Has anyone stayed at the Hotel El Convento? Is it worth the price for 2 nights or should we just use Hilton or Marriott points and stay at one of their properties? Thanks for any opinions!

Hi Kim,

I'm originally from PR and I'm familiar with El Convento but never stayed there. I love that it's in Old San Juan. Check out the comments in Tripadvisor HERE

They seem mainly positive but mixed.

Good Luck! What cruise are you doing?

Hi Maria-

Thanks for the link to Tripadvisor. I'll check it out. We are going on the Silversea's "Diver's Delight" itinerary on the Silver Shadow in November. I know it's early. But, if I'm going to end up using hotel reward points, I want to get the reservation in early.

I think for the 2 days we are there pre-cruise we will want to tour the historical sites rather than hang-out on the beach. That's one of the main reasons for my interest in El Convento as it is located in Old San Juan. Also, it gets mentioned in Conde Naste Traveler's Gold List issue. It does not actually make the Gold List, but is a gray listing; i.e., "worth mentioning". There are no PR properties that make the Gold List, unfortunately.

Thanks again!

Kim,

Good luck in your research. I know it's still some time away but make sure you let us know how it went.

I'm heading to San Juan in March to go with my family on a minicruise on the Silver Whisper. I'm really looking forward to that since I have never been in a Silversea cruise. Have you?

Nope. It will be our first Silversea cruise, too. We are very excited about it. I think it will be great! Have a wonderful time in March!

Kim,
We are heading for our second stay at El Convento next month after a RSSC. Our first stay, last February, was wonderful. The hotel is right in the middle of Old San Juan in walking distance to all the restaurants and sights. Their evening wine and cheese gathering is well attended and with lots of wine choices. The pool, although very small, is an oasis within the city. We're looking forward to another two nights!
Gwen

Gwen,
Thanks for responding. Glad to hear from someone who has been there. It sounds like a good choice for us --- great location and the wine and cheese gathering is a big draw!

Gil and I will be staying there two nights (feb 3-5)after our cruise. One of us will report back.

A brief report on the El Convento.

It is a BEAUTIFUL hotel in a perfect location.

BUT - you'd think that by now they'd have their act together. LOTS of little problems. If there were only a couple of these little things, I would unequivocally recommend this place. The issues were almost laughable. A short list:

Sheets too small for the bed. OK - not such a big deal as they only came off at the bottom of the bed & we did not sleep on bare mattress (as I've experienced at some hotels)

The room comes with a robe. Notice I said A robe - not robeS. I would think a room for two would have two robes. So did the reception desk, so they sent us another robe.

We woke late the first morning & went to breakfast. First of all, our letter from Radisson describing the package we booked said breakfast was included. But the hotel was unaware of that, and charged us for breakfast - $30 for pancakes & waffle. We initially ordered their continental breakfast. That was supposed to consist of a basket of breads & pastries. The basket included ONLY 8 1/4 SLICES OF WHITE TOAST!!!!!! They told us they were out of pastries. $11 for a couple of pieces of toast??????? We stopped at the reception desk & showed them that we were supposed to get breakfast, and they agreed to send us a voucher for the breakfast.

Prior to eating breakfast, very early in the morning, there was a knock on our door by housekeeping, despite having the Privacy sign on our door. They were ready to make up our room, and they didn't want to wait for us to wake up.
Also, at about 6 AM, we were awakened by the sound of dishes clattering in the resaurant below us. SOME rooms in the hotel have recently had inner soundproofing doors installed, but our room was not one of them.

We left for a long day of walking - 6 hours around Old San Juan. Upon returning to our room at almost 5 PM, our room had not yet been made up. I called Reception & they said someone would come right up. They said they did not make up our room because we had our Privacy sign on the door knob. In fact, we had placed the Housekeeping Service sign on our door, but our sign, along with couple of others in the general area of our room, were on the floor. So despite trying to make up the room while we were still sleeping, they did not make up the room while we were out. The fact that there were signs on the floor should have been an indication that something odd happened. But eventually, housekeeping did show up, and about a half hour after my call, the room was made up.

