Caribe Hilton San Juan - Puerto Rico

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THis is an underrated gem. Visited: February 2007 Posted by caribecarer Caribe Hilton boasts fantastic grounds. They also have delightful staff. Also, the rooms are great with huge showers. The beach is good, and the food is fine. The location is excellent, too. Except for minor shortcomings, there is nothing not to like about this fine old hotel resort. 16 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This place had great public grounds and location! Visited: October 2006 Posted by jwimer We stayed here for three days at the end of our honeymoon. Upon arrival, we were pleased with the open air lobby and the attentive staff. Our standard room was large, well kept, up to date, and had a wonderful view of the ocean. The beach was decent, and the pools were very nice. We really enjoyed just walking around the Caribe campus. The resort was very close to Old San Juan and the airport. In my eyes, the only downfalls of the resort were the prices at the restaurants - somewhat outlandish - and the lack of entertainment. With that said, we did, however, go to a Puerto Rican Buffet at Palmeras that was about $40 per person, and was totally worth it. Also, we were pleased to find that once a month (at least I think it was once a month) the San Juan Philharmonic performs in the lobby. In addition, although pricey, The Madrid-San Juan Tapas bar was very good and authentic. I totally recommend it (but be prepared to spend). 11 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Our stay here was memorable. Visited: October 2004 Posted by rmure Having just returned from a four-day, strictly pleasure trip to the hotel, I feel compelled to weigh in on the merits of this resort. This was a homecoming of sorts for me because as a youngster in the sixties, I resided on this property for eight weeks. While this was a premier hotel for its time, it has some shortcomings that are not insurmountable. On the positive side, the grounds are beautiful and the staff is very attentive. The rooms are very clean, large enough, and decorated tastefully with great views. On the negative side, the restaurants (including Morton's of Chicago) are very expensive and missing the mark on quality of food and service. I'm glad I know my way around the Condado area, so alternative food was not a problem. In the concierge lounge on the ninth floor, we were disappointed to witness a house brand of vodka being refilled into the premium brand dispenser. That's illegal in some states. In addition, the entertainment on the grounds was non-existent. This resort is a great place to go to for its location to Old San Juan, the Condado, and the airport. However, it misses the current tempo of today's best resorts. Unfortunately, it is best suited for the newly wed and the nearly dead. 10 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Terrible room, will never visit again Visited: December 2003 Posted by egjthomas The public areas and grounds are spectacular, but our room was bad. Our family of 3 was squeezed into room 335 with a horrible view of the roof and air conditioners. There was not room for a third chair. The wallboard around the balcony door was cracked and peeling, there was a hole in a sheet. It was the cheapest, cheesiest room I have stayed in that cost more that $15 a night. And we paid premium holiday prices, booked through a travel agent. I talked to the manager and he was totally indifferent. 9 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Nice place, but bad service. Visited: September 2003 Posted by mballi This is a nice property and it has potential, but the service by the pool was awful! I figure that if I'm willing to pay $6.50 a drink, they should keep them coming! Also, stay away from the jewelry store downstairs. My friend had a bad experience with their service, too. Our toilet in the bathroom "sang to us" the entire time, and there was a leak on our patio. There were also lots of conventions going on when we were there, too. Also, there is not a casino there. We went to another hotel on Isla Verde, and found this area to be much, much nicer. I will stay on Isla Verde if I return, because other hotels there are better. 5 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a beautiful place to stay! Visited: July 2003 Posted by geterkr My sister and I stayed at the Caribe Hilton in July of 2003. This was our first trip outside of the United States. It was beautiful! The open air lobby was something out of a magazine. The staff was helpful and welcoming. The concierge told us how to take the bus (for just 25 cents a ride) to nearby attractions like Old San Juan, Isla Verde and the biggest mall I've ever seen "Mall of the Americas". The bus was safe and beat $8 to $9 cab rides that we initially paid for. The beach was the best part of our stay. The water was turquoise and small fish swam around my feet. The only problem was that there wasn't a club or much night life at all at the hotel. Our first three nights were filled with boredom. On our forth night we traveled to another hotel to party. Overall though, the hotel was a treat. I would definitely recommend it to someone longing for a quiet, serene vacation experience. 4 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Caribe Hilton was a fabulous place. Visited: July 2003 Posted by marely We stayed at the Hilton for 15 days. I was a little wary because of some of the reviews I had read. Let me tell you, it was a dream come true. The personnel we encountered (with the exception of Jose at the consierge desk, who was never willing to go out of his way for me, but did for my husband) was always helpful and courteous. The hotel provided water toys (mats, tubes, etc.) as well as board games free of charge to its guests. We took an aquacize class and had a blast. The grounds were beautiful and the beach was my new "happy place" memory to go back to. A tip: Although the food at the hotel was expensive, you could order room service for less than you would pay at the restaurants. There were also two fabulous places to eat accross the hotel on the side street. One was called Pescaderia and the other, La Tacita. At both you can get the most delicious food for less than you would pay at McDonalds for a family of three. There was also a little grocery store next to Pescaderia so we were not at the mercy of the hotel store. The hotel did not have self service facilities for laundry, but a shuttle took guests to Old San Juan at Plaza de Colon where there was a laundry whose owner would either do your laundry by the pound or tell you about the laundromat around the corner. For souvenirs visit Old San Juan's drugstores where you will find variety and cheap prices. Two places you must eat at in Old San Juan are La Bombonera and MOFONGO (this one was located next to the Wyndam hotel and on Friday nights they had trios that came and sang at the table). In case I have not made myself clear here - it was wonderful! 