El Conquistador Resort - Puerto Rico

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El Conquistador "wowed" me! Visited: March 2006 Posted by shannetta This was such a great place and such great service. It was like a world of its own. It is my number one pick in great hotels! 8 users found this review helpful. 3 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is a great escape - if you're not paying full price. Visited: February 2006 Posted by eva_hill We stayed at the El Conquistador Resort in February, 2006. We were generally pleased with our experience, but our opinion was tempered by the low rate we’d paid. My husband and I are regular Caribbean travelers; large resort hotels are not usually our style. However, we were looking to play tennis on this trip and good tennis facilities tend to be limited to large resorts. We were assigned to Las Olas Village, which was below the main level but above the Marina Village. The hotel was sited on a spectacular cliffside peninsula. While affording beautiful views, the site, with rooms scattered from top to bottom, required guests to undertake major expeditions to get anywhere, including a funicular railcar which was required to reach Las Olas and Marina Village. The common areas of El Con were extremely attractive and generally well-maintained; the views alone were worth the price of admission. Our room had an ocean view with a balcony. The room, while large, bright and generally comfortable, was very dated and worn. Everything looked generally tired and in need of replacement or renovation. Despite what was advertised, our room did not have a minibar or a fridge, though it did have a safe. The TV remote didn’t work, nor did the ceiling fan. El Con's cliffside setting meant that the only way to get beach time was to take the free ferry to Palomino Island offshore. Here, you spend quality beach time with hundreds of your closest friends in loungers lined up in endless rows along the beach front. Don’t assume that the "private island" experience is secluded or peaceful. Food … well, much has been made of the price of it. We found the casual dining places generally mediocre and, while priced less than the fine dining spots, not an especially good value for the quality of food. The fine dining, on the other hand, we found to be quite good and comparably priced to similar experiences in our East Coast city. We had excellent dinners at Stingray Café (seafood) and Isabela’s (steak). Reservations are recommended. And last but not least, the reason for our trip – the tennis. The tennis complex was impeccably maintained and beautifully sited, and we enjoyed playing every day. All in all, we felt like we got more than our money’s worth and had a very enjoyable long weekend. 16 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Dissapointment - avoid this hotel Visited: June 2005 Posted by cbenadia I'll remember this hotel for the worst experience in a hotel. The resort is dirty - real dirty - from the pool (moldy) to the balconies, to the room itself. The pool closed for a private party - nobody had told me that a check in. The next day the beach closed for a private party, again nobody had told me that a check in. A so called 5 start hotel should have mentioned it. The food prices are high and the quality is low and the staff is unexperienced. 6 users found this review helpful. 7 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A disappointing experience Visited: June 2005 Posted by cbenadia Avoid this hotel at all costs. It is not what it claims to be. The pool closed at 3:00 PM for a private party, the next day the beach closed for a private party, one of the funiculars was broken so everyone going and coming to the beach party were using the only funicular so if your room is in level 2 (Las Olas) like mine was, you'll have to wait a long time to get from or to your dirty room. Not once I was informed of the hotel activities nor the limited services. The food is really bad, expensive and the servers aren't trained properly. I ordered a cold beer and was brought a cool beer so the waitress told me not to worry. I thought she was going to bring me another beer, but she added ICE to it - nice touch. Took over 1 hour to get my luggage after checking out. 5 users found this review helpful. 5 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The hotel is vast and beautiful, with its own private island. Visited: April 2005 Posted by indira_s I was very pleastantly surprised when I arrived at this hotel. The lobby was magnificant. The views from the rooms were breathtaking because it was set on the side of a mountain. The private island was just a five-minute ferry ride away, but it seemed a world away from city life. I look forward to returning. 