The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico [Master Thread]
Jan 27, 2019, 11:33 am
#391
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 699
Our vacation style is not much on action if you define that as shopping, casio's, disco, bar scenes/nightlife. We prefer quieter locals with beautiful natural scenery which the St Regis has in spades. We do like "action" as in vigorous hiking, boating, heli tours, food tours and nature waterfalls, ATVs, ect....So for us we would never stay in SJU. The StR is about 45 min from SJU so if you want the first type of action I mentioned you may want to look there.
We have gotten out quite a bit to try some of the local restaurants. We are doing a food tour tomorrow in SJU. I chartered a boat just for my wife and I to take us around to see some of the more isolated scenic beaches off the coast of PR and Vieques for tuesday. This is our kind of action
Jan 27, 2019, 2:25 pm
#392
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
Our vacation style is not much on action if you define that as shopping, casio's, disco, bar scenes/nightlife. We prefer quieter locals with beautiful natural scenery which the St Regis has in spades. We do like "action" as in vigorous hiking, boating, heli tours, food tours and nature waterfalls, ATVs, ect....So for us we would never stay in SJU. The StR is about 45 min from SJU so if you want the first type of action I mentioned you may want to look there.
We have gotten out quite a bit to try some of the local restaurants. We are doing a food tour tomorrow in SJU. I chartered a boat just for my wife and I to take us around to see some of the more isolated scenic beaches off the coast of PR and Vieques for tuesday. This is our kind of action
We have gotten out quite a bit to try some of the local restaurants. We are doing a food tour tomorrow in SJU. I chartered a boat just for my wife and I to take us around to see some of the more isolated scenic beaches off the coast of PR and Vieques for tuesday. This is our kind of action
The bay in fajardo, the rain forest in El Yunque, "The Beast" zip line, the Río Camuy Caves and I am sure there are plenty of others. It just seems like everything is mentioned as X minutes from San Juan and I worry staying out at the StR we will be driving many hours a day.
Jan 27, 2019, 5:54 pm
#393
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
The bay in fajardo, the rain forest in El Yunque, "The Beast" zip line, the Río Camuy Caves and I am sure there are plenty of others. It just seems like everything is mentioned as X minutes from San Juan and I worry staying out at the StR we will be driving many hours a day.
The Fajardo Bay and El Yunque are even farther east of the St Regis, so the St Regis is advantageous to both compared with San Juan. (El Yunque is just 15-20 min drive from the St Regis, in fact; Fajardo is just 45 min.) The St Regis saves you about 30-40 min to those.
The Beast zip line and Rio Camuy caves are an hr and even more west of San Juan, so the St Regis location adds about 30 min to those drives.
Pick your poison.
Jan 28, 2019, 3:14 am
#394
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 699
ST Regis Bahia Beach TR Part One:
We arrived friday the 25th and picked up our car from Europcar. That process was painstakingly slow and I would not recommend anyone using them in SJU.Everyone on our shuttle to their lot was was very upset with them.
It was bout a 35 min drive to the St Regis. The property is located away from most things in a quiet secluded area which is what we prefer. It is on the north eastern part of the island . Upon check we were upgraded to a St Regis suite! We are staying for a week and I booked a standard room on points no less during the window when the cat 7 properties dropped to 20k a night. So with the one night free this room that normally goes for around $1800 a night set me back a cool 120k SPG points plus resort and parking fee all this for a lowly Gold elite. By far the most generous and incredibly unexpected (5 cat?) upgrade! They told us the only suite nicer is their Presidential suite. We are in building 12 which is the furthest away from the lobby (this is not a problem as the buggy service is quick to respond). They said building 12 offers the best ocean views from our balcony which must a good 30 feet in length. The balcony has a table chairs and a super comfortable oversized lounger one could easily sleep in. We are spending a lot of time out on it
The room is beautiful. I had not stayed before the renovation but judging from the old pics i would day it is a big improvement. It is a brighter, cleaner more modern look. Lots of blues and white. The master shower looks to be a good 7 foot by 7 foot with both overhead rainfall shower head as well as a hand held. In addition to the huge shower space there is also a deep soaking tub. The is also another bathroom with a regular sized shower. This is off the living area den (which is beautiful and very comfortable size especially for only 2 people) . The fridge was about half full with honor bar items which still left us with plenty of room for items we had bought to place in there.
The property itself is gorgeous. It is like living in a tropical forest. They must have spent millions on the landscaping. It is probably a good mile from the front gate to the main house all of which is features lovely plantlife and makes for a fun drive. Right now there are very few children here and the property while at 70% occupancy is very quiet. One thing I have found odd is the music in the bar and a few other areas seem to be much more fitting to a W than a St Regis. Not a big deal but I did notice it immediately. More later I have to go eat breakfast!
