Caribe Hilton vs Marriott Stellaris for San Juan, PR

[Anonymous]

Local from PR here. For what you want, your best bet is the Caribe Hilton. They have their own private beach and it is safe for families to swim in. What the other poster was alluding to was the cool lookout pier on the property where you can see the waves and fish. But right adjacent to is is their private beach.

The Caribe Hilton is within walking distance to Old San Juan with great things to do with kids like kiting flying at El Morro fort (you can buy the kite at vendors right there on the grounds around El Morro). You can buy snowcones (piraguas), there is a wonderful Saturday morning farmers market in Ballaja. Old Dan Juan is a wonderful place to roam and be free. The museums are awesome. The Cathedral, etc.you can also uber to Old San Juan.

The Caribe Hilton also has cool restaurants nearby and you are also right next door to the Condado Lagoon where you can paddlbkard or kayak with manatees and, they also set up a cool play area for kids (with life jackets)to bounce and climb on an inflated water playground. So look into that. Not to mention the Vindado area near Caribe Hilton has wonderful restaurants.

The Marriott is great too but you do have to be careful of the beach waves there specifically in the winter months.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for my typos. Condado Lagoon and Old San Juan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are having an outbreak of dengue fever . I round not go there right now.

* would not go there

I’m in PR right now. The dengue was declared last year. Not now. And every tropical place, including places like Florida, and other Caribbean islands, have dengue at one point or another. Including the Cayman Islands. Just put on bug spray and wair long sleeves if you aren’t near the beach. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

Wear…sorry for typo…

[Anonymous]

Thanks all! I booked Hilton Caribe. Now I just hope we don’t go crazy with all four of us sharing one room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel that the better option for a family who wants a beach and nearby restaurants is in Isla Verde - Royal Sonesta or Fairmont El San Juan. It is an easy cab or Uber ride to Old San Juan in 20 minutes.

There is no way that ubering from Isla Verde to the heart of Old San Juan is 20 min. It is 15 min from Isla Verde to the Condando neighborhood (where Marriott Stellaris is), and another 20 min from Condando to Old San Juan. Plus there is often a lot of traffic as you approach OSJ.

I do agree there are better beaches in Isla Verde than Condando.

I didn’t love San Juan for these reasons - there are compromises to each neighborhood, and no beaches are great there, period.

OP, I’d go to Grand Cayman

I was just in Puerto Rico last week and the Uber rides from Isla Verde to Old San Juan were 20 minutes....

[Anonymous]

Note that we have a son who was 11 when we went and we did this incredible day trip with a hike in the rainforest to natural water slides and night kayaking that was his favorite adventure on any trip we’ve ever been on ever.