9 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Would not spend my own money here... Visited: September 2004 Posted by ukjules I spent 5 nights at this resort for an international conference. My room and two meals per day were covered by my employer, so lucky me. Otherwise, the El Conquistador is NOT a good value. Like other reviewers have noted, the food is very overpriced for its quality. Example: at Othello's, a mozzarella salad, a vegetarian penne pasta entree, and two glasses of low-end wine set me back $60. A tropical storm hit the island while I was there, and Wyndham did not charge us for the one worst night. Many rooms flooded, and electric and water were on-again, off-again for 4 days. I understand now why so many rooms have water damage and a moldy smell. To its credit, the resort is in a beautiful location, overlooking the junction of the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Palomino Island was very pretty and well-equipped for water sports. But for beach snobs, the water is not crystal-clear as you might find elsewhere in the Caribbean, and there is seaweed/kelp on the sand. El Conquistador is definitely a convention resort, and so could be delightful in the right weather and with somebody else paying the tab. 4 users found this review helpful. 4 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Do not stay here. Visited: June 2004 Posted by nilawinona We just returned from a 6 day stay and we would never recommend that anyone stay at this "resort." The rooms are sub-par -- paint is cracking, furniture is ugly and doesn't match, decor is hideous, towels are itchy and stiff. The rooms are dingy and look like they were furnished at a garage sale. We requested a room change after the first night and were moved to a slightly better room. The food is horrible. To state that the food is expensive is an understatement. The prices are offensive. It is one thing to pay a lot for good food but the food is a small step above airplane quality. For example, a buffet breakfast consisting of lukewarm eggbeaters, fatty bacon, and cold potatoes will cost you $40 for two people. It is a hassle to take the boat to the island and the boat does not follow any kind of schedule. The island is very nice but there are similar beaches at much nicer resorts. The grounds are in need of repair. Also, there is a very nice family of sharks that resides in one section of the beach. Fun to watch, but not so fun to swim with. I could go on but the bottom line is this not a good place to stay. I have stayed at many resorts and this one does NOT deserve a 4 star rating. 4 users found this review helpful. 6 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? You have to be kidding. Visited: June 2004 Posted by steph We cancelled and moved to a different resort after two straight nights of a broken toilet. That was not the only reason, though. There was also supposed to be Internet connection in the rooms (which my husband has to have to keep in touch with work). Their in-room Internet was down, and they refused to come out and fix it, because it was "too late at night". It was 8:30. We were sad more than anything, because we had such high hopes for this place. They didn't even ask why we were checking out early. 6 users found this review helpful. 4 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? I think some people have no idea what they are talking about. Visited: May 2004 Posted by baby_b I thought this was one of the greatest hotels I have ever stayed in. Everything was great. I am quite a traveler, and I have been almost everywhere in the Caribbean. I think some of the reviewers who rated this a "one" or a "two" might not have good taste or are cheap. I thought this was the most beautiful and exotic hotel one could ever stay in. 7 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Extreme prices for food and drinks, and closed pools. Visited: April 2004 Posted by pam161 The hotel had beautiful views, but the rooms were only so-so (I've stayed in two-star rooms that were nicer). The food and drink prices were outrageous, and they double-booked conventions so that a lot of the time, the main pools were shut off from regular guests. We were really angry after the third day of the pools being closed off from regular guests so the conventionees could have poolside dinners, etc...we came back from the beach and wanted to go to the main pool, but the only pool that was open was 1/2 way down the mountain, so we had to get back on the cable car to go back down and got stranded on it for 1/2 an hour when it broke. Many angry guests were complaining about the pool closings because it was our vacation, too and we were paying top dollar, but they did nothing about it. They didn't even tell us in advance that the pools would be closed...we found out when we tried to go swimming. They should tell you when you are booking your room. The service was horrible. We called for extra blankets four times and new batteries for the TV remote (it wasn't working), but nobody came. Finally, we asked for the general manager who did take action. They didn't tell us anything about the resort, we were kind of left to figure it out on our own. They charged $8 for a pina colada or daquiri and $6.50 for the kid's version without rum, so a round of drinks was very costly. They did have a happy hour at the pool bar for one hour a day when pina coladas and daquiris were $3, but we couldn't get any other kinds of drinks during happy hour (except beer). Food prices were extremely high...we finally went out to town and bought breakfast stuff for the room and ate most of our dinners out of the resort. The resort was beautiful and there were a lot of activities on Palomino Island (at additional cost) but the price gouging and the closed off pools really ruined it for us. 5 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a beautiful resort - we had a wonderful stay! Visited: February 2004 Posted by rachelfsu4 I am really surprised at the comments about high priced food and