We arrived friday the 25th and picked up our car from Europcar. That process was painstakingly slow and I would not recommend anyone using them in SJU.Everyone on our shuttle to their lot was was very upset with them.
It was bout a 35 min drive to the St Regis. The property is located away from most things in a quiet secluded area which is what we prefer. It is on the north eastern part of the island . Upon check we were upgraded to a St Regis suite! We are staying for a week and I booked a standard room on points no less during the window when the cat 7 properties dropped to 20k a night. So with the one night free this room that normally goes for around $1800 a night set me back a cool 120k SPG points plus resort and parking fee all this for a lowly Gold elite. By far the most generous and incredibly unexpected (5 cat?) upgrade! They told us the only suite nicer is their Presidential suite. We are in building 12 which is the furthest away from the lobby (this is not a problem as the buggy service is quick to respond). They said building 12 offers the best ocean views from our balcony which must a good 30 feet in length. The balcony has a table chairs and a super comfortable oversized lounger one could easily sleep in. We are spending a lot of time out on it
The room is beautiful. I had not stayed before the renovation but judging from the old pics i would day it is a big improvement. It is a brighter, cleaner more modern look. Lots of blues and white. The master shower looks to be a good 7 foot by 7 foot with both overhead rainfall shower head as well as a hand held. In addition to the huge shower space there is also a deep soaking tub. The is also another bathroom with a regular sized shower. This is off the living area den (which is beautiful and very comfortable size especially for only 2 people) . The fridge was about half full with honor bar items which still left us with plenty of room for items we had bought to place in there.
The property itself is gorgeous. It is like living in a tropical forest. They must have spent millions on the landscaping. It is probably a good mile from the front gate to the main house all of which is features lovely plantlife and makes for a fun drive. Right now there are very few children here and the property while at 70% occupancy is very quiet. One thing I have found odd is the music in the bar and a few other areas seem to be much more fitting to a W than a St Regis. Not a big deal but I did notice it immediately. More later I have to go eat breakfast!
Feb 5, 2019, 8:57 pm
#395
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: BDL, BOS
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, AA EXP, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 625
Would love more feedback on this property as I’ve booked 10 days in March that I’m trying to decide whether to cancel as the same number of points will get us 20 days in Costs Rica.
Feb 6, 2019, 12:31 am
#396
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,661
ST Regis Bahia Beach TR Part One:
We arrived friday the 25th and picked up our car from Europcar. That process was painstakingly slow and I would not recommend anyone using them in SJU.Everyone on our shuttle to their lot was was very upset with them.
It was bout a 35 min drive to the St Regis. The property is located away from most things in a quiet secluded area which is what we prefer. It is on the north eastern part of the island . Upon check we were upgraded to a St Regis suite! We are staying for a week and I booked a standard room on points no less during the window when the cat 7 properties dropped to 20k a night. So with the one night free this room that normally goes for around $1800 a night set me back a cool 120k SPG points plus resort and parking fee all this for a lowly Gold elite. By far the most generous and incredibly unexpected (5 cat?) upgrade! They told us the only suite nicer is their Presidential suite. We are in building 12 which is the furthest away from the lobby (this is not a problem as the buggy service is quick to respond). They said building 12 offers the best ocean views from our balcony which must a good 30 feet in length. The balcony has a table chairs and a super comfortable oversized lounger one could easily sleep in. We are spending a lot of time out on it
The room is beautiful. I had not stayed before the renovation but judging from the old pics i would day it is a big improvement. It is a brighter, cleaner more modern look. Lots of blues and white. The master shower looks to be a good 7 foot by 7 foot with both overhead rainfall shower head as well as a hand held. In addition to the huge shower space there is also a deep soaking tub. The is also another bathroom with a regular sized shower. This is off the living area den (which is beautiful and very comfortable size especially for only 2 people) . The fridge was about half full with honor bar items which still left us with plenty of room for items we had bought to place in there.
The property itself is gorgeous. It is like living in a tropical forest. They must have spent millions on the landscaping. It is probably a good mile from the front gate to the main house all of which is features lovely plantlife and makes for a fun drive. Right now there are very few children here and the property while at 70% occupancy is very quiet. One thing I have found odd is the music in the bar and a few other areas seem to be much more fitting to a W than a St Regis. Not a big deal but I did notice it immediately. More later I have to go eat breakfast!
