Marriott Hotel recommendation pre-cruise

[HowardK]

Hello, I will be going on the Epic next December 2025 from San Juan and am looking to stay at a Marriott brand beforehand (due to points).

Can anyone make a recommendation- so far I have been looking at the LaConcha resort which seems close to places like cvs/walgreens so I can buy things beforehand as well as the Stellaris resort.  Probably looking for something on the quieter side. thanks in advance

[PORT ROYAL]

On 5/28/2024 at 2:14 AM, HowardK said:

Hello, I will be going on the Epic next December 2025 from San Juan and am looking to stay at a Marriott brand beforehand (due to points).

Can anyone make a recommendation- so far I have been looking at the LaConcha resort which seems close to places like cvs/walgreens so I can buy things beforehand as well as the Stellaris resort.  Probably looking for something on the quieter side. thanks in advance

If a quieter venue required, then take a look at Dorado Beach…....

Edited May 29 by PORT ROYAL
Typo

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, PORT ROYAL said:

If a quieter venue required, then take a look at Dorado Beach…....

Which is over 20 miles from San Juan and very, very expensive so probably requires a boatload (no pun intended) of points . 

[njhorseman]

On 5/27/2024 at 9:14 PM, HowardK said:

Hello, I will be going on the Epic next December 2025 from San Juan and am looking to stay at a Marriott brand beforehand (due to points).

Can anyone make a recommendation- so far I have been looking at the LaConcha resort which seems close to places like cvs/walgreens so I can buy things beforehand as well as the Stellaris resort.  Probably looking for something on the quieter side. thanks in advance

The former Sheraton Old San Juan  has just been remodeled and is now the Hotel Rumbao, still under the Marriott umbrella . A great location to access all the conveniences of Old San Juan and just a short taxi ride to the Pan American cruise terminal where your ship will be docked. 

It wouldn't be the quietest location but it's hard to find someplace quiet that's close to conveniences such as Walgreens and CVS. Stores like that are usually going to be found in busy areas. You may have to trade off one preference to satisfy another. Either of the hotels you mentioned would be OK too.

[PORT ROYAL]

11 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Which is over 20 miles from San Juan and very, very expensive so probably requires a boatload (no pun intended) of points . 

Know it’s a way out of town, and on last visit 6 years ago, thought a cab would take 20/30 minutes, but took over one hour, as there was a serious RTA.

 

Maybe if @HowardK not points sufficient, then can book money/points 

 

[Get outta town]

We stayed at ALoft in San Juan a couple years ago. It was great and had a shuttle to the port. 

[princeton123211]

On 5/29/2024 at 9:59 AM, njhorseman said:

Which is over 20 miles from San Juan and very, very expensive so probably requires a boatload (no pun intended) of points .

Boatload is correct. The Ritz Reserve Dorado was close to 200,000 points a night for their basic accommodation (or $1600 per night if you paid for it which we did not) and the rooms you really want with the private plunge pools go for 300,000 Bonvoy points a night. 

 

As a comparison the always very expensive St Regis in New York is usually about half that at 100,000 and the St Regis Bahia Beach on the other side of San Juan is usually in the 80k Bonvoy points per night range. 

 

The Ritz Reserve Dorado is a spectacular property but it isn't for the faint of heart (even using points).