drinks. That is to be expected at any resort of this grandeur. Those looking for an all-inclusive deal should seek a more economical stay at a less impressive hotel, rather than a resort. The entire resort was breathtaking. There were several exquisite restaurants, along with a casino, golf course, bars, and a night club. There were several pools (none of which were closed), but our favorite was the pool with the swim-up bar. The Golden Door Spa was wonderful, as was their private island. Snorkeling, horseback riding, and tours of the rainforest were offered at an additional price. However, it did not cost extra to simply go to their private island and relax. The snorkeling included a catamaran ride and free drinks on board. The architectural lighting at night was very romantic. I had wonderful service-new towels, toiletries, etc. every afternoon. My boyfriend brought his laptop and had no problem with the Internet access. I am sorry for those who did not enjoy their stay, because we thought it was wonderful. 5 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It sure beats the heck out of Orlando. Visited: September 2003 Posted by benderman66 I've just returned from a sales conference held at this unbelievable location. Talk about a motivator! We honestly didn't know what to expect having never been to Puerto Rico before. It seems that these types of meetings have either been held locally, or in destinations like Orlando, again and again. Looking to uplift the team for the end of this year and into next, our VP decided a resort location would be what was needed and boy was he right. Though business was the focus, the free time we did have was rejuvenating. Though I’m not a golfer, most of my gang were and they had a terrific time. For the ladies in the group, they all raved about the spa and I was happy just to have some quiet time by the pool. As for our team events, we had the coolest theme party ever at their private island. All I can say is that when I get some vacation time, I’m heading back with my wife for some serious R and R. 6 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Nice, but needs a makeover. Visited: September 2003 Posted by wesley This resort is nice. From the moment you pull through the gate, the grounds are amazing. The food was good, not great, but in-line with other resorts of this caliber. Kind of pricey, but again, in-line with other resorts. I guess you're paying for the convenience. The rooms are in dire need of a renovation. The resort is 10-15 years old and looks like it has not been renovated since it opened. We had a room in the Las Brisas wing, which other travelers had told us it was the nicest wing. The view from the balcony was A+, but I hate to think that any of the other rooms were in worse shape as these. Although the pool area was big, it too needs some tlc. The pools and hot tubs need painting and the cement could stand to be pressure washed. Even though this resort is big, it doesn't seem to handle a lot of people very well. We checked in and out mid-week so we had no problems with check-in/out, but on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the lines to check-in and out were 30-40 people deep each day. Looks like the management could prepare for this surge a little better. This hotel seems to be a favorite for business meetings and conventions and the influx of people during these times made the resort very, very crowded. There were not enough wait staff around the pool area to accommodate all of the guests, the line for the funicular (cable car which takes you to the marina) was long, and I overheard people saying that they couldn't get any dinner reservations before 9:45.. Monday-Wednesday is the time to be at this resort. We had the whole resort and Palomino Island to ourselves, or maybe it just seemed that way after spending the previous 3 days with so many people at the resort. The staff at this hotel seems to be just going through the motions. There is no sincerity or concern in their voices or their actions. Maybe they're just overworked as I pointed out in the previous paragraph. All in all, this is a nice resort that could be nicer with a makeover. When we checked out of the El Conquistador, we stayed at the Wyndham Old San Juan. The Old San Juan was clean and the staff was very attentive and went out of their way to make sure we were taken care of. 0 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? We should have stayed home! Visited: August 2003 Posted by bethnote I've read all the reviews and I am glad that some people managed to have a good time at this resort. It at least gives me some hope that there is potential for good service here. There were five women in my group, all very experienced travelers, looking for some R&R on a "mommy getaway." We expected things to be pricey, but truly felt like we were overpaying the entire trip because the service was just not worth the money being spent. (Although the meals in the finer restaurants were very good.) There is very little that went right with this trip. Service was absolutely horrendous, beginning with check-in (which literally took hours). We were not provided with any information regarding the hotel, services, area attractions upon check-in and the concierge was not helpful either. Several of the restaurants were closed the entire time we were there (4 days), but we had to find this out