Caribe Hilton San Juan

Great Hotel! Overpriced Food!

My fiancee and I went to the Caribe Hilton for my 25th birthday at the end of August. Being a young couple, we usually feel out of place among vacationing families; however, the Caribe Hilton had a great mixtue of all types of people. The pools were amazing as well the private beach. It is definitely worth getting goggles to see all the schools of fish swimming around below in the ocean! We visited a lot of hotels in the area and none even came close to the Hilton. The only downside was the food. EXTREMELY overpriced. For exmple, $15 for a hamburger and not a great selection of much else. Actually the entire island is way over priced when it comes to food. Definitely don’t get the quality of food you expect with the prices that you will pay. Also, the hotel was not near anything. Cab rides to Old San Juan are $12 each way. Condado is a short walk away and has a few restaurants and luxury retailers. Overall, we really enjoyed the Hilton and if we ever went back to PR would definitely stay again.

Traveler's tip on dining

Try Dragon Fly in Old San Juan. Great Latin Asian food and atmosphere. If you wear shorts - be prepared to wear a sarong! The pizza from the room service menu at the Hilton is a great hidden secret. I definitely recommend for a quick lunch, especially for families.

Can’t wait to go back

We got to stay at the Villas and the view was very nice especially at night. The room at the villas was amazing!

Traveler's tip on shopping

Plaza las America

Loved it!

We loved this hotel. We were treated like royalty, the area and the hotel were both beautiful. There was a great beach and several pools to choose from. The people were wonderful, very friendly and helpful. I noticed there were not many kid-friendly food options, but our children were not with us. The restaurants were very nice, but they were too fancy for our kids. For us, it was perfect!

Traveler's tip on dining

The Morton’s Steak House in the hotel had the best lump crab cakes I have ever had!

At least we got to swim in the Atlantic.

It was a nice place to stay with kids. Swimming lagoon was the best because the water was really from the Atlantic, splashing in and out. Nightlife for adults was not up to par. Service was inconsistent. Rooms were decent. I would stay at another place if I visited the area again.

Traveler's tip on dining

Eat where the locals eat, which means leaving the premises to do so!

Wonderful Hotel with All the Amenities

We just got home from our stay at the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico and can honestly stay it was wonderful. We stayed in an oceanside villa that is in a separate building as the main Hilton, with a gorgeous lagoon and smaller private pool with a whirpool that is available to those staying at the villas. The rooms were large, including a large bathroom with a roomy shower, large garden tub and separate powder room. The beds were some of the most comfortable beds I have stayed in at any hotel, with cushy comforters that just envelope you. The amenities at this hotel were fantastic. The private beach was more than adequate and the pool was fantastic. There are plenty of activities to do right there at the Hilton for kids and for adults. They have a helpful tour desk if you want to take a tour of San Juan or go night kayaking to see the bioluminescent bays. If you are looking to do it all and see Old San Juan, stay at another hotel like the Marriot or the Intercontinental. The Hilton is away from the main drag, although you can walk into Condado without a problem. If you are looking for some isolation while still getting a taste of Puerto Rico, the Hilton is it. We would definitely stay here again.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Buy your liquor at the duty free shop at the airport and bring it for your stay at the Hilton. The liquor prices at the duty free store are truly very low, and the Hilton doesn’t seem too concerned if you bring your own liquor. Their drink and food prices are outrageous, as is the case all around the area.

great place

Would be nice if they offered shuttle to Old San Juan. Beach not big, but nice and fairly secluded. Very good hotel-had great time for a long weekend.

Amazing Vacation

The Caribe Hilton was a fantastic experience! The room was beautiful (we stayed in the villas), the beach is gorgeous! The spa was a great way to relax. All hotel staff was very helpful, especially the staff at the concierge desk. The restaurants at the resort are good, but rather expensive. Try going into Old San Juan for some meals. The vacation was absolutely wonderful, and we plan to return!

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

If you plan to go into Old San Juan or to the Bacardi Rum Distillery, ask the concierge about the bus. It only costs 75 cents to ride (as opposed to a $20 cab fair) and the bus stop is about a five minute walk from the hotel. The concierge with help you. To get to the Bacardi Distillery, you also need to take a ferry, which costs 50 cents.

MAGNIFICENT

BEAUTIFUL VIEW, WONDERFUL SERVICE, GREAT LOCATION. WILL GO AGAIN. WILL RECOMMEND IT.

Worth the stay

My recent stay at Caribe Hilton was quite an experience. The hotel amenities (pool, restaurants, staff) were first class. The only problem it seems the hotel is facing is its parking situation which one can qualify as "atrocious". They are in the middle of a construction project (around the parking area). The parking area is quite a walk to get to and I was faced with a situation in which a convention was being held at the hotel and I wanted to leave at the time the convention was ending. The line for paying the parking was around the corner. The hotel personnel was not prepared for such a situation. Waiting time was aprox. 45 mins. Otherwise, all else was great.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

The hotel offers in-room internet service for a fee. On the other hand, you may want to use the free wireless internet feature available in the lobby.

