 |
Know Before You Go! |
Have you visited El Canario by the Sea? We'd love to know what you think...
Please write a review with as much detail as possible. Tell us about the amenities, facilities and staff.
Click Here to post your review for El Canario by the Sea.
 This was in a good location. Visited: April 2008 |
| Posted by j+g |
 |
The air conditioning was too noisy. I think we got the worst room, as we saw little roaches. My friends in another room were happy, though.
The staff was friendly. Victoria was lovely. They served a good breakfast, with good coffee.
Also, it was in a very convenient location. If they would invest a little more in the decor, it would be much better. |
| 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 It was a very clean and nice place to stay. Visited: August 2007 |
| Posted by mariajem@aol_com |
|
I was nervous about staying here at first because of some of the reviews I had read. However, I was totally impressed with this hotel.
I stayed here during one of the hotest months, so I was concerned about the A/C working. However, the A/C was practically brand new (and ice cold).
The rooms and hotel were very clean, and the staff was helpful and very pleasant.
I will definitely be staying here again!
Happy with El Canario By the Sea! |
| 14 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| The price is right! Visited: May 2007 |
| Posted by jdanger |
|
Here you get what you pay for. It's not expensive, and the rooms are small.
However, the service is very friendly, the people are helpful, and the continental breakfast is free (which is better then other hotels in the area that charge for a continental breakfast!). There is a nice little alcove and sitting area to have your first meal of the day!
El Canario is really close to the beach. I stayed here for two nights. I had no problems with the shower or air conditioning. Also, there were no bugs, and no problems whatsoever.
If you're looking for a budget-minded motel for a few nights while visiting Condado or Old San Juan, this is a good pick.
|
| 22 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 This is an excellent, clean, three-star property. Visited: January 2007 |
| Posted by linda |
|
El Canario by the Sea was really clean and comfortable during our Jan 3-6, 2007 stay. We appreciated that more than new decor or pretenses of luxury, though this hotel is very pleasantly decorated.
The weekday maid was very thoughtful and competent, paying particular attention to A/C filter and other issues important to my smoke and mold allergies without being asked. The bed was good, with adequate blankets; and the shower water, was hot and abundant.
The hotel was in a quiet spot in Condado area, within close walking distance to the beach, groceries, restuarants, and a longer walk to Old San Juan sights and pier. We enjoyed the warm sun and fresh air on the tiny East-facing balcony between rain squalls.
The hotel was full of well-behaved groups of youth, yet staff managed to keep all the items of the complimentary breakfast well supplied and the area cleaned up and inviting until the closing time.
Check in and check out was quick and easy, and all but one concierge was very friendly and helpful to us, with directions to non-smoking restaurants and local cuisine.
The building is old, like many in San Juan, but the current owners of 30 years have obviously renovated routinely. The furniture, floors, walls and bathroom surfaces were in excellent condition, and the A/C was efficient.
We found the room lighting to be slightly inconvenient, and in need of updating, but everything worked. The elevator was ample, convenient, and appreciated due to our old knees.
Though we usually select resorts with pools and hot tubs in January, San Juan's luxury resorts are mostly under the flight pattern for the airport.
We would definitely choose this clean, quiet standard hotel again for either short or long stays in San Juan, because it is a comfortable place to enjoy the beaches and sights. We also found that local van shuttle taxis are a convenient bargain for airport for to hotel transfers. Get their phone number and use them from hotel to cruise ship pier. |
| 28 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 This was an awful hotel. Visited: November 2006 |
| Posted by charismapowers |
|
I recently stayed at this hotel for four days and three nights after finding that the Marriott was completely booked. It had to be my worst experience ever in a hotel.
There were roaches crawling in the clock (as well as on the bed). When I approached the front desk with this information, they appeared very nonchalant, as if it happened all the time. He stated he would call the manager, and let me know what he could do when she called back.
After speaking with the second person at the front desk later that night, they told me they could change my room assignment. I went to look at the second room, and there were roaches in the bathroom.
The person at the front desk informed me that maybe the second floor was infested (both rooms were located on this floor). So I was then told to look at a room on the third floor. (It was 10:30 pm on a Friday night, and there were no rooms available at the surrounding hotels).