ourselves. The nightclub never opened. The casino was fun and the dealers were entertaining. I wouldn't be surprised if the staff was intentionally not providing us with information on services due to the fact that they weren't sure what would actually be available. Our rooms were completely unacceptable and extremely disappointing --mildew, damp, very outdated and rundown; there were definitely no robes or luxurious amenities. And isn't it against health code to install refrigerators in bathrooms? Several phone calls to the front desk were needed for any item requested. There was a definite communication problem between hotel and guest, and it was not due to a language barrier. The resort was empty and obviously serious upgrades and repairs need to be made at some point, but we endured three long days of the staff power washing (very loudly) at the pool. Each time the staff turned off the machine, the entire pool population would cheer and clap; and then they would resume power washing. They would not take a break even when specifically asked by guests. The swim-up bar was never open during our stay. The "happy hour" that other guests mentioned reviews was unknown to us. The spa had excellent services and was pricey, but that was to be expected. However, my specialist for three of my four services completely horrified me (there was an offer on the table for "extra" services the entire time)--and I've had many massages before. None of us would ever consider returning to this "resort." They made it impossible for us to relax, even as determined as we all were to do so. 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was a great place to relax. Visited: August 2003 Posted by deirdreg I gathered some very useful information from other reviews on this site, so I thought I would share some thoughts. This resort was amazingly beautiful and was very relaxing. Some tips: 1. Travel during the off season. It's much cheaper and it the resort is close to empty which is wonderful. The service was unbelievable during my stay. 2. Bring snacks. The food and drinks are quite pricy, but if you are smart about eating, it is not outrageous. Take advantage of happy hour -- 2:00 -3:00 pm at the Splash Bar and 5:00 -7:00 pm at Las Caminas. Have two or three really nice dinners (I really liked Stingray Cafe and Otello's) and then have the other dinners at Bella Vista or Cafe Caribe, etc. 3. Rent a car. I rented a car for two days through the Avis dealer at the resort. I went into Old San Juan one day which was great. The following day I drove through the rainforest and then had a fantastic dinner at Anchor's Inn in Fajardo. 4. The resort gives you a card that you can charge everything and anything to. This makes things very easy. Additionally, you can check the balance on this card through your television which helps stay on top of your expense tab. 5. Join Wyndham by Request through their website. It's free and it was very beneficial for me. I got a room upgrade and they bring drinks and snacks to welcome you. I stayed in Las Vistas and my room was in great condition. 6. Buy snorkeling masks and fins at home and bring them with you. The snorkeling is great. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was paradise...with a few flaws. Visited: August 2003 Posted by tram888 I decided to stay at this resort because I have stayed on the other end of the island on previous trips. I was not disappointed with the resort itself. The grounds, views, pool and the common areas of the resort were breathtaking. It was very pricy, though I was not surprised. The food was delicious - Isabella's was the best restaurant. Palomino Island was by far the best part of the vacation. It was the most beautiful beach I have visited - with white sand, clear water and food and drinks served to you all day long. It was completely relaxing. The rooms were in definite need of renovations. The balconies had a wonderful view. However, the room was musty and the odor of industrial cleaning supplies stayed with me and my things for quite some time. If you are a traveler who prefers nightlife, this is not the place to go. The disco was closed the entire time I was here and there was only one bar open to get drinks after dinner. Palomino Island was the only reason I would return. 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Great location, poor quality. Visited: July 2003 Posted by kat80 Between the reviews and all of the hype about this place we didn't know what to believe. The shuttle ride from the airport to the resort took an hour or so, due to traffic. Saturdays are the worst because everyone in Puerto Rico, it seems, goes to the beach. If you have children, come prepared and bring snacks for the ride. My family of three was expecting a fairly large room similar to those we have stayed in Hawaii and Jamaica. Wrong. Rooms with two double beds aren't as large as they should be considering the price. Stay in a room with a king bed and pull out couch to allow for more room. The rooms all together could have been better. They look much bigger on the internet. During the summer, many conferences occur at once causing the resort to become overcrowded. We left on a Saturday; at the time six conferences were going on. The funicular was a nuisance. Having to coordinate funicular ride times plus ferry times made me feel like I had a work schedule to keep up with. Five