Public restrooms in Old San Juan

[Beukeboom]

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. 

 

Also are there public restrooms that are not in a business?

[PORT ROYAL]

3 hours ago, Beukeboom said:

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. 

 

Also are there public restrooms that are not in a business?

 

No knowledge if a public restroom in OSJ, but if there was, I would not consider using it.

[princeton123211]

7 hours ago, Beukeboom said:

My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms in Old San Juan.

San Juan isn't some exotic place-- it is quite in line with mainland US standards in terms of finding a restroom. There are plenty of restaurant options available, but there are also a bunch of hotels with restrooms available that wouldn't require a purchase. The Sheraton across the street from the cruise pier has plenty of those available. 

[soonernstlouis]

St Maarten definitely has public restrooms in the port shops area.  It’s a bit of a walk from the ship so be prepared.

[marysb]

Marshall’s store has a restroom.

[Stinger-pr]

There are several fast food restaurants in Old San Juan (Burger King, Wendy's, etc) as well as Starbucks and a few other places where you can use the restroom free of charge. Marshall's is also an option. Across the street from Paseo de la Princesa at the very beginning, there's a public restroom that's run by an older lady. She charges $.50 to use but keeps the restroom clean and stocked all day and controls the entry and exit of patrons as well. If visiting any of the forts, there will be bathrooms available inside as well.

[mitsugirly]

On 1/28/2020 at 11:44 PM, Stinger-pr said:

Across the street from Paseo de la Princesa at the very beginning, there's a public restroom that's run by an older lady. She charges $.50 to use but keeps the restroom clean and stocked all day and controls the entry and exit of patrons as well.

 

Did this just start Stinger? We have always used this restroom when staying in OSJ and have never been charged. It's been our "go-to" restroom when walking along that area because it's the only one we were aware of that was a "public" restroom. Just wondering...

[PORT ROYAL]

Sorry, but not getting it.  

Why is there such a fixation on public toilets?  

Is it a new "must do-bucket list" for some cruisers as part of their vacation?

 

 

[Stinger-pr]

5 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

 

Did this just start Stinger? We have always used this restroom when staying in OSJ and have never been charged. It's been our "go-to" restroom when walking along that area because it's the only one we were aware of that was a "public" restroom. Just wondering...

You know Kim, Your question moved me to ask around about this and found out that the lady (or sometimes a guy) stopped charging a few years ago due to complaints from locals (go figure!!) about the small charge. I'm not sure how they go about it now but the restrooms are still operational and they still control entry to them, free of charge.

[sydbarrett]

On 2/6/2020 at 7:16 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

Sorry, but not getting it.  

Why is there such a fixation on public toilets?  

Is it a new "must do-bucket list" for some cruisers as part of their vacation?

 

 

Some of us have to pee often and need to do reconnaissance before we venture out lest we land in a dicey situation.  

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

Some of us have to pee often and need to do reconnaissance before we venture out lest we land in a dicey situation.  

 

Fully understand, and accept, personal requirements, but why does it have to be a convenience of the "Public" variety?  That's what one is not getting.  It's just not my bag.

[Stinger-pr]

1 hour ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Fully understand, and accept, personal requirements, but why does it have to be a convenience of the "Public" variety?  That's what one is not getting.  It's just not my bag.

The term "public" is being used as a way to differentiate those restrooms inside any type of establishment as opposed to a stand alone structure, specifically designed and used as restrooms. The only place in San Juan with that type of facility, NOT attached to any other structure is the specific one being referenced in the post. There is literally nothing with restroom facilities around that area. You'd have to walk over to a restaurant located a few minutes from them to find restrooms. In this case "public" means it's open to everyone, not just patrons. Once inside, it's as private as you'd expect a restroom to be.

[PORT ROYAL]

15 hours ago, Stinger-pr said:

The term "public" is being used as a way to differentiate those restrooms inside any type of establishment as opposed to a stand alone structure, specifically designed and used as restrooms. The only place in San Juan with that type of facility, NOT attached to any other structure is the specific one being referenced in the post. There is literally nothing with restroom facilities around that area. You'd have to walk over to a restaurant located a few minutes from them to find restrooms. In this case "public" means it's open to everyone, not just patrons. Once inside, it's as private as you'd expect a restroom to be.

 

Okay, accept your premise for public restrooms, being those freely accessible to anybody not obliged to purchase food/drink.  

Then the identity of these free access public toilets are actively posted on various sites throughout the Internet, directing all and sundry to the premises, thereby over a short period of time, possibly creating the ambience of an greatly overused, and abused, stand alone public facility, complete with queues.

Sorry no.  Still don't find "public", no matter how it is dressed up, in any way attractive.  

To quote another.  Put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.

Being happy to pay, we will continue to select a more appealing venue, with facilities not freely open to to all, such as LC, being a past guest, or The Mezzanine, taking leasurly drinks and light food.

It's a personal preference when on, or not on, vacation

 

 

 

[marton2]

Really? 

[tetleytea]

We walked Old SJ from the ship, and finding  banos were indeed a challenge.  There is one toward the beginning of La Princesa, and the forts have restrooms.