I've stayed at both, I'd pick Caribe Hilton for those ages. Beach has a protected area where you SHOULD be able to get into the water. I liked the location by the fort. Taxis are easy in PR for getting around if you can't walk to where you want.

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

Isla Verde is a separate area than Condado. The beach that is in front of the Royal Sonesta and El San Juan is much bigger and nicer than the Beach at the Marriott. You will find that there is where people rent jet ski's go paragliding etc. Between the two hotels, I would choose the Royal Sonesta. The El San Juan tends to skew older. You can always walk over to the hotel from the Sonesta. They are pretty close. If you don't care about being directly on the beach, we stayed at the residence inn, which is across from the El San Juan. It works for each because each room has a kitchenette. You also get breakfast included in your stay. The Pueblo Supermarket is a two-minute walk so you can get breakfast items, snacks etc. Isla Verde is not going to have the restaurants and stores that Condado does. Condado is a nicer area and very walkable to all the restaurants. The Vanderbilt is very nice but super expensive. We have stayed at the Marriott with kids and we liked it. The pool is nice, the beach is pretty small.
It is about 10-15 minutes from Isla Verde to Condado. Old San Juan is good for a couple of hours of walking around. Most of the stores are pretty touristy. If you haven't been, El Morro is worth walking around. If you have teens, plan a trip to El Yunque and also the zip lines.

I've stayed at Stellaris several times, and each time, the water has been very rough and had red flags. We walked on the beach and I let my little kids barely get their toes wet but it was too rough for anything more than that.

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

If you want to be walkable to Old San Juan you won't be by a beach and vice versa.

This.

Anonymous wrote:For what you want, the better pick is the Marriott. The Hilton Caribe doesn't really have a traditional beach -- it's right at the reef and the water is really rough. Most of the property is bordered by a seawall -- there is a little crescent of sand in a protected cove, but it's not really "beachy" in the sense you can take a long stroll, play in the waves, etc.

You can walk into town from the Hilton, but it's 20-30 minutes. No restaurants in the hotel's immediate neighborhood. It's a lovely hotel, but kind of orphaned.

What are you talking about? The swimming area is not rough at all. They have a seawall so it's like swimming in a bathtub. In fact, I would have liked it a bit wavier.

Also, if you go to the Caribe Hilton there are indeed several local places easily walkable from the hotel:
A bar with bar / local food
a sushi / pan asian place
A pizza place.

All have good service and are quite decent. Not fine dining but an easy passable alternative to overpriced, terrible room service. Especially as you can order from all of them for takeout.

Just got back from the Caribe Hilton. We enjoyed it. There are lots of ocean-front chairs so if sitting on the sand is your thing, you're well set-up.

Also, the pool is gorgeous.

It's not any more set away from things than any of the hotels that are on a beach.

If you want to be walkable to Old San Juan you won't be by a beach and vice versa.

It's very expensive but not that fancy. Most balconies overlook the hotel ballrooms and restaurants. You have a great view but to see the ocean you have to look beyond a huge roof.

It was a very comfortable place. Nice beds. Good A/C.

Doors are thin so you hear the toddlers running down the hall as late as ten pm. That's annoying. Somewhat unavoidable.

The check in desk takes ten years to get to you. They are incredibly inefficient. I have no idea why. But they are also very, very busy.

Some good things about the Caribe Hilton:
Full Starbucks in the lobby if you're a Starbucks family.
Nice ice cream / breakfast / snack shop off of the lobby.
Has a Morton's off of the lobby with a gorgeous view over the water.
The bar by the pool is nice.
The beach is truly private, so you don't have to worry about security there.
The staff is quite nice.
The compound is large enough that a family can each do their own thing.

Negatives:

The breakfast in the lobby restaurant is $40 per person. Which made us eat it only once. Crazy for eggs and bacon. The highest I've ever seen in any hotel lobby breakfast situation.

They talk about how great their pina colada is and how they originated it, but it's served in a plastic cup and it's not actually that good.

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.

We enjoyed our time in Caribe Hilton. Liked proximity to old San Juan. Beach was nice (but small). We spent some time at the Fairmont and that just didn’t seem like a family vibe. Very dark lobby, emphasis on the bar there. Maybe it’s different if you see the rest of the resort, not sure.

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.

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

* would not go there

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

For what you want, the better pick is the Marriott. The Hilton Caribe doesn't really have a traditional beach -- it's right at the reef and the water is really rough. Most of the property is bordered by a seawall -- there is a little crescent of sand in a protected cove, but it's not really "beachy" in the sense you can take a long stroll, play in the waves, etc.

You can walk into town from the Hilton, but it's 20-30 minutes. No restaurants in the hotel's immediate neighborhood. It's a lovely hotel, but kind of orphaned.

We’ve stayed at the Marriott twice but my kid is young so not wanting to fully get into the ocean. The ocean is scary there.

This is for spring break in a few weeks (mid-April). Family of four, two DDs are ages 10 and 13. They love the beach and going in the water. Not sure if one hotel has a better beach or not. Hoping for walking distance to good restaurants, want to explore Old San Juan, etc. If you are familiar with/have been to both, which would you recommend for my family?
Thanks!