Wow!

I was greatly impressed by the ammenities of the Caribe Hilton, most notably the 3-tiered pool with swim up bar and the promenade complete with swans... one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at.

Great Place to Stay!

The service was fantastic. I would attempt to try and stay in the Hilton Honors Tower with the ocean view! The private balconies are fantastic. There is a bus stop in front of the entrance way of the hotel that will take you directly to Old San Juan. Our room was beautiful with a very comfortable bed. The bathrooms are covered in stone tiles and the shower was to die for! The Hilton’s beach is fantastic and very private, and there are also a few glamorous pools nearby as well.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

You can take a cab for $21 to Old San Juan, but for .50 we took a 10 minute bus ride instead. I recommend taking the fairy to the Bacardi factory, which is .50. Once you dock on the other side take one of the taxi vans to the distillery. They are $4. You will also receive two free drink tickets after the tour. We took the bus to the Plaza las Americas. This mall is about thirty minutes away, but it has over 300 stores!

Great Hotel!

The Caribe Hilton San Juan Hotel was a great choice! The hotel was beautiful, the room was clean and the hotel service/staff was good. The beach and pool areas were very nice and the views are amazing. I will definitely come back to this hotel upon my next trip back to Puerto Rico.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

They have an executive lounge on the 9th floor in the main buildinf which serves a complimentary breakfast every morning. This definitely help to save money on the first meal of the day every morning.

Great Place for a Family Vacation

This hotel pretty much has something for everyone. My kids loved the playground, private beach, feeding fish off the private pier, seeing the peacocks, ducks, swans and koi in the tropical garden, playing in the game room and swimming in the numerous kid-friendly (not too deep) pools. My husband and I loved the Starbucks in the lobby, the restaurant choices available and the fact that there is no casino in the hotel. The only negatives were that housekeeping always seemed to show up really late in the day or during my kids’ nap time and there was some construction going on during the mornings. I have been to Puerto Rico about a dozen times, staying in a variety of hotels, and so far this hotel is my favorite.

fine after we switched rooms

A lovely setting. Big breakfast buffet, expensive but worth it if you are hungry enough. Spread-out campus, a lot of walking. There could have been more flowers in bloom. Bathroom and balcony were good-sized, but the bedroom was a bit small (but adequate). We arrived at midnight and only realized the next morning we were adjacent to a construction site with very noisy workers and equipment. The four of us had two rooms; it was after 6pm until we finally had two new rooms on the other side of the building. Great pools and beach. Many options for dining, but expensive. Handy bus to Old San Juan just a few minutes away. Concierge helpful. We’d be glad to return.

Traveler's tip on shopping

When the cruise ships are in town, there are street vendors galore in Old San Juan, and the streets are filled with people, tourists and locals. There is a list of the arrivals/departures posted outside the tourist office near the harbor. Or ask the concierge to check the schedule. After the boats leave, the town is much more peaceful. Also, get up early, do your sunbathing in the morning, and then head to town. There is actually a lot to see in addition to the shops!

Hotel Caribe

Great venue with most rooms facing an ocean view. Access to hotel is good and the location relative to Old San Juan is a little far for a walk but great for runners and cab. Healthy amount of amenities with Starbucks, nice pools, decent weight room, good swimming and beach area and good resturant selection. Rooms are really nice and bathrooms are very well set up. I give the overall experience a 10 out of 10.

Pretty Good

I loved the private beach and the pool area was beautiful. The location is great, its private but easy access to other parts of Puerto Rico such as Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde. The balcony door in my hotel room was incredibly hard to open. This is my only complaint. My friend and I spent a week at the Caribe Hilton and had a great time!

great family destination

While service was slow as so many Carribbean islands are, it was very friendly and welcoming. The lobby and pool area are just as beautiful as advertised. We walked along the beach every night. Our 7th floor room was clean & comfortable and had a balcony with a beautiful view of the ocean. The restaurants have very good food and offer a wide variety but nearly no modest priced offerings. We ended up walking down the street to Subway for a reasonably priced breakfast. While we wish the meals had cost less, we had a relaxing, wonderful time and would go back there.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

My teenagers loved El Yunque rainforest tour. The driver/tourguide was entertaining & helpful. Bring your camera & wear rubber soled shoes! We also loved visiting the forts & walking the streets of old San Juan. We took a quick taxi ride out to Fort San Cristobal in the morning and walked our way back to the hotel by mid-afternoon. The tour desk provided us with a terrific walking map. If you’re looking for good local food, try walking to Ropa Vieja in the Condado Beach area.

