nightly rate in the 00979 zip code - it's all close to the Isla Verde Beach. Dress up in the evening and walk over to the El San Juan (Hilton) and spend the money you saved on a couple of their Mojito's.