8 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We had a pleasant experience. Visited: June 2003 Posted by lans98 We stayed five nights at the Caribe Hilton and enjoyed it. The property was very nice - as well as most of the staff. The exception was that of two gentlemen who worked at the Concierge desk who were unhelpful and unpleasant. All others were super. The restaurant was extremely costly and the food wasn't that great, especially for the cost. The fitness-spa center was excellent. The grounds were attractive and well maintained. The rooms were spacious and cleaned very adequately on a daily basis. It is true that you must examine your bill for hidden charges. Once you bring it to their attention, the charges are removed. The Caribe Hilton should discontinue the practice of automatically adding a daily fee for a charitable contribution without advance permission. That along with two rude conceirge workers would be my only complaint. We would probably stay here again if we returned to San Juan. 4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Caribe Hilton was a decent hotel. Visited: May 2003 Posted by vbdejvon The Caribe Hilton was a nice place to stay. I did not have problems checking in or checking out. Make sure you look at your bill when you check out, though. There's a hotel fee of over $3 for each night stay. Our room was okay - small but clean. We didn't really go in the pool, but it looked nice. We laid on the tiny beach at the hotel. It was great beach for kids because of the calm water and size. We didn't care to eat at the hotel. We basically used the hotel to rest and sleep, and went out for food and entertainment. The facility was nice. The service was okay. Also, don't forget to check out their tropical garden, it was at the hotel, and was nice. The gift shop was convenient, and parking was $10/day. Overall, it was a good experience, but over-priced for what we got. Also, the location was great for us since we rented a car. It was only a few minutes drive to Old San Juan, and no more than 10 minutes to Isla Verde/Condado area. 4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Not impressed! Visited: May 2003 Posted by ptm1262 Just returned from five days at Caribe Hilton. My wife and I were very unsatisfied with the rooms and executive level at this resort. This is not a deluxe hotel and doesn't compare to the Ritz Carlton. Some reviews of the Hilton sounded very good and we decided to give it a try. We thought the hotel was completely re-furbished, however our room and bathroom looked old and dated (1970's). The beach and pool areas were very nice and the food was good. The executive level was disappointing. For example, we went for coffee and dessert at 9pm and nothing was left. (The lounge was open until 10pm!) The employee couldn't have cared less when we notified him. That's the big difference from this resort to other deluxe resorts, customer service, there was none! Also, The lounge was too small to accommodate the amount of people on the executive levels. Breakfast felt rushed and was very crowded. I wouldn't stay at this resort again! 9 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Excellent facilities, but watch for extra charges on bill. Visited: May 2003 Posted by wdunn338 The facilities and ocean view are wonderful. My biggest concerns occurred when it was time to check out. My bill included numerous charges for items I had not been informed of or services that I had not used. So be sure to check your bill! 7 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A breathtakingly beautiful place! Visited: April 2003 Posted by narnholm What a wonderful place, filled with beautiful surprises around every corner! Be sure to stop by the pool bar and say hello to Hyram and Saul, the friendliest bartenders ever! During the day, go out to the pier that overlooks the water, and feed the many tropical fish. And at night, the lights are on under the water so you may see the sharks! (Don't worry, they cant get you!) The botanical garden is filled with wonderful peacocks, who are always willing to show off thier plumage, and iguanas and coy fish and much more! You will especially like watching the cook from the restaurant put out a plate of food for the birds... (I wonder if they know they are eating EGGS!?). All in all, I wish I could just pack up and move there. It is a beautiful hotel with many beautiful people! 2 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Never Again! Visited: April 2003 Posted by am565656 If you are looking for a romantic quiet getaway in Puerto Rico this is not the place to stay. During my stay, the hotel was under heavy renovations. The beach is tiny and the hotel was loaded with families with children. There was only one bar with two bartenders open during the afternoon. Be prepared to wait for a cocktail. There was no nightlife activity at this hotel. My advice, go to a better hotel. 