I got this hotel through Priceline.com for a good price. After I read the reviews I was very nervous about staying here. Should not have been worried. We got a room on the top floor and it was very clean, no dirty rugs, bathroom very clean and service was great. I called room service about 11:30 pm for some more sheets and they brought them up right away. About a 5 minute wait. Hotel staff were very friendly. We arrived at 12:30 p.m. on a Friday and was able to get into our room right away. Pool was very clean and nice. If you want to stay at a hotel with a nice beach, this isn't the one but you can walk right next door just a few steps to a very nice beach.
We walked to Old San Juan and it was a very pleasant walk. May be too far for some. We are in our 50's and it was a very scenic walk. We also walked back at night around 9:00 p.m. and didn't feel unsafe at all. We stayed on the main road. There were many joggers and walkers out at the same time. We didn't experience any loud music at night either.

No complaints at all. We would stay here again.

I would recommend this hotel for people who are staying over before or after a cruise.

I bid on a 3.5 star hotel and got the Normadie. This in NO way a 3.5 star hotel. I wouldn't give it 2 stars. We got to the hotel at 2PM. We were told our room wouldn't be ready until 3PM. Well it wasn't ready at 3PM, but finally was at 3:30PM. The room was large, but the carpet, and the room was just dirty. The windows were so filthy you couldn't even see out of them. We tried to just make the best of it. I read another review where someone else didn't get wash clothes. Well we didn't either. In the morning I couldn't wait to get out of there. We checked out and I was told I was all set. Since I paid Princeline ahead of time and never used anything extra, phone, room service (doubt they even have it), movies etc. i thought that was it. WELL NO...they added a charge of $15.90 to my credit card after we left. Found out there is some sort of resort fee. This is NOT a resort. Priceline told me I would have to contact the hotel. This was obviously something they try and get away with and probably do a lot. I don't know if I will use priceline again after this experience and if you are booking a hotel direct...DON"T STAY HERE! In the halls on the 3rd floor they have bloody pictures. What great decor for families with kids-NOT! My 10 year old was the one that noticed it.

I have mixed feelings about my stay at this hotel. The staff were excellent and very helpful. When I had problems with their WiFi (it didn't work) or when I accidentally broke one of the shade cords in my room, they were very prompt (in 5 minutes) in fixing the problem. They were also great for the diving I did with Caribe Aquatic Adventures.

On the down side, I thought their continental breakfast was sorrowful. They're also 2 miles from Old San Juan. It cost me $10 each way to go to and from there via a taxi.

If you intend to see Old San Juan, I'd try to find a hotel that is closer. If you want one that is close to a beach, this might be the one for you. If you want one close to the cruise ship piers, you might want to find one closer to the piers. It'll cost you $13.50 via taxi to get to the Pan American pier from this hotel and $10 to get to pier 4 which I believe is used for transiting cruise ships.

The C aribe HIlton was over booked, so some of us were booked into the Normandie. (We were there on a convention). I read some of the reviews (all seemed bad) and was afraid of what we were going to find there. To our surprise, it was NOT like the reviews said...The staff couldn't have been nicer or more efficient. Our room faced the ocean and was clean. The bathroom was immaculate! Of course, this is not a brand new hotel..you have to realize that it is an old hotel, but one thing ..it was not horrible! We ate breakfast in the atrium and it was yummy. Most of all, we LOVED Tom ..the owner of the boutique in the hotel..He was so friendly and helpful and fun to talk to !!!

And yes, the lobby was cold...but it was 85 degrees outside so it felt good!!! I would go back and stay there again....