Puerto rico san juan hotels on the beach: The 10 best beach hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Hotel Review: Fairmont El San Juan Hotel in Puerto Rico

The first thing I noticed during my stay at Fairmont El San Juan Hotel was its versatility. Inside the hotel, dark sultry colors and design offer a luxurious, exclusive vibe.

But once I stepped out to the back, where the four pools and hot tub are, I felt a total shift into the light-hearted fun of summer beach casual. The warmth of the sun, the sound of the waves in the distance and the laughter from the pools set the mood immediately.

I was able to enjoy a private cabana, giving me plenty of space to keep my face mask off while lounging (and the pool shack offered Sun Bum aloe vera gel and sunscreen, along with bug spray, which was a great touch that I utilized quite a bit during the weekend).

Three different types of cabanas are available depending on the size of a guest’s party, and I saw multiple families enjoying shade along with the poolside food and beverage service. The cabanas require a minimum spend, but they come with complimentary fruit and water. If clients have a preference for a specific cabana, they can reserve that space ahead of time. 

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An Oceanfront Villa Room, one of 388 guestrooms at the property
Credit: 2021 Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

There was a mix of young adults, older couples and families during my visit. When I asked about the hotel’s clientele, the hotel confirmed that there has been an increase in families coming to the property for extended stays. The hotel also has Elite Learning Pods, a program where children (or adults) can book a room equipped with snacks, Wi-Fi access and lunch boxes. 

RELATED: 3 Caribbean Resorts Offering Workcation Packages 

Although I opted to stay with a friend in the main building, families who want to have more space to themselves can book a villa or a suite. The Casa Del Mar Suite offers a kitchenette, a separate bedroom, two terraces and a private outdoor hot tub, ensuring plenty of room for workcations and schoolcations.

With nine restaurants to try, the hotel is great for a long-term stay. I visited Banyan Tree Grill for its poke bowl and Crudo Sushi for sushi, but for the majority of my meals I enjoyed Cana by Juliana Gonzalez, a fusion restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with a poolside view. Much of the restaurant’s food is local, giving guests a taste of island classics such as mofongo (a fried plantains dish) and longaniza (similar to chorizo). 

Cana by Juliana Gonzalez
Credit: 2021 Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

But it’s not just about relaxing and vegging out here. Guests can access a three-story fitness facility and try out one-on-one and group fitness classes. (The majority of reservations for the cabanas, restaurants and fitness classes can be made through OpenTable, allowing guests to switch things around with ease.)

I tried my hand at the “Pool Float Fit” class. As the name suggests, participants are on a floating board in the pool, and much of the workout comes from trying to keep upright. While there are anchors that keep the board from capsizing completely, I splashed into the water more than once during the one-hour training.

Later in the evening, the adults find their way downstairs into the bars, where the atmosphere is vibrant and warm. There are four bars inside the Fairmont El San Juan, and a live salsa band performs on the weekend. I watched as people danced to the live band, and later two professional dancers (with masks on) came out and danced with the crowd. 

COVID-19 Protocols in Puerto Rico and at Fairmont El San Juan

To get to the island, Puerto Rico requires proof of vaccination or evidence of a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure. Because I am vaccinated, all I had to do was upload my proof of vaccination to receive my QR code for the airport.  

The mandate is also in place throughout the island, including at Fairmont El San Juan Hotel. While enforcement of the requirements vary from place to place, Fairmont El San Juan Hotel has a greeter who checks each person’s information. Face masks are required indoors, and they’re strongly encouraged outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. After they checked my vaccination status, I got a resort wristband and was free to roam the resort grounds. 

The Details
Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

10 Best Beach Hotels in San Juan from USD for 2023

More of a 4.5 out of 5 but I didn’t have that option. The hotel was very pretty, great lobby ( mixed emotions about the caged birds but I don’t know their story so—) , great bar, friendly service, good food options although way over priced and just ok, not amazing. Although the Puerto Rican restaurant on the property Mojitos had great drinks and the friendliest service. We preferred eating here over the other on property restaurants but still over priced. I suggest eating every meal off property. Now that we know there isnt anything special about the on property restaurants, thats what we’ll do next time. Getting an Uber is very easy and you’re a very short ride from a huge number of restaurants. I posted some Google reviews of our dining experiences but i’ll post some here, too. The hotel location is great, right on the beach and 10 minutes from Old San Juan. We had a beautiful view of the beach, ocean and amenities from our room. Loved the little balcony. I think most, if not all rooms have a balcony. The elevators were very fast, we were in the 9th floor. This may not be a big deal but even though those days are over for me , i remember long waits at slow elevators with wet, tired little ones, not fun. The time of year we went was perfect (late August) after thr high season, so no huge crowds. We were able to enjoy the hammock ”park” on the property and find chairs on the beach in a great spot. Speaking if the beach, if you’re looking for waves you’re not really going to get them. There’s a man made rock border to prevent what looked like could be some pretty intense waves were in not for that barrier. The beach is kind of a calm bay but it’s nice. A beautiful blue and watching the waves crash against the rocks is a great sight to see. Exploring Old San Juan was awesome. The beautiful colors, the architecture, the history, the narrow streets, it really takes you on a journey. Great shopping and besides the touristy t shirt places, there were plenty of great artisan shops. Old San Juan is still recovering from hurricane Maria (I know – it’s crazy) so there are lots of streets undergoing road construction and some businesses that are shuttered but the construction doesn’t get in the way and there are a shops and restaurants galore. The construction does mean sometimes you have to maneuver to avoid closed sidewalks and may be walking under scaffolds but sort of like any major city undergoing construction because of growth, not disaster. We visited two of Old San Juan’s forts (look like castles) Castillo San Cristobal & Puerta de San Juan. You get two great walks through old San Juan to both of them. All uphill to Puerta de San Juan bur a good uphill, not so strenuous that you don’t enjoy the actual walk. It was pretty hot so luckily, there were plenty of places to choose from if you want to stop and have a refreshment or lunch. It’s pretty easy to get turned around on the narrow, intersecting streets but just keep your tourist map handy. T

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Check the conditions of your booking

For bookings made from April 6, 2020, we recommend that you evaluate the risk associated with coronavirus (COVID-19) and the measures taken by the authorities to combat it. If you select a non-refundable rate, you will not be able to receive a refund if your booking is cancelled. Your cancellation request will be processed by the hotel in accordance with your rate conditions and consumer protection laws. If in doubt, we recommend booking a free cancellation option. If your plans change, you can cancel your booking without penalty during the free cancellation period.

Check the conditions of your booking

For bookings made after April 6, 2020, we recommend that you evaluate the risk associated with coronavirus (COVID-19) and the measures taken by the authorities to combat it. If you select a non-refundable rate, you will not be able to receive a refund if your booking is cancelled. Your cancellation request will be processed by the hotel in accordance with your rate conditions and consumer protection laws. If in doubt, we recommend booking a free cancellation option. If your plans change, you can cancel your booking without penalty during the free cancellation period.

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