My wife and I stayed at the Normandie along with two other couples, all in for a mutual friend's wedding. The hotel is very easy on the eyes, but in a somewhat inconvenient location because you need a cab to get to either a nice beach or to Old San Juan. The hotel has a beach, but it is very small. You're much better off getting to a beach east of the Normadie during the day.

That said, we had many problems with the service. In fact, this was the worst service we have ever experienced in a hotel. We were told by soon-to-be-wed friend that she had left a San Juan welcome kit at the Front Desk. We didn't get the welcome kit until we checked out and that was only after asking 4 different employees. Also, the breakfast service in one of the hotel's restaurants was equally atrocius. Not a single wait staff led us to a table or offered us a drink. At the end, when we went to pay for the buffet (which was not complimentary), we could not even get the attention of the wait staff. We left without paying for the below-average food. Finally, when we complained at the check-out about our bad experience, the manager on duty offered us a free meal at the same restaurant where the wait staff ignored us. We declined and vowed to write this review.

If we had to do it again, we would have booked a hotel in Old San Juan. There are restaurants, museums, and bars, which cannot be said for the area around the Normadie. If you want to visit a beach around San Juan, it's just as easy to take a cab from Old San Juan as the Normadie.

San Juan was fantastic, as was the rest of Puerto Rico we saw (Culebra, Fajardo, the food, the people, the culture). The Normandie was an oustandingly poor exception. If we have the opportunity to go back to San Juan again, it would take a lot for us to darken their door again.

I booked the Normandie after seeing that it was recommended in Frommer's Guide for one night prior to departing on a cruise out of San Juan. After reading the reviews in Trip Advisor, I considered canceling and going to another hotel. I am very glad that I did not. The hotel was nice and clean and the rooms were spacious. We had a good lunch and breakfast in a dining area that was open 24 hours and we had a delicious dinner and wine tasting in the nicer restaurant. Everyone was very nice. The pool area was nice. The beach was small and I would not consider this to be a beach resort although it was located on the water. It was right next door to the Caribe Hilton so you could walk over there for additional places to eat. It is a $10 taxi ride from here to Old Town. I would stay here again.

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.