At that point it was shower time. Arlene stepped out of the shower & went to put on a robe - but the robe was gone! The 2nd robe that we asked for was taken away by housekeeping. After 3 calls to Reception, we finally had a robe delivered - 20 minutes later - no longer necessary by that point.
Later that evening, as we were about to go to bed, we went to put the Privacy sign on the door. OOPS - no Privacy sign. seems they took that from our room at the same time they took the robe. I waited almost a half hour to have someone put the do not disturb sign on our door.

After again being reassured by the manager that we would be getting vouchers for our breakfasts, we ate breakfast the next morning in the hotel's restaurant. I must add that the restaurant is breathtaking - sitting among trees, listening to the serenade of the Coqui's, and watching the bats & birds fly around the open courtyard. A most relaxing way to start the day. Again we asked for the basket of pastries, and received only white toast - being told they they were running low on pastries. If they ran out the prior day, why not restock? And today we ate much earlier than the previous day, so to be out before the majority of the people ate struck me as very odd.

And to top it all off, when we checked out, upon looking at our bill, there were charges for 2 breakfasts. I eventually convinced them to remove these charges.

As I said, these things were all minor individually. But exacerbating the problem was that we paid about DOUBLE what others paid for equivalent, and in some instances, better rooms, because we booked the postcruise radisson package! If we had paid the hotel's posted rates, I don't think I would have been as disturbed as I was from this. (That, of course, is something to take up with Radisson, and not the Hotel).

I think I could still recommend this hotel - but book it on your own - not in a Radisson package.

HOWEVER - in our travels we met someone who was staying at a small boutique hotel nearby - the Gallery. We stopped in there in our travels, and it was beautiful. I have not looked at the rates, but if they are close to El COnvento I think I'd go to the Gallery.

No offense here Gil, (I stayed at that hotel a LONG time ago) and it was nice, but one more reason to choose a pre- rather than post cruise on RSSC. Usually the cruise is going to be better than the hotel, even if Rad chose it and you booked it on your own! Glad you guys had a great time on the cruise, at least I think you did!

In this case, I think the hotel was actually nicer than the ship - IF things had run smoothly. As I said, it was gorgeous, and a perfect location.
And since the cruise went from FLL to San Juan, I wouldn't really want to do much of a precruise in FLL, but did want to spend some time in PR.

What I did learn is to book on my own - not a RSSC package.

I personally had no expectations that the hotel would be up to the same standards as the cruise. That wasn't the problem.

The problem was that service for what is considered a top boutique hotel was spotty at best. I've received better and more thoughtful service at hotels that would never be considered in the same class as the El Convento.

Gil also forgot to mention that the phone and the outlets on the desk did not work. But of course part of the problem was our vision was colored by the fact we paid DOUBLE what anyone else in the hotel paid and didn't in some cases receive the same quality in terms of room or service they received.

To be woken early by housekeeping wanting to clean our room, despite our sign on the door is inexcuseable. To call 8 pieces of toast and two soggy croissants a continental breakfast two days in a row is also inexcuseable. To not honor their guarantee of us receiving breakfast is inexcuseable.

To pay double and only have a partial view of the bay because we weren't put on the top (most desireable) floor is something we need to take up with Radisson. To not have received a "tote bag" like others paying considerably less is also something to take up with Radisson. There is more, but I have too many errands to do now.

As mentioned, the service was almost humorous in its attempt to be good. The level of competence here somehwat reminded me of my favorite movie - Ishtar!

Attaching a couple of pics though to show just how beautiful this place was - and you'll see why it was a pleasure to eat breakfastt here in the morning:

Thanks for the review! I already booked this hotel through Orbitz for 2-nights pre- Silversea cruise. The rate was so good I didn't wait for you to get back from your trip to see what you thought. The rate I booked is lower than what Orbitz is showing today. Anyway, knowing what your experience was will help us go into it with rather low expectations. We'll just enjoy the great location and pack some granola bars for breakfast!

If you booked with a good rate, you will be very happy at this hotel.

And absolutely, under no circumstances, miss eating at Marmalade!

Enjoy!