We arrived friday the 25th and picked up our car from Europcar. That process was painstakingly slow and I would not recommend anyone using them in SJU.Everyone on our shuttle to their lot was was very upset with them.
It was bout a 35 min drive to the St Regis. The property is located away from most things in a quiet secluded area which is what we prefer. It is on the north eastern part of the island . Upon check we were upgraded to a St Regis suite! We are staying for a week and I booked a standard room on points no less during the window when the cat 7 properties dropped to 20k a night. So with the one night free this room that normally goes for around $1800 a night set me back a cool 120k SPG points plus resort and parking fee all this for a lowly Gold elite. By far the most generous and incredibly unexpected (5 cat?) upgrade! They told us the only suite nicer is their Presidential suite. We are in building 12 which is the furthest away from the lobby (this is not a problem as the buggy service is quick to respond). They said building 12 offers the best ocean views from our balcony which must a good 30 feet in length. The balcony has a table chairs and a super comfortable oversized lounger one could easily sleep in. We are spending a lot of time out on it
The room is beautiful. I had not stayed before the renovation but judging from the old pics i would day it is a big improvement. It is a brighter, cleaner more modern look. Lots of blues and white. The master shower looks to be a good 7 foot by 7 foot with both overhead rainfall shower head as well as a hand held. In addition to the huge shower space there is also a deep soaking tub. The is also another bathroom with a regular sized shower. This is off the living area den (which is beautiful and very comfortable size especially for only 2 people) . The fridge was about half full with honor bar items which still left us with plenty of room for items we had bought to place in there.
The property itself is gorgeous. It is like living in a tropical forest. They must have spent millions on the landscaping. It is probably a good mile from the front gate to the main house all of which is features lovely plantlife and makes for a fun drive. Right now there are very few children here and the property while at 70% occupancy is very quiet. One thing I have found odd is the music in the bar and a few other areas seem to be much more fitting to a W than a St Regis. Not a big deal but I did notice it immediately. More later I have to go eat breakfast!
If you eat dinner at the main restaurant, let us know how the food is. Wife & I had a very nice tasting menu at Fern on one of our visits. Of course, plenty of delicious and cheap mofongo and lechón nearby if you're not into hotel eating.
Feb 6, 2019, 6:46 am
#397
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Posts: 6,334
Feb 6, 2019, 11:11 am
#398
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: BDL, BOS
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, AA EXP, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 625
I do do really like the clear, calm, aqua Carribbean water though - the Costa Rica ocean just isn’t the same.
Allao getting to Costa Rica Liberia airport much harder than the easy non-stop to SJU.
Feb 6, 2019, 11:17 am
#399
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Posts: 6,334
We are thinking about 5 days at El Mangroove and 5 days at Punta Islita (stayed here about 4 years ago). Then we would still have another 10 nights for later in the year.
I do do really like the clear, calm, aqua Carribbean water though - the Costa Rica ocean just isn’t the same.
Allao getting to Costa Rica Liberia airport much harder than the easy non-stop to SJU.
What about Aruba, St. Kitts or elsewhere in the West Indies? I find the beaches of Puerto Rico a little rockier than elsewhere, including just 100-ish miles away in the Virgin Islands. The Courtyard by Marriott Bonaire Dive Resort is a heck of a deal on points with an award-redemption.
Feb 6, 2019, 7:20 pm
#400
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: BDL, BOS
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, AA EXP, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 625
Technically, the north shore of Puerto Rico is in the North Atlantic, not the Caribbean.
What about Aruba, St. Kitts or elsewhere in the West Indies? I find the beaches of Puerto Rico a little rockier than elsewhere, including just 100-ish miles away in the Virgin Islands. The Courtyard by Marriott Bonaire Dive Resort is a heck of a deal on points with an award-redemption.
What about Aruba, St. Kitts or elsewhere in the West Indies? I find the beaches of Puerto Rico a little rockier than elsewhere, including just 100-ish miles away in the Virgin Islands. The Courtyard by Marriott Bonaire Dive Resort is a heck of a deal on points with an award-redemption.
Feb 6, 2019, 7:44 pm
#401
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Wow - the Bonaire Courtyard is certainly a bargain! We’re wanting something on the beach, though. Any recommendations for beach properties in those areas? We were on Grand Cayman in December and loved the beach there although enjoyed the Kimpton Seafire much more than the Westin.
Feb 12, 2019, 10:02 am
#402
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Tennessee
Programs: SPG, Marriott, United, SWA, AA
Posts: 699
I just wanted to add to my first couple days review.
