San Juan Marriott and Stellaris Casino

[Tiggercat]

I am going with a group of people on a cruise out of Puerto Rico. Our flight gets us in at 2:00 pm the day before we sail so we want to stay at a nice resort. We have stayed at the Intercontinental many times and loved it but someone was telling us that the Marriott is nicer. They are about the same price but I am nervous that we will not like it as much. Has anyone stayed there that can tell me about it? Thanks!

[Cruisin KLS]

I am going with a group of people on a cruise out of Puerto Rico. Our flight gets us in at 2:00 pm the day before we sail so we want to stay at a nice resort. We have stayed at the Intercontinental many times and loved it but someone was telling us that the Marriott is nicer. They are about the same price but I am nervous that we will not like it as much. Has anyone stayed there that can tell me about it? Thanks!

 

We have stayed at both the Intercontinental and Marriott Stellaris and like the Marriott better. Hotel felt cleaner, rooms are nicer, love the pool and beach area. The surrounding area is a little more inviting. More good restaurants in walking distance. The beds at the Marriott were more comfortable IMHO. I think that they were doing upgrades at the Intercontinental but not sure what they are changing. Hope this helps!

-Kristi

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Tiggercat]

Thank you...that was very helpful!!!

[piercetc4]

is there a liquor store/ grocery store in walking distance to hotel? thanks for any input

[Oaktree]

Walgreens is across the street. Next block,toward Raddison, Eros market for most

anything you need.

[happy40th]

Is Marriott in walking distance to the port/Old San Juan? I'm trying to find something centrally located so we can walk to enjoy Old San Juan and walk to the port

[jabberjaw070596]

Is Marriott in walking distance to the port/Old San Juan? I'm trying to find something centrally located so we can walk to enjoy Old San Juan and walk to the port

No its not definitely not walkable

[kayehall]

Marriot was wonderful. Loved the pool/bar/beach area. Loved the decor of the public areas. Rooms were very nice. They have a casino also. We walked down the street to Walgreens. They have everything!! Very impressed with the Marriott. Definitely not in walking distance to the port. And remember, there are 2 ports in San Juan. We were on Celebrity Summit and sailed from Pan American port. The Sheraton looks nice in Old San Juan but again depending on what port you are sailing from, may not be walkable.

[leighuf]

Below is my review of the Marriott that I wrote for TripAdvisor. In short, we loved the hotel; it suited our needs/wants perfectly! :):)

_____________________

 

I hesitated about staying at the San Juan Stellaris because of some of the negative reviews and the ridiculously high price. All the beachfront resorts are quite pricey, so I even considered using Hotwire or Priceline. But ultimately, I really wanted to stay at this hotel. I knew the pool slide and the amazing location to local restaurants and Walgreens would be perfect for my family. In the end, I booked a city view room for 2 nights in July.

 

PRICE: When I booked, I locked in at $249 (via Marriott.com). I kept an eye on the rate and noticed it drop TWO times! Each time I called Marriott and they adjusted my rate without issue. By the end, I locked in at $159 per night. With the resort fees/taxes added in, my grande total came out to $460!! MUCH BETTER.

 

CHECKIN: From the airport, we took a cab and were quoted $17 plus $1 per suitcase to take us to the Marriott. Within 10 or so minutes we arrived at the hotel and were welcomed by the bell hop. He helped us out of the cab, looked in the cab to be sure we didn't leave anything, told us where to go, and told us he'd keep our luggage safe if our room wasn't ready. That's service! The line to check in was a little bit long and took about 20 minutes, but we were served free rum drinks. We were checked in and were told that they would call us when our room was ready. We got a call at exactly 4pm. I have VERIZON, and my cell phone worked as it does in the USA. No roaming.

 

ROOM: We were upgraded for free and had a spectacular room! It was a handicapped room, so it was huge and the bathroom had a separate shower and tub. The balcony faced the ocean and pool, not the city! The beds were comfy and the frig was used often.

 

LOCATION: PERFECT! You are only 1-2 blocks away from amazing restaurants and the Walgreens (to buy snacks/alcohol). Starbucks, Hagen Dazs and BUNS (hamburger joint) are directly across the street. We ate at Tijuanas (Mexican) and YERBABUENA (Puerto Rican) for dinner; both were yummy! And we tried Orozco's for breakfast- fast and delicious. We did see a couple homeless people near the Walgreens, but they didn't bother us. There's an abandoned building nearby, but again, it didn't bother us.

 

POOL: The pool area isn't terribly large, and it's quite shaded. Sometimes I felt a little bit cold in the pool, but the shade was perfect for my kids. My son loved the slide, but be aware that it's only open from 11-4. There's a swim up bar, but be aware you will pay a lot for a drink. For two drinks with tip, the price was $34!! We brought our own cocktails (thanks Walgreens) to the pool after that.

 

OVERALL: A wonderful experience and I'm SO GLAD we decided to book this hotel. If you're hesitating... don't! Just say YES to the Marriott!

