My husband and I recently stayed at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel to get away for his 50th. We had a wonderful time, first off we arrived around 5:30 in the morning and they were able to give us a room until ours was ready which was very nice, it is very convenient from the airport and we found the neighborhood safe for venturing out, we usually went out to breakfast and would walk around early in the morning and people in the neighborhood were friendly, we also went out one evening and I didn't feel unsafe walking to a nearby restaurant. At the resort itself, yes the food, drinks, etc are expensive but honestly even at other nearby less expensive resorts it is about the same. Not a huge fan of the additional hotel fee $90 per day they should just roll that into the price instead of surprising people with it at the end, I knew about it in advance so not a shock but it did keep me from upgrading my room knowing about it ahead of time. BLT steakhouse was top notch. The employees we encountered were always polite, willing to help and each was nicer then the last. We walked the beach and it is immediately noticeable that the beachfront on the Ritz property is well cared for in comparison to the surrounding resorts. Only two things that are by no means a complaint but more of something that would have enhanced my personal experience, I wish they had some nice tropical music or maybe even some live music on the beach for a few hours in the afternoon, its lovely and peaceful but some soft music would have been a nice addition and some sort of nightlife at the resort aside from the lobby band and casino, there was a private function going on near the beach one night and had that been a night club I think it would have been filled with people like us looking for something fun to do without having to leave to go find it. Beach fare food was tasty and not having to leave the beach to eat or get drinks was exactly what we wanted, nothing like relaxing in the sun and having it delivered to you, it was busier on Saturday and they could probably use a few more waiters, our waiter on Friday Will was a gem, such a great guy and on Saturday Juan was also so calm and nice despite trying to accommodate a packed beach. Another great perk is that you can order food from any of the restaurants on site and they would deliver where-ever you choose to eat, meaning if we wanted to eat from BLT by the pool we could. We only stayed for a weekend but I would absolutely love to return and stay at the Ritz again.

We recently spent 7 nights at the Ritz San Juan and really enjoyed ourselves. The service is first rate and every member of the staff is welcoming, friendly and helpful. We had a city view room on a high floor - the room was beautiful and had a great view of the city and mountains beyond. The pool area is spectacular with plenty of chairs and towels, the beach is wide, clean, semi private - the water is blue/green and although it isn't like beaches you would find in Aruba or Grand Cayman it gets a 9 out of 10.
We did the 1/2 day rainforest hike through Castillo Tours and spent one day wandering around el morro (fort) and Old San Juan. The rest of the time we hung out at the resort and our biggest decision of the day was beach or pool?
The restaurants are superb and expensive - we had dinner at Il Molino and it was a dining experience I will never forget. The breakfast buffet at Mares is excellent ($30). If you want a good breakfast for less try Candalaria Bakery down the block. We also ate ate at Chilis, Outback, Jimmy's BBQ, Soleil Beach Club [they will pick you up if you call], Metropol [try and stay away from the fried options]

Skip Mi Casita - awful

In Old San Juan - go to Cafe Puerto Rico and taste a real Mofongo!

Be prepared for less than stellar wait service after you leave the Ritz - I have never had so many lousy waiters who don't think returning to the table after food is served to ask if everything is o.k. is necessary. Tip appropriately or they will never learn!

And yes, the some of the area surrounding the hotel is a bit run down but folks this is San Juan, a big city and like most big cities are a mixture of progress and decay. We never felt unsafe walking around Isla Verde though.

When you come back to room in the evening and realize that your bed has been turned down, chocolates on your pillow, soft music playing, coffee supply replenished, ice bucket filled, and a note card on your nightstand quoting something like "you can never have too many pillows" you will remeber why staying at the Ritz is so cool - it's the memories you will cherish long after you depart

Have been at this resort several times. In 1998, it was fabulous - 5 star. Now, totally a two star. You might have two excellent restaurants but everything else has become disgraceful for a Ritz Carlton property. Believe me, others are complaining even to corporate. Your "common/public" areas need upgrading which means sitting on the chairs and sofas. Get new ones. They look worn and dirty. Your paid staff does not even clean up regularly - are they lazy? Where is management? Look under the tables in the main lounge -- under the glass. As for the pool and outdoor dining staff - when was the last time they used the washing machine or iron for their clothes? Some even came to work with soiled clothing. Do you care? What about the chaise lounges on the beach --- look at them without a cover. They even have mildew on them. As for your "breakfast" restaurant .... your servers are never focused on the customer and what they ordered. It is a disgrace. Must say, love BLT and the casino. As you can see, these two areas do not have the same employees as the hotel does. As for the rooms .... need to upgrade since you charge so much. Have a field trip to your sister property in Orlando, etc. Pay attention to details and their service model. They are an A and you are a D- in the staff and service area. The pool staff .... I guess this was my personal favorite. All they wanted was a tip to set-up your chair and then, once tipped, they could care less about you. What kind of service is this? Where is management? I heard all about their weekends while I was trying to read. They should be focusing on the customers, not yapping.

We just got back from Puerto Rico last night and I could not wait to write a review. This was the first time we visited the Ritz and are planning to make it an annual trip with our family. The hotel itself is beautiful. The rooms, pool, beach, restaurants & staff are all top notch.


We spent every day by the pool with my 8 month old son. One of the staff, Pablo Santiago, really went out of his way to make the experience enjoyable for my family. He was there every afternoon to greet us with a friendly smile and get our family situated by the pool. By the last day my sister in law went out to the pool to see our chairs waiting for us with Pablo ready to greet her on his way to get a pack & play for my soon to play in at the pool.

This was just one of the many reasons that we're already planning a trip for next year!