4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Extremely disappointing. Visited: April 2003 Posted by am565656 I have to admit, Caribe Hilton was my second choice of hotels. Unfortunately, the New York Mets were in town to play baseball and many of the players and press people stayed at my first choice, so it was booked. Our plane landed in Puerto Rico 10 a.m. A 15-minute cab ride later we arrive at the Caribe Hilton. We literally waited in line 20 minutes just to check in. The front desk clerk told me check-in was at 3 pm. and my room would not be available until then. I was told to leave my bags with the bell hop, and check with the front desk every now and then to see if my room was available. Mind you, every time I went to check, I was asked to wait at the end of the line again! My bags (as well as about 50 other guests bags) sat in the middle of the lobby for hours. At any given time, morning or night, you could always tell who were the new guests at the Caribe Hilton. They were the poor souls walking around with a carry-on bag poolside dressed in jeans still waiting for their room to be ready. The hotel boasts 17 acres of property. I have a feeling that they included part of the ocean in those numbers because the property is really not that big at all. The beach is tiny. There is only one bar open for business during the day. It has two bartenders. Expect to wait 10 minutes to finally get a drink ($7 bucks a pop). Don't expect anyone to take your order as you lie on the beach, there are no cocktail waiters to be found. If you expect to hear music outside you had better sit close to the bar. A CD player behind the bar is the only source of music at this resort. There is a bar inside the hotel, which only opens at night, and has one bartender. If I'm giving the impression that the hotel is understaffed, you are correct. It is also hit or miss with the Concierge. Sometimes he is at his post, sometimes he is not. I must admit the hotel rooms are very well kept and clean. The hotel sports a beautiful view of the ocean. And the exercise room and spa are very nice. There is a great little health food bar near the exercise facility. They have a very friendly staff and provide an exceptional menu from which to choose. We ate here quite often. I highly recommend it. The weather was always between 83-87 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a nice breeze coming of the ocean all day and night, very comfortable. 4 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is the best place to stay. Visited: December 2002 Posted by connie_stuart I love the Caribe Hilton. Every time we go to Puerto Rico, this is where we stay. It is like being at a home away from home. They have a very friendly staff and have a beautiful property. 1 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Nice property undergoing continuous renovations. Visited: December 2002 Posted by andybeth3 The Hilton was the first big resort to open in Puerto Rico back in the late 40's/early 50's. The hotel's best feature is its location. The Caribe Hilton is the closest hotel to Old San Juan with a beach and a deluxe spa, and only 15 min from the airport. The hotel is half way through a massive renovation, with the lobby and rooms completed. We stayed in the tower with a private balcony overlooking the ocean. The rooms were nice, though not huge, and the TV is badly positioned in relation to the bed. The TV has no premium channels like HBO - a little ridiculous for a $260/nt room. Our room also had some minor problems, including several dead light bulbs and a malfunctioning safe, all of which were remedied quickly. Parking was a major hassle when the hotel ran events. We came back late one night, and were forced to give our car keys to the attendant. It took the front desk an hour to find them the next day. Future renovations include adding a casino, and a retail village with a miniture golf course. If you are looking for a great beach and don't plan on going into old San Juan a lot, it is better to stay on Condado, which is more built up with many major resorts. The Hilton has a private beach, but it is nothing to write home about. The hotel food was very expensive, so we ate most of our meals in Old San Juan, which offers a wide range of dining options with better value. Finally, the OLAS SPA is wonderful - but if you want a locker and access to the jacuzzi - it costs $20/day. The Hilton has beautiful cascading pool, but no jacuzzi. All in all, it was a nice place, good for families, and very relaxing. It would be interesting to see how the Caribe Hilton looks when all the renovations are complete. 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Caribe Hilton is a top notch hotel. Visited: July 2002 Posted by stacey We just came back from a week at the Caribe Hilton. We had a corner suite, and it was a beautiful and very spacious room. It was the largest hotel room I have ever stayed in (1040 and 1042). The rooms were recently renovated and were just beautiful. We were on the Executive Level, so we had access to the Executive Lounge, which offered a Continental breakfast and Happy Hour every night. The open lobby was beautiful and overlooked the water. The facilities were also wonderful.....great pool, poolside bar, private beach, spa and tennis courts. The staff was wonderful, and very friendly. We met the general manager out by the pool one day and he said if we need anything at all, we could contact him personally. The only downside was that the restaurants left a little to be desired. Overall, I would highly recommend the Caribe Hilton, and we plan on returning. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A great place. Visited: December 2001 Posted by gh_w Caribe Hilton has large and clean rooms with a balcony and nice seaview. There are tropical gardens with a large pool and the hotel's beach is beautiful. A top location with easy access to old town. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A great time! Visited: April 2001 Posted by cva_reisen We stayed at Caribe Hilton before our cruise to the Southern Caribbean. Our room was very nice with balcony and a large bathroom. The location of this hotel was great. It had its own beach and large pool, and it was only a short trip to old town and shopping centers. This was the right way to start our vacation in the Caribbean. We will come back to Caribe Hilton. 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? All the amenities! Visited: February 2001 Posted by ashevlin50 The Caribe Hilton has all the amenities: private beach, beautiful pool, good restaurants (a fabulous breakfast buffet at one of them), health club, and convenient location! It’s close to Old San Juan and there’s an ATM in the lobby. There are also gift shops and tour services available. Rooms can be expensive, but inquire about package deals. 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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