[shawne71]

Can anyone tell me if they allow smoking on the balconies? I know it's a non-smoking resort but read a thread from 2009 that said they smoked on the balcony. Just looking for a more updated answer. Also, did you happen to see any designated smoking areas on the property?

[willow0325]

The Sheraton in Old San Juan is not within walking distance of the cruise terminal. You can see the cruise terminal from the hotel but it's across the bay from it so you have to take a taxi. It's a quick taxi ride though. The Sheraton is a lovely hotel and is right in the City itself. Old San Juan is a lovely walkable city with lots of narrow brick-lined streets, cafes, outdoor restaurants. We stayed one night pre-cruise and enjoyed it immensely.

 

The Marriott is directly on the beach -- completely different from the Sheraton. It's more of a "resort" with an awesome pool (and swim-up bar!). So it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a "beach resort", then the Marriott Stellaris is a perfect choice. But if you're more into site-seeing, then the Sheraton is your choice. We stayed at the Sheraton pre-cruise and the Marriott post-cruise and loved that decision.

 

Hope that's helpful! (and BTW, we just booked a repositioning cruise into San Juan and are really struggling to decide which hotel we want to stay at post-cruise! You can't go wrong with either one!)

[SanDiegoHeather]

My husband and I have stayed at the Marriott twice and loved it both times. At the time we smoked and were allowed to smoke on the balcony. However, smoking is no longer allowed on the balcony. (We've since quit but I know how frustrating it is as a smoker to not be able to smoke.) We're actually going to be staying at the Marriott again this November for 3-nights after a week on Vieques Island.

 

We love this resort and the location. It's not terribly expensive to take a taxi to OSJ. As previously posted, there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, convenience and liquor stores right next to the Marriott.

 

Both times we've stayed before were in November and December before cruises and the beach was red flagged.

[shawne71]

My husband and I have stayed at the Marriott twice and loved it both times. At the time we smoked and were allowed to smoke on the balcony. However, smoking is no longer allowed on the balcony. (We've since quit but I know how frustrating it is as a smoker to not be able to smoke.) We're actually going to be staying at the Marriott again this November for 3-nights after a week on Vieques Island.

 

We love this resort and the location. It's not terribly expensive to take a taxi to OSJ. As previously posted, there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, convenience and liquor stores right next to the Marriott.

 

Both times we've stayed before were in November and December before cruises and the beach was red flagged.

 

Thank you for responding. We have absolutely no problem with going outside to smoke. We're just hoping they have some kind of "smoking area" on the grounds somewhere. I've read that they allow smoking in some areas of the casino now. Is this true?

[shawne71]

Thank you for responding. We have absolutely no problem with going outside to smoke. We're just hoping they have some kind of "smoking area" on the grounds somewhere. I've read that they allow smoking in some areas of the casino now. Is this true?

 

Anyone know?

[MartinsCruise]

The Sheraton in Old San Juan is not within walking distance of the cruise terminal. You can see the cruise terminal from the hotel but it's across the bay from it so you have to take a taxi. It's a quick taxi ride though. The Sheraton is a lovely hotel and is right in the City itself. Old San Juan is a lovely walkable city with lots of narrow brick-lined streets, cafes, outdoor restaurants. We stayed one night pre-cruise and enjoyed it immensely.

 

The Marriott is directly on the beach -- completely different from the Sheraton. It's more of a "resort" with an awesome pool (and swim-up bar!). So it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a "beach resort", then the Marriott Stellaris is a perfect choice. But if you're more into site-seeing, then the Sheraton is your choice. We stayed at the Sheraton pre-cruise and the Marriott post-cruise and loved that decision.

 

Hope that's helpful! (and BTW, we just booked a repositioning cruise into San Juan and are really struggling to decide which hotel we want to stay at post-cruise! You can't go wrong with either one!)

We've stayed at both of these hotels and enjoyed the Sheraton just to be able to be walk around OSJ at night. In April we stayed at the Marriott Stellaris for one night and loved it so much, we booked three nights pre-cruise this October. Both locations are great for walking to restaurants. If staying in the Condado district, you can either take a cab or city bus into OSJ.

[Delta Dear]

Below is my review of the Marriott that I wrote for TripAdvisor. In short, we loved the hotel; it suited our needs/wants perfectly! :):)

_____________________

 

I hesitated about staying at the San Juan Stellaris because of some of the negative reviews and the ridiculously high price. All the beachfront resorts are quite pricey, so I even considered using Hotwire or Priceline. But ultimately, I really wanted to stay at this hotel. I knew the pool slide and the amazing location to local restaurants and Walgreens would be perfect for my family. In the end, I booked a city view room for 2 nights in July.

 

PRICE: When I booked, I locked in at $249 (via Marriott.com). I kept an eye on the rate and noticed it drop TWO times! Each time I called Marriott and they adjusted my rate without issue. By the end, I locked in at $159 per night. With the resort fees/taxes added in, my grande total came out to $460!! MUCH BETTER.

