I was excited to visit Puerto Rico, not just for the delicious food and colorful buildings, but also because I had the opportunity to stay at one of the best resorts on the island — conveniently located right along the beach and in the heart of Condado.
My red-eye flight from the west coast and frustrating delay on the runway left me a little — shall I say — grumpy. That all melted away as soon as I was greeted at the reception desk of the San Juan Marriott with a complimentary and tasty rum punch. It was a nice touch and, honestly, more hotels should take note.
THE ROOM AND VIEW
San Juan Marriott Beach
With my second rum punch in hand, I made my way to my room and soaked up this view. From that point on, I was completely sold. The room was spacious with a sliding glass door which led to my own private balcony where I could eat breakfast (or sip on an afternoon drink!) while watching the waves crash.
THE FOOD
Upon arrival to the resort, I was famished. The casual La Isla Beach Bar — just downstairs — offered a few healthy salads, appetizers and burgers, but the coconut shrimp was calling my name.
I brought my meal back to my room and enjoyed it on my balcony and afterward, I collapsed onto my comfy bed for a well-deserved nap.
On our second evening in Puerto Rico, we dined at La Vista Latin Grill, on the bottom floor of the hotel. With unique Puerto Rican-inspired cuisine on the menu, it was by far one of my favorite meals of the trip.
THE NIGHTLIFE
One of the coolest things about the San Juan Marriott is the Red Coral Lounge. I found it fascinating that 95% of the bar’s revenue comes from the locals. Puerto Ricans dance the night away to live music and (not surprisingly) many of them know how to dance! If you want to see true Puerto Rican culture, come here.
The Stellaris Casino is located on the bottom floor of the hotel, near the Red Coral Lounge. This was the first time I have ever enjoyed a game of Blackjack and that is a result of actually learning how to play! The casino offers complimentary Blackjack lessons to their guests. We had the best time learning the strategy of this game and I finally had the option to ask the dealer all the questions I held myself back from asking in a real game.
Afterwards, you can take this valuable knowledge and play for real money at one of the tables. The best part? You can order complimentary burgers and drinks from your server. Not too shabby.
THE LOCATION
San Juan Marriott Pool
Beach or pool? This is always a tough decision for me, but luckily I didn’t have to choose this time. The pools are located just steps away from a breathtaking beach.
The San Juan Marriott is located in Condado, a popular area of San Juan with beautiful beaches and a variety of restaurants, bars and shops. If you want to explore the other restaurant options besides La Vista Latin Grill, you can easily walk to many fine dining and casual restaurants.
To learn about our favorite restaurant picks in the area, see our post with 5 Restaurants to Try in San Juan.
THE SUNSETS
Just in case I didn’t give you enough reasons to love the San Juan Marriott, I’ll leave you with this vision…
Sunset at San Juan Marriott
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