Great getaway

The hotel offers a great "suite" alternative for families traveling with children. Our son slept in an adjoining room that had a kitchen and eating area with a pull out sofa and tv. It was ideal. The pool and facilities are great too

Hiton Caribe, San Juan

My husband and I were pleasently suprised by our room. It was beautiful, I have never been so relaxed. Our room had a full kitchen, was clean and the bed was incredible! The Hotel overall was magnificent, beautiful grounds and inviting pool. We enjoyed the private beach (although not the best beach) it was clean and comfortable. There was alot to do around the hotel, we walked to an authentic Puerto Rican resturant in about 5 minutes & there was a Subway and Puerto Rican sandwich shop nearby(excellent lunch or breakfast options). We also had dinner at "Mortons" on the resort, delicious! The drinks were pricey and we avoided the bars, but as I mentioned we had a full kitchen and chose to buy our own drinks & keep them in our room. Big savings!! Can’t wait to go back, we would reccommend this Hotel to everyone. Keep in mind it is a Hilton and you can expect to pay a bit more for meals and drinks at the Hotel, but there are alot of options available nearby.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

check options off of the Hotel grounds for meals and drinks. Meals at the Hotel are a bit expensive.We expected that and planned accordingly,We planned to eat at Morton’s ahead of time & have dined there previously in another city,we were not shocked when the check came(we had appitizers and drinks also)enough food for both of us for two meals, the leftovers were just as delicious on day 2. Old San Juan has a grocery store and we kept rum,beer,water, juice and soda in our room.

Beautiful Hotel, high-priced food, some issues

I try to stay in Hiltons because you can generally count on the quality and loyalty. I read some negative reviews on Expedia after I had booked the hotel, but I didn’t find any of the staff to have bad attitudes, in fact quite the opposite, and they were all totally bilingual. The air conditining seems hard to regulate. The food in the restaurants is good, but very expensive, and in the Las Palmeras I had to get up and find an employee in order to get a bill. Don’t get the nachos in Atlantico Grill - they’re just out of a package. The fries are awesome, though.

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

Try to buy some of your snacks and drinks outside the hotel to save money. Take the #1 bus to Old San Juan instead of a taxi - you might need a taxi back. Save the hotel restaurants for a special (expensive) treat.

A Perfect Getaway!

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Caribe Hilton for a week in April 2008 and absolutely loved it!! This hotel is beautiful, the property is enormous and we never wanted to leave. We spent every morning on the beach, where there are plenty of lounge chairs, tables, umbrellas, and waiters/waitresses willing to deliver drinks and food. By lunchtime, we’d move to one of the pools, also surrounded by lounge chairs and tables. The swim-up bar is a bonus and it’s easy to get sandwiches/burgers at the pool. The bathrooms are a simple walk away, as is the hotel lobby. The bar in the main lobby is perfect for happy hour and there are a number of dinner options. Our room was big, comfortable and clean. We stayed in the Condado Lagoon Villas, which is a separate building from the main lobby but is connected through long winding halls. This didn’t bother us at all, as we still felt very connected and close to everything but we heard a few guests complaining of being far from the lobby. All in all, an amazing hotel with five star service! We can’t wait to go back!

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

The food at the Hilton was a little pricey for pool side fan fare. However, the hotel does not prohibit its guests from bringing food onto the premise. There is a Subway Sub Shop at the entrance of the hotel that is a lot cheaper for lunch or dinner. Also, there is a liquor store/ mini market in the same area which you can purchase liquor and snacks. Both locations are safe and a short distance from the hotel.

very charming

We had a wonderful ocean view suite. The hotel has a nice atmosphere and the staff is very helpful and friendly. Close to the Isla Verde airport, so there is some plane noise during the day.

Beautiful location

Caribe Hilton is located in the nicest part of old San Juan. Views are breathtaking and pools are awesome. Cant wait to go back

Tiny private beach - unfriendly staff. Not worth the price

One of the advantages of this hotel is the beach. Ok, it’s a private beach, but the size is small. Besides that, the staff of the hotel and the restaurant is very rude and unfriendly. If you don’t need anything, well, they’ll be ready to help ! Otherwise, don’t expect anything. We were looking for change (exchange a $1 bill for 4 quarters for the local bus), and it was impossible to find anybody with the change neither at restaurant nor at front desk ! Are you kidding !? We won’t come back.

Will definitely go back with the kids

We were two adults and two children (ages 10 and 2) and all 4 of us had a great time. There was plenty to do for the kids with the beach and pool and bird sanctuary (including parrots) that we didn’t even have time to explore the game room. The beach is private and protected by rocks which gives it a bay like feel that is perfect for the kids and some low key snorkeling. The kids were happy to never leave the hotel property but we made them go to Old San Juan for dinners and El Morro which the grown ups appreciated. And the hotel is only a 5 to 10 minute taxi ride which was affordable and easy to get. While we had a problem with hot water one day and getting locked out of our room they sent over service people right away to fix the problem. They were extremely helpful when we got locked out of our safe too. We would totally go back again and again. It helped that kids were free or at a discounted rate and that they filled my milk bottle for the 2 year old around the clock.

You don’t have to bring beach buckets and shovels for the kids and float tubes for free. Remember to register for the family plan so that you get the discount or freebies for your kids depending on their age. The kids even get a free gift upon arrival.