The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel has a spacious terrace steps from the beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Erika P. Rodríguez for Insider I’m a Puerto Rico local who plans staycations to the island’s capital whenever I find a good deal.
Here are the 10 best places where I recommend staying during your trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visit Insider’s hub for travel guides, tips, and recommendations I wouldn’t describe San Juan as a budget-friendly city: A room at a hostel can run you over $100 a night in peak season, and you won’t find all-inclusive beachfront properties like you would in the Dominican Republic or in Jamaica. That said, you’ll be hard-pressed to find more variety when it comes to lodging, from massive hotels by the world’s biggest brands to quirky inns owned by charismatic hoteliers.
As a resident of Puerto Rico living in the Humacao area — about an hour’s drive from the capital — I plan staycations in San Juan whenever I find a good deal; usually on weekdays or during hurricane season. I often use a local site called Gustazos that’s comparable to Groupon and offers hotel packages at a discounted rate. Peak hotel season is December through April, and I recommend coming on the earlier end to avoid spring-break crowds.
These are my top picks on where to stay in the San Juan metro area. La Concha ResortThe adults only pool at La Concha Resort in San Juan. Erika P.
Rodríguez for InsiderVisitors might instantly recognize La Concha Resort, located right on Condado Beach, from its iconic seashell structure. Named “Perla,” meaning “pearl,” it’s a stunning architectural structure that served as a wedding venue during the pandemic and will soon return to being a restaurant. The hotel is a Marriott Bonvoy property and has three pools on-site, including an adults-only pool.
There’s also a lively bar in the lobby with a casino attached for those seeking a vibrant nightlife. I recommend opting for an ocean-view room — leave your balcony door ajar and sleep to the sound of lapping waves. Caribe HiltonA bathroom suite with an oceanfront view at The Caribe Hilton.
Erika P. Rodríguez for InsiderThe Caribe Hilton is one of two places that claim to have invented the piña colada, the other being Barrachina, a restaurant in Old San Juan. The only way to know for sure is to taste both for yourself.
While you have a drink in hand, head to the Caribe Hilton’s secluded, buoy-enclosed stretch of beach, complete with cabana rentals and a floating platform. The hotel offers a variety of brightly lit rooms and suites, many with balconies and ocean views, and it’s easy to book a room here with Hilton Honors points. The Gallery InnThe Saint Sebastian Top Suite at the Gallery Inn Hotel in Old San Juan.
Erika P. Rodríguez for InsiderBarack and Michelle Obama once stayed at this boutique hotel on a hill in Old San Juan. There are only 27 rooms, each with lavish and distinct decorations.
There are no TVs in the rooms as the hotel maintains its historic aesthetic with details like canopies and four-posted beds, beautifully renovated and curated by Jan D’Esopo, the owner and caretaker. Her artwork adorns the space and she often mingles with guests throughout the premises with a pink parrot accompanying her. The on-site Cannon Club restaurant and Venetian-style piano bar features live music, a full bar, and tapas.
They host events like a candlelight concert series, and the guests can enjoy the soundtracks of visiting musicians throughout the common spaces of the hotel. O:LV Fifty FiveThe rooftop at O:LV Fifty Five hotel in San Juan. Erika P.
Rodríguez for InsiderLocated in Condado and overlooking the lagoon, the O:LV Fifty Five is a luxury, modern hotel with one of the most Instagrammable rooftops in the city. It has a two-tiered pool and jacuzzi, and the guest rooms feature sleek marble bathrooms with rain showers. As an adults-only property, they offer customized experiences from romantic dinners in private suites to floating champagne decks on the lagoon.
Dining options include ARYA, a posh eatery and bar with a Rolls Royce transformed into a DJ Booth, and Raya, a Caribbean-Asian restaurant with a menu that Mario Pagán, a renowned local chef, personally customized. Reservations are a must. CasaBlanca HotelLocated on Calle Fortaleza in Old San Juan, CasaBlanca Hotel is in the center of the action.
You won’t need to rent a car if you choose to stay here because of the area’s small size and the hotel’s central location. It has Moroccan-inspired decor, with suites featuring tall ceilings, spacious showers, and restored antique furniture. They have hot tubs on the roof overlooking the city and a panoramic elevator, a modification that was no small feat in an old historical building.
DREAMCATCHER by DWThe DREAMCATCHER by DW offers vegan dining options and on-site perks like yoga class. Erika P. Rodríguez for InsiderAdorned with dreamcatchers throughout, this award-winning hotel has strong Bohemian vibes.
Located a block away from the ocean and enmeshed in lush greenery, the DREAMCATCHER by DW is a tranquil oasis in the middle of a busy city. They have yoga on the beach or under the stars, and select rooms have outdoor showers. As a vegan hotel, they serve plant-based breakfast and brunch with organic and locally sourced ingredients.
They also have a communal pescetarian kitchen and a fridge in every room for those who want to prepare their own meals. Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & CasinoLocated in Distrito T-Mobile, San Juan’s newest dining-and-entertainment complex, this Marriott Bonvoy hotel is a convenient accommodation for visitors attending conferences and events. It’s adjacent to the convention center and has a pool overlooking Distrito T-Mobile and the Coca-Cola Music Hall, where the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve ball drop occurs.
Featuring renovated rooms, live entertainment at The District Lounge & Sushi Bar on the first floor, and a casino, it’s a great spot for happy hour or post-event mingling. Condado VanderbiltOceanfront lounge chairs at the Condado Vanderbilt hotel. Erika P.
Rodríguez for InsiderA celebrity favorite, the Condado Vanderbilt is a five-star, high-end hotel that’s been a staple in San Juan for over 100 years. It’s located on the oceanfront and has stylish suites with luxurious touches, from personal ice-maker machines to 300-thread count sheets. The hotel is home to 1919, an exclusive restaurant by Juan José Cuevas, a Michelin-starred chef, that’s one of Puerto Rico’s most coveted fine-dining experiences — it requires you to be in formal wear.
They also have a more casual Mexican eatery called Tacos & Tequila, launched in partnership with Tequila Patrón. Fairmont El San Juan HotelLocated just minutes from SJU, the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel is on Isla Verde Beach. They offer luxury-cabana rentals, activities like group paddleboard-fitness classes, and a spa called Well & Being with CBD treatments and sound therapy.
This is where you’ll find Club Brava, one of the most popular nightclubs on the island. Brava hosts an annual Halloween bash with so many costumed partygoers in line that the bigger party often ends up in the hotel lobby. If you’re there on a weekend, have a drink at Chico Cabaret, the hotel’s speakeasy that often features live entertainment, music, and dancers.
Hotel Palacio ProvincialThe rooftop pool at San Juan’s Hotel Palacio Provincial. Preferred Hotels & ResortsPreferred Hotels & Resorts, the same hotel group that runs El Convento, a convent-turned-famously-romantic hotel in Old San Juan, opened the adults-only Hotel Palacio Provincial around the corner in January 2021. Featuring Juliette balconies, courtyards, and a glass-enclosed library, this hotel blends old-world charm with modern sophistication.
The rooms feature intriguing architectural details like wooden beams, and there’s a rooftop pool. As the first new hotel to open in Old San Juan in decades, it marks a new, upward direction for travel and tourism on the island. View Insider’s comprehensive guide to visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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