out of seven days I was there, one funicular was always broken. The ferry to the island leaves right on the dot, so don't expect to make it if you leave 10 minutes prior. Palomino Island was the best part. The ferry ride had its ups and downs. The weather was great but the water was choppy. Make sure to get on one of the two largest ferries if you’re prone to seasickness, especially when with children. The small open boat can get you drenched. The food was extremely expensive considering the quality. Bring some food with you. Everywhere lacked efficient, personable, and reliable staff. At Isabella’s, my prime rib was all fat. At the Mexican place our chips arrived with our entrees thanks to the waitress. At the café, I didn’t get my coffee until 10 minutes after I got my breakfast. Make sure to ask the concierge about early bird dining specials. Such specials allowed us to have three courses for the price of one between 6-7pm at least three restaurants. Get soda from the minibar, only $1 there but $4 at the restaurants! I’ve been to a few spas that have made it to the top ten in the world. The Golden Door was nothing exceptional. Nothing about the place or treatments made it stand out. It’s nothing like the spas it’s compared to. Overall, it wasn’t worth the money. I’ve been to many places that were around the same price, but they were much more enjoyable. This place wasn’t run well. It has potential, but they could use a few business and management classes. 1 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? A wonderful, romantic and peaceful place to be. Visited: June 2003 Posted by donaldblankenship The resort was everything we expected! The staff was great, and the food was five-star. Howver, the service at Isabella's restaurant was the worst we could imagine. We spent a lot of money for dinner and I had to ask for coffee and was never even asked if I wanted a refill. All the meals were very good, but a bit expensive. Overall, it was very nice. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Beautiful to look at, but not to stay Visited: June 2003 Posted by zoffer37 Just got back today, to New York that is. A very needed vacation. I have been to Puerto Rico now 5 times, each of those times I've stayed at Condado Plaza in San Juan. This time my travel agent told us about this 5 star hotel and resort. Eager for a change we decided to go here instead. That was my first mistake. We took an early flight to have more time in Puerto Rico and could not check in until 4pm. We were not aware of this prior. Every hour we would recheck to see if the room was ready and of course it was not. Maybe New Yorker's expect too much, but finally getting to the room after all of those wasted hours was a trip and a half. The travel agent had booked us in Las Olas, and we were put in the Marina. This was an upgrade with a deluxe ocean view I was told afterwards. No prior notice from the front desk, nor from the Bell man who brought our luggage down there for us. The room was not what I had expected, nor was I impressed by any means. No ashtrays in the room at all, I had to call repeatedly to get someone to bring me one. The sheet and towel thing annoyed me as well. They don't change them for 4 days unless requested to. Lets talk about the food... Extremely expensive, for what you get. I was amazed at the prices, and yes I do eat in Manhattan, no comparison. With no way to go any where else, we rented a car for the day. Best move we made. We went to Old San Juan and shopped and ate for much less. I did enjoy the Stingray Cafe and the Bally Hoo bar. Those were my two favorite places. Palomino Island was breath taking, a must see. The Funicular cable ride was no fun, when it worked that is. All in all if you don't golf or like expensive massages there is nothing else to do. There is no night life at all. One club in the whole place. A relaxing, secluded get-away it is. The grounds are unbelievable. Rent a car and bring lots of $$$$.. Not my idea of a 5 star hotel. 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Facilities are great, but service needs improvement. Visited: May 2003 Posted by pimienta While the hotel facilities are among the best, they still need an attitude adjustment. Being one of the biggest hotels in the Caribbean has lead to a wrong attitude among the employees. They have so much business, that they can throw some away and still get away with it. At the time of our stay, we were filming a commercial and we were renting 32 rooms and six villas at Las Casitas. We were spending big money at this hotel. We needed to stay for a few more days and we called the front desk for an extension of our rooms. They informed us that there were no rooms available. Not even one single room. We were not happy by that news and decided to call the hotel from an outside telephone line and test our luck. To our surprise, we were able to book all of our needs the same day we were told that there were non available. It felt like they wanted to get rid of us, instead. For some reason, they treat you better when you're not staying at the hotel. Once your there, the attitude changes immediately. Needless to say, we spent over $70,000 in a bit more than two weeks. We really expected a much better treatment. Our company will not stay at this hotel again. Wyndham lost a big one this time! 0 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?