 

CHECKIN: From the airport, we took a cab and were quoted $17 plus $1 per suitcase to take us to the Marriott. Within 10 or so minutes we arrived at the hotel and were welcomed by the bell hop. He helped us out of the cab, looked in the cab to be sure we didn't leave anything, told us where to go, and told us he'd keep our luggage safe if our room wasn't ready. That's service! The line to check in was a little bit long and took about 20 minutes, but we were served free rum drinks. We were checked in and were told that they would call us when our room was ready. We got a call at exactly 4pm. I have VERIZON, and my cell phone worked as it does in the USA. No roaming.

 

ROOM: We were upgraded for free and had a spectacular room! It was a handicapped room, so it was huge and the bathroom had a separate shower and tub. The balcony faced the ocean and pool, not the city! The beds were comfy and the frig was used often.

 

LOCATION: PERFECT! You are only 1-2 blocks away from amazing restaurants and the Walgreens (to buy snacks/alcohol). Starbucks, Hagen Dazs and BUNS (hamburger joint) are directly across the street. We ate at Tijuanas (Mexican) and YERBABUENA (Puerto Rican) for dinner; both were yummy! And we tried Orozco's for breakfast- fast and delicious. We did see a couple homeless people near the Walgreens, but they didn't bother us. There's an abandoned building nearby, but again, it didn't bother us.

 

POOL: The pool area isn't terribly large, and it's quite shaded. Sometimes I felt a little bit cold in the pool, but the shade was perfect for my kids. My son loved the slide, but be aware that it's only open from 11-4. There's a swim up bar, but be aware you will pay a lot for a drink. For two drinks with tip, the price was $34!! We brought our own cocktails (thanks Walgreens) to the pool after that.

 

OVERALL: A wonderful experience and I'm SO GLAD we decided to book this hotel. If you're hesitating... don't! Just say YES to the Marriott!

 

Thank you SO much. I recently asked on Trip Advisor about San Juan for mobility challenged. The responder told me about the area and suggested we stay in Cordado area. I was just looking at hotel sites and thought the Marriott might be a good option for us. After reading your review, I'm sure it will be perfect.

 

I have plenty of time before we cruise, but I like to plan ahead. We are doing a post-cruise stay because our repositioning cruise ends in San Juan.

Edited August 24, 2013 by Delta Dear

[Oaktree]

Request a room for mobility challenged. They have walk-in shower, plus tub.

[Delta Dear]

Request a room for mobility challenged. They have walk-in shower, plus tub.

 

Thank you, I always make that request.

[mondello]

The Sheraton in Old San Juan is not within walking distance of the cruise terminal. You can see the cruise terminal from the hotel but it's across the bay from it so you have to take a taxi. It's a quick taxi ride though.

 

The Marriott is directly on the beach --

Carnival cruises DO use the cruise terminal right in front of the Sheraton Old San Juan. The other lines start from the other pier that would require a taxi.

 

Thanks for all the great info here on the Marriott. We're booked 3 days pre-cruise next month. Thats the first I've heard the pool hours are only from 11-4:00.

[Stinger-pr]

Thank you for responding. We have absolutely no problem with going outside to smoke. We're just hoping they have some kind of "smoking area" on the grounds somewhere. I've read that they allow smoking in some areas of the casino now. Is this true?

Law states that smoking is prohibited in any public indoor areas in Puerto Rico. Most hotels also do not allow smoking in balconies although few really enforce it. But if you get caught, they most likely will levy an extra charge to the room.

 

Also, since I haven't seen anyone comment on it, take into consideration that the beach behind the Marriott is notorious for its undertow and a few have drowned there because of it. Be wary of the conditions and waves. They might look cool for body surfing but can be quite dangerous.

[cherylroslyn]

Law states that smoking is prohibited in any public indoor areas in Puerto Rico. Most hotels also do not allow smoking in balconies although few really enforce it. But if you get caught, they most likely will levy an extra charge to the room.

 

Also, since I haven't seen anyone comment on it, take into consideration that the beach behind the Marriott is notorious for its undertow and a few have drowned there because of it. Be wary of the conditions and waves. They might look cool for body surfing but can be quite dangerous.

Very true, I saw someone get in real trouble when I was there, and if it wasn't for some locals, surfing, I am sure the guy would have drowned. There were surfers, and basically me and I am not a good enough swimmer to attempt an ocean rescue of large man, in unfamiliar water.

 

I think I almost had a heart attack when I heard the screaming.....

 

Thank God for the surfers.

[shawne71]

Very true, I saw someone get in real trouble when I was there, and if it wasn't for some locals, surfing, I am sure the guy would have drowned. There were surfers, and basically me and I am not a good enough swimmer to attempt an ocean rescue of large man, in unfamiliar water.

 

I think I almost had a heart attack when I heard the screaming.....

 

Thank God for the surfers.

 

That's scary!!! :eek:

[maofthree]

Do any hotels have a day pass?

[TRAVELBUG64]

Anyone know which is better? I have my daughter/future son-in-law booked at the Villas for their 2 nights pre-cruise honeymoon. I have been looking at the Marriott Stellaris and it looks great as well. Any suggestions?

[rkeate0804]

anyone know how much a cab is from the marriott to panam pier??? thx for the help