THE NOT SO GOOD:
We did encounter a number of service hiccups. Many times we would call for butler service and no one would answer. Then we would try to call the main operator and no one would answer. This happened many many times over the course of our stay and sometimes when we would get an answer the person would have a very hard time understanding what we were saying. Be prepared for that. Eventually we would get a person and they would fix whatever issues we had. One morning it took 3 calls over a 40 minute period to get our morning butler service coffee. Another time I had to make 2 phone calls and then 2 requests, in person no less, for my shoes to be picked up to be shined and then yet another combination of calls and in person requests to get napkins and silverware so we could eat some items we had bought outside the resort. We scheduled a time well in advance for my wife to picked up by buggy to be taken over to where they do the guided nature trail walk. They did not show up. 3 calls later and they were still late causing her to be late for the tour. I had emailed the property the day before our arrival to arrange to have champagne and chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise for my wife. I received email confirmation this would be there and waiting for her upon our check in. It was not. One day we return and our door was not shut. I surmise housekeeping had forgotten to ensure to was closed all the way. Upon check out there was a charge to my room for a meal at he beach house we had not eaten for $134. It took about 20 minutes but they finally figured out that yes it was not us that charged that. There was also the matter of a $150 credit (which was for service recovery) that was not credited to our final bill as well so check you folio thoroughly!
The Good:
There are a some people at this property that truly live up to the St Regis brand. Héctor M. Rodríguez is one such man and when we got frustrated with issues listed above I would finally ask for him to call me and he would fix everything. He also ensured proper service recovery. Hector was the one who also does the nightly Champagne sabring. This man should be training others there as he fully gets it and executes. I intended to reach out to Marriot about the him.
Another would be KIrsy. I am not sure of her title but she definitely ensured a personal touch for my birthday she was usually out front or in the main lobby. I received some very generous gifts and a fully decorated room with balloons and a banners to celebrate. Kirsy had arranged with my wife and wrote a very touching and personal from the heart that was anything but the standard happy B day thanks for choosing to stay with us. Aside from the one time being late (which was probably a communication error) the guys that drove us every day (several times) were super. Usually if the beach is not pure white its a bit of a turn off. This beach is golden brown but if you walk to the west away from the main pool the beach is a most unusual color mix of gold/brown with black streaks. Every foot looked different and my wife and I kept commenting how it looked like someone had painted the colors. This is headed toward where the only real snorkeling spot is on property.Needless to say the beach was nicer than I thought it would be.
We received a number of great recommendations for places to eat off property. We were looking for real local spots and each and every place we tried that they sent us to was excellent. These recommendations came from butlers, buggy drivers, and waiters. we definitely hit some spots that many would consider dives but had fabulous food. Once such place was nothing but a tent with a big grill. We were the only tourists there. They were known for there Ponchos (sp?). This is basically chicken, shrimp, or pork on a stick cook over fire. The one we went to (Yunnis) was a bit of a drive from the property but dirt cheap but simply awesome local fare. We spoke with the locals eating there and one man said Yunnis is so good he drives past several other stands to get to this one which makes it a 45 min drive for him.
I thought the food was pretty good. We ate at Seagrapes twice for dinner, but never had breakfast on site. We ate at the Beach House for dinner and lunch and enjoyed those meals. FYI the cocktails at the Beach house are much better than those served in the hotels main lobby bar and a little cheaper. I think they are still trying to get some of the staff up tp the Regis standards, but the property itself is gorgeous.
Puerto Rico as a whole we were not that impressed with, but it did not matter as most of our time was spent in the oasis of the St Regis and its magnificent 500 acre surroundings. I was there to recover from a severe illness so we spent most of our time just relaxing not doing much. The incredible upgrade certain offsets a lot of the problems we encountered and made our stay a memorable one in good way. I would not recommend staying in an entry level room as the location won't be that good. If you want a place to go for that (or golf even though i dont golf i hear the course is really nice) ) I would recommend it despite the issues the hard product is amazing. I am sure with a little more time the staff will all be up on a higher level. They are all truly trying very hard seem to be quite happy working there. Also to their credit they did end up sending the Champagne and berries the day after I told them they did not show up and they did not charge us for it. So that was a nice surprise. If you are going to PR I would recommend staying at the Regis for the peace, beauty, great hard product and relaxation.
