Hawkeyefan

I would not do any Hilton in PR if I could not do El Con. Palomino seals the deal.

YOWCDNFF

Caribe Hilton... Web site says grand re-opening on January 1st. Anyone cares to venture as to whether this is realistic or not? Looking at booking an overnight in late January pre-cruise and this property seems to be the best bang for the buck - points wise...

RachelDKT

I'd also be curious to know this. We're looking to book the Caribe Hilton for mid-March.

bubbelbine

Has anyone stayed at the Condado Plaza recently? They are waiving resort fees until Dec 15, I was thinking about giving them a try.

jfidler

Anyone been to El San Juan (part of Curio) recently? Thinking of staying there next month. It sounds like they officially re-open in October, but they are already open now with some services. I just called and spoke to someone at the front desk, and she said the lobby bar is open Thursday-Saturdays; but the chandelier bar is still closed. The Brava nightclub on-property is also closed with no details on re-opening date. Pools are open, and no resort fee is being charged at this time.

Is it worthwhile or will it just be empty due to being only partially open? We're going for a bachelor party so the goal is a lively place. The reviews pre-Maria look great.

pauleeepaul

I had my stag do at the SJU Intercontinental next door and it was epic. The only mistake we made was leaving the property one night. I am also a big fan of the ESJ but haven't been since the storm. I am afraid pre storm experiences are irrelevant during this recovery period.

pdac1975

I have a one night stay planned there for Thursday, August 9th. I'll be sure to follow up incase that is before your trip.

kklems

Looking at a stay in November and they are charging a 18% resort fee even though it says they are undergoing renovations.

umustbjokim

Was holding a couple rooms at Caribe in the hopes of getting Hamilton Tix in January. Got them!!!!! But when I went to adjust reservation days, all had been cancelled, and points returned. Called to see what had happened, assuming reopening was delayed. Agent didn't really have much in the way of info, but did read a note about not accepting reservations until April!

Guess that shows the magnitude of damage, but hope it also means a massive makeover. Although if that's the case, I'm sure points for reward stays will increase significantly.

FWIW, think they cancelled in last day or so - but I haven't received any notification.....

RachelDKT

Oh dear, that's not good. I have reservations on points at the Caribe in March--so does my whole family--but so far, our bookings are still listed. I'm going to call tomorrow to find out what is going on. My flights are fully refundable but I don't know if they are for the rest of the family, and so we might need to find another Hilton in the PR to stay at. Anyone else have information?

iahphx

Thanks for the heads up. I was holding an award reservation for mid-January. I just looked on the website and it's gone. No points returned. I then pulled up the reservation by the confirmation number that had been sent to my email and it shows cancelled.

This sucks.

I'm particularly annoyed because I still have some AMEX Aspire resort spending credit that's expiring in February that I was planning on using up at the Caribe. It's not like I stay at Hilton resorts every month, so it's a problem for me. I wonder if they'll do anything to compensate. They should, but I doubt it. It would certainly be nice if they sent an email telling me my reservation has been cancelled. Sigh.

BTW, I am a Diamond member. Does Honors have any special customer service for Diamonds? I would think they'd want to do more for Diamonds in this situation than just say "sorry, bad luck."

EDIT: So I've now been looking for an alternative to the Caribe -- not so easy, since Puerto Rico doesn't have a lot of great beach resorts, especially now. What's the consensus about the Embassy Suites Dorado? I've never been there. It's 50,000 points, which is neither a great redemption nor a terrible one. So far, the best alternative is the Wyndham Rio Mar. At 15,000 points, it's a great redemption. But I've been there several times, and it's fine, but not exceptional. I'd certainly get more perks as a Diamond at the Embassy Suites, the Rio Mar will be room only.

umustbjokim

Received this e-mail yesterday. Trying to get Condado Plaza, but it's not available using points. Will call Diamond Desk today to see if they can help. If I have to use real money, thinking the better choice might be Vanderbilt....

​​​​​​Dear Mr.Ms. umustbjokim,

Greetings from Hilton hotels

We understand you have an upcoming reservation at Caribe Hilton under confirmation number 123 arriving on 1/23/19.

As you know, on Sept. 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria deeply affected our beautiful island of Puerto Rico. The storm also impacted the Caribe Hilton, forcing the hotel to fully close in order to begin a painstaking restoration.

Initial restoration plans provided Hilton with a completion date that would have allowed Caribe Hilton to welcome you for your upcoming reservation. However, due to the extent of damage caused by Hurricane Maria and delays outside of our control, Hilton has been informed the restoration process to reopen the hotel requires additional time. As such, we regret to inform you that we will be unable to host your upcoming stay. Please accept our sincerest apologies. We have cancelled the booking and have returned the points to your account.

If you need assistance re-booking at an alternate Hilton hotel, please contact the Hilton Honors Customer Service at phone 1-877-444-9847 and we will be more than willing to assist.

Puerto Rico is a strong and resilient community, and Caribe Hilton is on its way to a full reopening. We appreciate your continued loyalty and look forward to the opportunity to welcome you to our island and Caribe Hilton in the future.

Sincerely,

Leslie B.

Hilton Worldwide Relocation Team

sxpsxpsxp

I could've sworn I posted this already, but now can't find it...

I'm working on a trip to PR with small kids. The ES Dorado Del Mar has been our go-to resort for years, but Mrs. sxpsxpsxp is tired of the drive out there and wants someplace where she can walk off the property and do stuff. I'm considering either the Caribe or the El San Juan. How do they compare when traveling with kids? Does the El San Juan get a lot of airport noise, being so close to the airport?

umustbjokim

It depends on what sort of stuff you want to do - and how far you want to walk. There is plenty of beach activity and beach to walk from the El San Juan. Getting to Old San Juan or the forts would require car or Uber - or bus if you're willing to risk the wait. I've never noticed any airport noise. The hotel and grounds are beautiful, with plenty to keep you occupied.

From Caribe it is a very short walk across the bridge to Condado restaurants and shopping. If you are willing to put in a lot of steps, it is walkable to Old San Juan and the forts. A bit over a mile to San Cristobal. There is also a relatively new complex just across the street with shopping and restaurants. Not sure what the hotel and grounds look like post-renovation, I am looking forward to finding out!!

JetSet05

Since El Conquistador has been sold, and will no longer be associated with Hilton (when it reopens).. What would be the next best option for the best Hilton in Puerto Rico?

I am personally super bummed about the El Conquistador sell