This one was okay, and the front desk personnel changed me to this room and told me to speak with the manager in the morning. He warned me that she was awful with customer service, and he was right. This was the worst experience with customer service I had ever seen.
The manager had a thousand excuses why there were roaches in the room (i.e. other guest brought them, this is the Caribbean what do you expect, etc.). She informed me that all hotels had roaches, and it was no reason to be upset. She was very rude, hostile and unprofessional. And to top it off, she began making smart comments about the situation to guest checking out, as if it was a laughing matter.
She did give me a 10% discount for two of the three nights I stayed (she stated she would not give a discount for the third night because I did not see roaches that night, just baby lizards in the room).
All and all, spend the extra money to stay at the Marriott. Book early, as they fill up fast. Maybe the other Canario hotels are better. I can only judge this particular hotel's customer service.
Also, the hotel was pretty nasty and could use some major repairs.
The good thing was that it was steps from the beach, but I would rather walk blocks than stay here. |
| 18 users found this review helpful. 5 found this review unhelpful. |
| We loved El Canario by the Sea. Visited: June 2006 |
| Posted by rosarioservices |
|
My wife and I had the best time at El Canario by the Sea. We booked for one night, but ended up staying for our entire week vacation.
Granted, this was a small property with no frills, but for less than $100 per night, everything, including the cost, met with our approval.
Our room was clean and comfortable, and the free continental breakfast every morning was a welcome start to our day. Also, the staff was super friendly.
We travel to San Juan several times a year and, being on a budget, we'll definitely stay here again. |
| 12 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| I recommend you don't trust anybody here. Visited: March 2006 |
| Posted by albrudno |
|
The hotel was as a part of our pre-cruise stay. Everything was good: breakfast and location were both perfect.
However, one thing turned all upside down for us. My wife forgot her cosmetic purse with some jewelry inside. We called the hotel a few hours later after check-out. We were told to come back to pick up the item after our cruise. A week later, when we got back to the hotel, nobody was willing to listen to us. We were told that they found nothing. |
| 8 users found this review helpful. 5 found this review unhelpful. |
| I loved the place! Visited: November 2004 |
| Posted by ocean_spirit |
|
I gave El Canario by the Sea four stars. I was not judging it by comparing it to classy big hotels. I was judging it on the fact that it was a very clean property, with very good security.
Mathilda, the manager, was unbelievably friendly. The security staff was equally friendly. I wish my home was as clean as they kept the room. The A/C was cold and quiet. I always felt safe and comfortable.
Also, the beach was a two-second walk from the front door. The main street with shopping and restaurants was a one-minute walk and that is if you walk slowly.
Breakfast was nice, too. The provided coffee, orange juice, bread, buns and bananas. The bananas were so sweet! The breakfast area was lovely and newspapers were available. I enjoyed trying to read the Spanish papers. It wouldn't be as much fun had I grabbed the English copies.
Would I stay here again? Absolutely. I would stay nowhere else. I felt safe and secure, and I was on my own for three nights before my friend arrived for the last two nights. You can't go wrong picking El Canario by the Sea. It is truly a little hidden gem! |
| 10 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
 It is my home away from home. Visited: December 2003 |
| Posted by nruiz |
|
My first Canario experience was in 1999, when I stayed at Canario Inn. One day on my way to the beach I discovered Canario by the Sea, which was practically on the sand!
When I visited Puerto Rico in 2000, I stayed at the Canario by the Sea, and have been staying there every year when I visit PR (twice in 2003).
The staff is so friendly and helpful that they make me feel like family. The rooms are cozy, comfortable and clean, and the air conditioning is "freezing!"
What I like the most is that I don't need to rent a car to go anywhere else. Shops, restaurants, hotels and casinos are a block away. And for a quarter, I can hop on a bus and go to Old San Juan, and/or Plaza Las Americas. It's worth every penny! |
| 5 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| It was fantastico! Visited: October 2003 |
| Posted by brennagethers |
|
My boyfriend and I had to reschedule our trip to Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Isabel from Sept. 2003 to Oct. 2003. We needed a place and we were going to stay at the Water Club, but it was way too expensive ($289/night).