THE NOT SO GOOD:
We did encounter a number of service hiccups. Many times we would call for butler service and no one would answer. Then we would try to call the main operator and no one would answer. This happened many many times over the course of our stay and sometimes when we would get an answer the person would have a very hard time understanding what we were saying. Be prepared for that. Eventually we would get a person and they would fix whatever issues we had. One morning it took 3 calls over a 40 minute period to get our morning butler service coffee. Another time I had to make 2 phone calls and then 2 requests, in person no less, for my shoes to be picked up to be shined and then yet another combination of calls and in person requests to get napkins and silverware so we could eat some items we had bought outside the resort. We scheduled a time well in advance for my wife to picked up by buggy to be taken over to where they do the guided nature trail walk. They did not show up. 3 calls later and they were still late causing her to be late for the tour. I had emailed the property the day before our arrival to arrange to have champagne and chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise for my wife. I received email confirmation this would be there and waiting for her upon our check in. It was not. One day we return and our door was not shut. I surmise housekeeping had forgotten to ensure to was closed all the way. Upon check out there was a charge to my room for a meal at he beach house we had not eaten for $134. It took about 20 minutes but they finally figured out that yes it was not us that charged that. There was also the matter of a $150 credit (which was for service recovery) that was not credited to our final bill as well so check you folio thoroughly!
The Good:
There are a some people at this property that truly live up to the St Regis brand. Héctor M. Rodríguez is one such man and when we got frustrated with issues listed above I would finally ask for him to call me and he would fix everything. He also ensured proper service recovery. Hector was the one who also does the nightly Champagne sabring. This man should be training others there as he fully gets it and executes. I intended to reach out to Marriot about the him.
Another would be KIrsy. I am not sure of her title but she definitely ensured a personal touch for my birthday she was usually out front or in the main lobby. I received some very generous gifts and a fully decorated room with balloons and a banners to celebrate. Kirsy had arranged with my wife and wrote a very touching and personal from the heart that was anything but the standard happy B day thanks for choosing to stay with us. Aside from the one time being late (which was probably a communication error) the guys that drove us every day (several times) were super. Usually if the beach is not pure white its a bit of a turn off. This beach is golden brown but if you walk to the west away from the main pool the beach is a most unusual color mix of gold/brown with black streaks. Every foot looked different and my wife and I kept commenting how it looked like someone had painted the colors. This is headed toward where the only real snorkeling spot is on property.Needless to say the beach was nicer than I thought it would be.
We received a number of great recommendations for places to eat off property. We were looking for real local spots and each and every place we tried that they sent us to was excellent. These recommendations came from butlers, buggy drivers, and waiters. we definitely hit some spots that many would consider dives but had fabulous food. Once such place was nothing but a tent with a big grill. We were the only tourists there. They were known for there Ponchos (sp?). This is basically chicken, shrimp, or pork on a stick cook over fire. The one we went to (Yunnis) was a bit of a drive from the property but dirt cheap but simply awesome local fare. We spoke with the locals eating there and one man said Yunnis is so good he drives past several other stands to get to this one which makes it a 45 min drive for him.
I thought the food was pretty good. We ate at Seagrapes twice for dinner, but never had breakfast on site. We ate at the Beach House for dinner and lunch and enjoyed those meals. FYI the cocktails at the Beach house are much better than those served in the hotels main lobby bar and a little cheaper. I think they are still trying to get some of the staff up tp the Regis standards, but the property itself is gorgeous.
Puerto Rico as a whole we were not that impressed with, but it did not matter as most of our time was spent in the oasis of the St Regis and its magnificent 500 acre surroundings. I was there to recover from a severe illness so we spent most of our time just relaxing not doing much. The incredible upgrade certain offsets a lot of the problems we encountered and made our stay a memorable one in good way. I would not recommend staying in an entry level room as the location won't be that good. If you want a place to go for that (or golf even though i dont golf i hear the course is really nice) ) I would recommend it despite the issues the hard product is amazing. I am sure with a little more time the staff will all be up on a higher level. They are all truly trying very hard seem to be quite happy working there. Also to their credit they did end up sending the Champagne and berries the day after I told them they did not show up and they did not charge us for it. So that was a nice surprise. If you are going to PR I would recommend staying at the Regis for the peace, beauty, great hard product and relaxation.
Last edited by 1readyset2go; Feb 12, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Feb 12, 2019, 11:25 am
#403
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Sadly, there is an English fluency problem in Puerto Rico as Spanish is the principal language. It was always an issue at the Ritz-Carlton, especially in the restaurant.
Feb 18, 2019, 8:34 am
#404
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Programs: United 1K, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 673
Any reports on a discounted resort fee for Ambassador guests? Kind of shocked to see a $75 resort fee in PR... seems exorbitantly high. Considering staying here or the La Concha Renaissace which at $30/day for points redemptions is a bit more tolerable. The StR page doesn't indicated if it's the same price for awards says or just paid. I read through most of the posts in the thread and don't see any mention of the resort fee unless I missed it.
Thanks!
Thanks!
