Since the airport hotel at San Juan stopped being a Best Western, the Embassy Suites (part of the Hilton Group), is the closest to the airport and so useful for mileage runs. When you do a search be careful that you book the one at 8000 Tartak Street, Isla Verde, Carolina, 00979, Puerto Rico as there is another on the island that is a long way away from the airport. (I made this mistake once, and only once!).
The cab ride is about $15 from the airport, including the airport fee and tip.
The hotel is a typical Embassy Suites with a large atrium with rooms running around four sides.
Check-in can be pretty busy, but usually moves at a reasonable speed. If you do online check-in the Reception desk usually have your Gold/Diamond HHonors goodie bag waiting for you at check-in:
The bedroom is at the back, away from the atrium which helps with noise.
The beds were comfortable. The view from the bedroom was of the airport but as the closest runway to the hotel was closed for repairs I did not experience any aircraft noise
Twin Bed Room:
King Bed Room:
The living room has a large sofa, desk and TV.
The bathroom is pretty standard:
As with all Embassy Suites there is a Manager’s Reception in the evening with snags and free drinks, although the queue does get pretty lengthy:
The hot breakfast is in the same location.
This particular hotel has a small snack station that freshly makes Pizza at a price less than Room Service. I used this on my second stay.
The outside pool area is fairly large, but usually busy.
There is a separate children’s area:
In the morning there were plenty of taxis waiting outside for the 10 minute journey back to the airport.
Overall
The hotel sufficed for what I wanted – somewhere near the airport to lay my head. I couldn’t imagine staying here for any length of time I am afraid as I would just be bored.
One minute further from the airport you had a choice of at least four major hotels on the beach, a Marriot Courtyard, an Intercontinental, a Waldorf-Astoria Collection El San Juan Hotel and a Ritz-Carlton Isla Verde, at least three of them with casinos in addition to access to Isla Verde beach, on of the best in the islands of Puerto Rico (if you want the best, you have to visit the islands of Culebra, or Vieques, fit for a king since it’s the site where King George VI would have had a US-based vacation home had he have to abandon the British Isles!)
Is the Outback Steakhouse still there? In 2008 I practically lived there for 3 months while working on a project. The staff was very friendly and it was convenient for dinner when I didn’t feel like going out. Haven’t been there since but there also used to be a wide variety of local and chain restaurants nearby.
@John – yes there is a Steakhouse, just not sure if it’s an Outback!
@Kenneth McClintock – I’ve done the Intercontinental and vowed never to go back again. The Courtyard was much more expensive than the Embassy Suites and the Waldorf/Ritz-Carlton are well out of my price range! Thanks for the suggestions though.
How do you get cheap flights to San Juan? I always like to go but can never find a cheap flight from PHL, ZFV, or EWR
@Nathan – I used some BA Avios in truth to get there