Thanks to all the wonderful reviews online, we decided to come to this hotel. It was absolutely beautiful. It was not the Trump Plaza, but for the price it was fantastic! Walgreen's and CVS were right down the street, bars and eateries were in close proximity, and there was a casino (if that's your thing) across from Walgreen's.
Also, there were taxis right across the street, and most importantly, the beach (which although was public, was never crowded) was literally steps away. We could see the beach from our room.
We were very pleased. We promised to come back and we will. The breakfast area, although it was inside, was not covered, so the sun could shine through. And the hotel provided newspapers in both Spanish and English.
All in all, if you are on a budget, but want to spend money on everything else but the hotel, go for this pick! It was affordable, clean, and had friendly staff. They even supplied beach towels to all their guests. It was wonderful |
| 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| A gem and a wonderful find...we will be back. Visited: September 2003 |
| Posted by hammertoes7 |
|
We are so glad we learned of this small hotel from friends. From all we could find from our research and this site's reviews, we felt we had to give it a try. What a joy!
We had the best time and have nothing but good things to say. Our room had great a/c and had its own bathroom. We loved how close we were to the beach, and compared to the other hotels we found in area, we think we found the best.
We especially loved the extra attention from Gilbert and Matilda in making us feel like family. All was perfect, and we can't wait to return again. What a great little place to stay if you are on a budget but want to be treated like family. We will be back again soon! |
| 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Very clean, friendly and great location! Visited: September 2003 |
| Posted by dshase |
|
I read all the other reviews , so I was a little afraid to come here, but we got a great place for our money!
It was very clean, very centrally located with Walgreens just one minute away. And if you want to have a nice evening, all the restaurants were nearby, especially the very nice Marriot with its casino and pool!
Breakfast was not a buffet, but it was okay. Also, the air conditioning was a bit noisy, but the water pressure was very good, and the staff was very friendly. IŽll come back! |
| 3 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| A disappointing stay Visited: July 2003 |
| Posted by pattydel72 |
|
I recently stayed at the Canario by the Sea with 3 other friends. When we got there they had already booked our room to a "group" so they say. The manager/atendee mocked at our protest. Did not even apologize for their inconvenience and told us we needed to stay somewhere else, we protested even more and ended up keeping the room.
The rooms are super small, so if you want spacious with windows this is not the place for you. The air conditioner only allowed you to go 60 degrees, so if you want comfort, this is not for you either. The only thing this hotel had to offer was the convenience of having the beach a step away. I would not recommend and I will personally never stay there again. My experience was not pleasant! |
| 5 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. |
| What a surprise! Visited: June 2003 |
| Posted by jisaac |
|
I had visited the Condado area of Puerto Rico before, and had seen this hotel and did not think much of it. This year, however, my friend booked our room here and I was totally surprised.
It was small, intimate and cozy. The room was very clean with a great bathroom and shower. The air conditioning was very cool and quiet. Housekeeping was wonderful and the tropical breakfast in the morning was another treat.
I am planning on returning for Thanksgiving. It was literally five seconds from the beach and there were plenty of shops and dining facilities. It was very economical, and was very close to the casinos and nightlife.
Although there was no view, being on the beach all day and out dancing and enjoying the evening more than compensated. It was a great little hideaway. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| A Wonderful Surprise Visited: June 2003 |
| Posted by ritlin |
|
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful week stay at El Canario by the Sea. What a pleasant surprise to find they had just completed a month long renovation in May. In fact, we arrived just days after their grand reopening. All was fresh, clean, bright and cheery. This was our first visit to San Juan. We loved being next to the beach and within an easy stroll to restaurants, the bus stop and the many casinos for our evening entertainment. The staff was great and our room was perfect. We could not have hoped for more. It was a real treat waking up each day looking forward to lounging on the patio over breakfast. Thanks Mathilda for keeping the coffee pot full and for making us feel like family! We met a lot of nice people and really enjoyed the casual, tropical atmosphere. We will definitely stay at El Canario by the Sea again and will encourage everyone we know to do the same. This was the best, most relaxing vacation we have had in a very long time. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| This was a wonderful surprise! Visited: June 2003 |
| Posted by ritlin |
|
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful week-long stay at El Canario by the Sea. What a pleasant surprise to find they had just completed a month-long renovation in May. In fact, we arrived just days after their grand re-opening.
