Embassy Suites Airport

[AZPam]

Has anyone stayed here recently? Can you tell me the good, the bad and the ugly?

 

Also, we'd really like to schedule someone to pick us up from the airport. We have 16 of us on the same flights and it would be a lot easier to be in one bus or something. Any great suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Pam

[Cabin8538]

Yes, I would also like to know if the beach is really just a "short walk" from the hotel? Some definitions of "short walk" may be different than mine!

[Sandlamb]

Has anyone stayed here recently? Can you tell me the good, the bad and the ugly?

 

Also, we'd really like to schedule someone to pick us up from the airport. We have 16 of us on the same flights and it would be a lot easier to be in one bus or something. Any great suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Pam

 

Four of us stayed at this Embassy Suites the first week in December...it was GREAT! Our rooms were exceptionally clean on the second floor with a fantastic view of the pools. Manager's Reception is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and with that you stand in a short line that goes very fast and you can only get two drinks at a time...our favorite was the frozen pina coladas and the strawberry dacquaries. My husband and I had about 4 each, but my cousin had 10! They come in small plastic cups...very good! Then they have chips and salsa, snack mix and crackers. We ordered some appetizers of chicken wings and that was our supper...very filling! The next morning is the breakfast buffet...everything you would ever want...all kinds of juices and drinks, pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, oatmeal, pastries..too much to list...even can order them to cook whatever you want..like specialty ommelette. They have a small casino, dance floor and band. Watched people do the salsa...very entertaining. Comfortable beds, nice big bathroom, very clean, small refrigerator in room and coffee maker. And best of all, the staff is so friendly and eager to please. I think we paid $155.00, but they do not have pick up service. Our cab from the airport to that hotel was $20 including tip for four of us and lots of luggage. We didn't have time to go to the beach, but they said it was 2 blocks. There is a Burger King, Taco Bell and Walgreens down the street. We stayed there pre-cruise and had Andre's from Atlantic Tours pick us up at Embassy, take us to the El Yunque Rain Forest, then to Laquilla Beach about 20 minutes from the rain forest where they have a restaurant, changing facilities with bathroom and showers to use for $1, we swam in ocean, showered and changed, then Andre's took us to the port cruise terminal. He is the nicest guy, excellent tour and very very affordable, plus even took us to the cruise terminal. That tour was $48 per person, but he did such an exceptional job, we gave him a good tip. His bus is brand new, huge, very comfortable, air conditioned and he even has a TV/VCR to watch a movie about the rain forest if you wish.

He will even guide you on the paths through the rain forest...what a guy!

This was a wonderful adventure and tour and would recommend Andre's and his tours in a second. If you book with him through his internet sight, he will give you a discount. Atlantic San Juan Tours - atlanticsjtours@yahoo.com and his name is Andres Alicea or second site is http://www.puertoricoexcursions.com. Any questions...contact me at Sandlamb@aol.com

[AZPam]

Thank you so much for your detailed response! Makes me feel so much better! Couple of questions re the hotel. Did you have noise from the band in your room? Were they still doing remodeling?

 

I'll try to get ahold of Andre too. Sounds like the beach we went to a few years ago after the rain forest. Did they have a snack shack selling the BEST, freshest pina coladas ever? If so, I want to go back!

 

Thanks again for all your help!

Pam

[calliecat]

We too just stayed there on January 7, before going on the Golden.

Their happy hour was great. We love ES for happy hour and breakfast and this happy hour wins hands down. As Sandlamb said, you get two drinks at at time if you want and there are chips, salsa, and popcorn to munch on.

 

The ONLY PROBLEM with this ES is the band that plays until midnight in the casino. It was loud. We were trying to hook our laptop up (so my 13 yr old could get on MSN messenger) and the wonderful staff that was trying to help us said that the noise was the main complaint. I would hate to know that my room was directly above the casino. But........on a great note for us, our room was in a corner, not facing the atrium. We were next to a service elevator and soda machine. We couldn't hear a thing so if you go, maybe you can request one of these rooms. I had heard about the band but never in my wildest dreams did I realize it would be so loud .

We walked to the beach the morning before we checked out. It absolutely is no more than two blocks. We just wanted to see it, we had no intentions of swimming. The beach was clean and there were quite a few people walking up and down the beach at 9am. You will pass a Burger King and a Subway on your way. There is also a small local grocery store where we bought beer.

 

I would stay there again (but only if I got that corner room!):p

[AZPam]

I would stay there again (but only if I got that corner room!):p

Thanks for the great tip. Just called and requested a few corner rooms or something far enough away from the band. Let's keep our fingers crossed we get lucky!

 

Any other great tips out there? Have sent an email to Andres but it sounds like he is only interested in helping us if we book a tour. All of his tours are things we have done before.

[Schplinky]

We found the staff here to be wonderful and I'm sure they will honor your request if possible. The casino is under one corner of the atrium (not in the center of the atrium as we feared) and so if you're a reasonable distance from it, you'll be fine. In any event, the room of the suite closest to the hallway is the living room and the bedroom is beyond it so you should be fine unless you're right over the casino. We had a view of the airport and I worried that the noise would be bothersome but we heard nothing.

 

As stated, the Walgreens is about two or three blocks and there is a Burger King and Taco Bell nearby. There is an Outback within the hotel and there are a number of hotels nearby that feature god restaurants. There is also a Pueblo grocery store a block from the hotel that is open 24 hours. It's a great place for room snacks and wine.

 

We appreciated the breakfast as described above because it meant we could just get up and eat (or take a tray back to the room) without having to go out and find someplace decent.

 

The taxi from the airport was $10 and the taxi to the pan-american pier was about $20-25. If I were returning to San Juan, I would stay at this hotel if at all possible because of the spacious suite, the manager's reception, the breakfast and other amenities mentioned, but most of all because the staff was incredibly kind and polite.

[Sandlamb]

For those of you that wanted Andres Website for Tours, it's http://www.geocities.com/atlanticsjtours/AtlanticSanJuanTours.html. He does all kinds of tours..El Yunque Rain Forest, Luquillo Beach, Old San Juan and even picks you up at the hotel. Great prices, service and a super nice guy.

[Sandlamb]

We had a corner rooms and looking out of the bedroom windows, we had a perfect view of the swimming pool, jacuzzi's and waterfall...it was perfect. We didn't hear any music at all. Our room was way across the atrium from the casino/band. I agree, staff was very friendly and eager to please.

[DiveCruiser]

As stated, the Walgreens is about two or three blocks and there is a Burger King and Taco Bell nearby. There is an Outback within the hotel and there are a number of hotels nearby that feature god restaurants. There is also a Pueblo grocery store a block from the hotel that is open 24 hours. It's a great place for room snacks and wine.

 

Does the Grocery store sell cases of beer and what was the cost?( Coor lite or Corana)

 

Thanks

Bob

[Schplinky]

Does the Grocery store sell cases of beer and what was the cost?( Coor lite or Corana)

 

Thanks

Bob

 

They did sell beer and it was pretty much what you'd pay back home, I believe.