Taxi to Condado and Casinos

[sc4125]

Many, many years ago when I worked on Carnival's ships, we would grab a cab & go to Condado to eat dinner & play in a casino. I know that there are several hotels in Condado with casinos, but wanted to get an idea from anyone who's recently visited Condado:

 

1) Is it true that a taxi is approx $15?

 

2) Are the casinos still open to the public without paying an admission fee? I've heard different answers for this - some say they charge, others that they don't.

 

3) Which hotel/casino would you suggest if we wanted to visit a nice restaurant?

[Stinger-pr]

Taxis to/from the pier in Old San Juan are about $15 for up to 5 persons (per trip, not per person) plus tip.

 

There have been some casino closings in the Condado area but you can still get gaming your fix at the Sheraton Convention Center (which has a Texas de Brazil steakhouse...pricey but very good). This is the closest casino but is not in the Condado "strip" per se. It is near the Pa-Am pier where Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises dock when sailing from San Juan (not on a port call). In the Condado strip the only casinos still open are at La Concha (their signature restaurant Perla is very good!) and at the Mariott Stellaris. I don't remember the name of the restaurant in the Marriott since I've never eaten there but there are some good restaurants (mostly casual, some on open air terraces) around the Marriott.

 

And no, casinos here DON'T charge an entrance fee. The just suck your money at the slots...LOL:D. In all seriousness, is there a casino where you need to pay to enter??

[sc4125]

Taxis to/from the pier in Old San Juan are about $15 for up to 5 persons (per trip, not per person) plus tip.

 

There have been some casino closings in the Condado area but you can still get gaming your fix at the Sheraton Convention Center (which has a Texas de Brazil steakhouse...pricey but very good). This is the closest casino but is not in the Condado "strip" per se. It is near the Pa-Am pier where Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises dock when sailing from San Juan (not on a port call). In the Condado strip the only casinos still open are at La Concha (their signature restaurant Perla is very good!) and at the Mariott Stellaris. I don't remember the name of the restaurant in the Marriott since I've never eaten there but there are some good restaurants (mostly casual, some on open air terraces) around the Marriott.

 

And no, casinos here DON'T charge an entrance fee. The just suck your money at the slots...LOL:D. In all seriousness, is there a casino where you need to pay to enter??

 

 

Thanks for the reply. I couldn't imagine a casino charging an entrance fee either, but someone I work with insists that he was charged to enter one of the casinos in Condado several years ago.

 

I know they will suck my money away, but I'm cruising with someone who loves to go to different casinos.

 

I'll probably give the Mariott a try since there are several restaurants nearby.

 

Again, thanks for the info.

[ranchette]

Was in san Juan last week the Sheraton casino is now closed someone said they went bankrupt.

[Kikkycat]

The Sheraton in Old San Juan has closed its casino. The Sheraton at the Convention Center has not.

[ranchette]

The Sheraton in Old San Juan has closed its casino. The Sheraton at the Convention Center has not.

 

Where is the convention center? We are looking for a hotel precruise is this hotel convenient to the cruiseport and is it a nice hotel?

[Kikkycat]

Where is the convention center? We are looking for a hotel precruise is this hotel convenient to the cruiseport and is it a nice hotel?

 

 

I've never been inside but it is a fairly newly constructed hotel, about 5 years old. It is the nearest hotel to the Pan American pier, where Royal Caribbean and Celebrity sail from. It also has the largest casino on the island.

[ranchette]

I've never been inside but it is a fairly newly constructed hotel, about 5 years old. It is the nearest hotel to the Pan American pier, where Royal Caribbean and Celebrity sail from. It also has the largest casino on the island.

 

We are cruising on Carnival. How far is that cruiseport from the hotel?

[Kikkycat]

Carnival sails from the pier in Old San Juan. The Convention Center/Sheraton would be about a 10-15 minute taxi ride.

[ParRoo]

Stayed there last year. Nice pool, nice rooms. Ten minute ride to the port in the morning.

[ranchette]

Stayed there last year. Nice pool, nice rooms. Ten minute ride to the port in the morning.

 

Is there anything to do in the area? Any shopping or restaurants?

[sail7seas]

Years ago, Caribe Hilton had a nice Casino. It was closed but I heard they re-opened it. Is that true? Do they have a casino again?

[Stinger-pr]

Is there anything to do in the area? Any shopping or restaurants?

Near the Convention Center no. You'll have to taxi into Old San Juan or Condado for any places on interes or restaurants.

 

Years ago, Caribe Hilton had a nice Casino. It was closed but I heard they re-opened it. Is that true? Do they have a casino again?

False. They have not and are not planing to re-open a casino at the Hilton. The only casinos in the OSJ/Condado area still open are the Sheraton Convention Center, La Concha, and Marriot. Sheraton Old San Juan closed its casino to make way for a Walgreen's (which is in a ridiculous battle with CVS where one builds a store within feet of the other) and reportedly a Margaritaville. Trust me, that casino was making good money but I guess a steady rent, a fixed percentage of the sales and basically no risk was a better business for the Sheraton. The Ambassador hotel and casino DID go bankrupt and closed two years ago and the Condado Plaza closed its casino last year (one of only two casinos remaining with a workers union that was choking the life out of the casino in payroll alone)

Edited March 2, 2016 by Stinger-pr

[sail7seas]

Thanks re: Caribe Hilton that they do not have a Casino still.

 

I thought there already is a Walgreen's. CVS opened their store something like 3 years ago.

 

We stopped in Sheraton Casino briefly a few times but we never liked it much.

Edited March 2, 2016 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

There was a large hotel with big casino at the other side of the bridge from Caribe Hilton side to Condado side. It had a small beach and several restaurants. Is it no longer open? No Casino?

 

[Stinger-pr]

Thanks re: Caribe Hilton that they do not have a Casino still.

 

I thought there already is a Walgreen's. CVS opened their store something like 3 years ago.

 

We stopped in Sheraton Casino briefly a few times but we never liked it much.

 

There is currently a Walgreen's at the corner of Plaza de Armas but it's an old, smaller space than what they'd be occupying at the Sheraton. They're simply moving closer to the pier and CVS.

 

There was a large hotel with big casino at the other side of the bridge from Caribe Hilton side to Condado side. It had a small beach and several restaurants. Is it no longer open? No Casino?

 

That would be the Condado Plaza. They hotel is still up and running but the casino closed down a few months ago. The closest casino in Condado (not including the Sheraton Convention Center) would be at La Concha.