All was fresh, clean, bright and cheery. This was our first visit to San Juan. We loved being next to the beach and within an easy stroll to restaurants, the bus stop and the many casinos for our evening entertainment.
The staff was great and our room was perfect. We could not have hoped for more. It was a real treat waking up each day looking forward to lounging on the patio over breakfast. Thanks, Mathilda for keeping the coffee pot full and for making us feel like family!
We met a lot of nice people and really enjoyed the casual, tropical atmosphere. We will definitely stay at El Canario by the Sea again and will encourage everyone we know to do the same. This was the best, most relaxing vacation we have had in a very long time. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| No way Visited: March 2003 |
| Posted by cneal |
|
Did not stay here, however went to check it out because I saw it on the net. Thought the price might be right, however when we got there was told the 95.00 per nite was over the net only. They wanted 114 a night. Looked at rooms, no way. Small dump close to beach that you have no view of. Go right up the street to Diamond Hotel and Casino. Got a great room for 95.00 a night. |
| 4 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| Don't be fooled by photos Visited: February 2003 |
| Posted by hohohohi |
|
The hotel was close to the beach which was nice, but there was no parking. The bathroom is incredibly small and ghetto. We saw cockroaches. There was construction on the floor and they would start at 8AM. WE paid more than what they said was the price on the phone. the room had A/C, but it was horribly humid. |
| 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| El Canario had very friendly staff. Visited: January 2003 |
| Posted by rehobchrn |
|
If you're looking for location, this hotel is practically on the beach.
However, the water pressure in the bathrooms was horrible at best. The air conditioning was very noisy, and you can expect to be charged extra upon departure for using it. The 1960s bed and sofa were stained and uncomfortable.
I did enjoy the continental breakfast every morning, and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. |
| 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
| We loved staying at El Caranio by the Sea! Visited: November 2002 |
| Posted by bigmare |
|
I found this resort on the internet, and after reading the reviews I was not sure about staying here. We did not want to spend the higher rates elsewhere, so we decided to give it a try.
Contrary to a few of the reviews, we found the room to be clean, a/c was cold, the shower was fantastic, and the staff was very friendly. The breakfast was wonderful, and the walk to the beach was exactly 10 steps! This was a true bargain.
There were lots of good places to eat very close by, as well. My praises to Linda (and the staff), as she was most helpful when I called her to book the room. Try to find that in a big tourist city! Thanks again, we will defintely be back! |
| 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. |
|
| Every hotel, resort, b&b, and villa. That is our goal. Did we miss your favorite hotel or villa? Do you own a hotel or villa? Please let us know. Click Here! |
| Did you find something offensive on our website? Please let us know. Click Here! |
|
| El Canario by the Sea is a small, bed and breakfast hotel located 20 steps from the beach in the heart of Condado, San Juan's largest tourist area. All 25 guest rooms are air-conditioned with color/cable television, direct-dial telephone, in-room safe and private bathroom. Complimentary... |
Caribbean Villa Rentals
|
 |
San Juan Lodging
San Juan Travel Guide
Read reviews on YahooAnguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Necker_Island, Anegada, Little_Thatch_Island, Virgin_Gorda, Tortola, Cayman_Islands, Dominica, Dominican_Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Nevis, Puerto_Rico, St_Barts, St_Kitts, St_Lucia, St_Maarten, St_Martin, St_Vincent__the_Grenadines, Trinidad_and_Tobago, Turks_and_Caicos, St_John, St_Thomas, St_Croix, Villa Home Page
|
- San Juan Links
-
|
More
Test your Luck at the Island's Largest Casino at this Oceanfront Luxury Puerto Rico Hotel.
Enjoy Spectacular Ocean Views at this Puerto Rican Paradise.
El San Juan provides the Perfect Venue to Enjoy Puerto Rico's Beautiful Beaches by Day, and Vibrant Social Scene at Nigh
