Luxury Hotel in Puerto Rico: San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino

I had no idea what to expect when I was invited to experience the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino located on Condado Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I had three things pop into my mind: cruise port, mojitos, and pina coladas. Puerto Rico hadn’t even been on my radar, but how could I overlook this beautiful island where a passport wasn’t even required to visit? I packed a small bag, boarded a plane, and headed off for a new adventure.

First Impression:

The ride from the airport to the resort brought me through the city of San Juan. I will admit, my first impression of San Juan wasn’t too positive. It looked unkempt and full of high rise buildings with balconies covered with clothing set out to dry and faded colors on the buildings. As we arrived closer to the beach areas and Old San Juan, the buildings began to look fresh and more welcoming. We turned off the highway and through a business district down Calle Caribe to be greeted by a direct view of the San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino at the end of the road. I walked through the tropical chic lobby to check in and enjoyed a mojito before heading up to my room.

My Room:

I opened the door to my 11th floor Double Oceanview room and set down my things. I looked around, at the room, which was clean and comfortable, but then headed out to the balcony to get a view of the beach and water.

I tweeted a photo of the view of @SanJuanMarriott and mentioned something about wishing I had a glass of wine. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, with room service delivering a bottle of wine along with some cheeses. Here’s a video clip of my experience:

The Resort:

This beachfront resort has 513 rooms, 12 suites, onsite spa, plenty of space for a wedding or convention, restaurants, bars, and even a casino. The pool area was my favorite place to hang out and I’ll admit, I had a few poolside drinks while relaxing in the sun poolside.

The Dining:

I didn’t eat at every venue, but did enjoy a nice dinner one evening at Ristorante Tuscany. My favorite there was the pasta station where I was able to choose my pasta type, sauce, and the ingredients I wanted included. It was cooked right there in front of me and was a comforting meal after a long day of research and travel around Puerto Rico. One afternoon, I did enjoy some poolside grub at La Isla Grill and Pool Bar. The service was fast. Because I was scheduled for activities almost the entire visit, I took advantage of breakfast in the executive lounge, which offered a continental breakfast with balcony tables to enjoy the outdoors.

The Spa:

A visit to a resort just wouldn’t be complete for me without a visit to the Ocean Club Spa Pool and Fitness Center, which offers a few treatment rooms for basic spa services like a massage or facial.

Other Fun Activities Onsite:

The San Juan Marriott Resort is connected to Stellaris Casino, a decent sized gaming venue with slots and table games. If you are more of a morning person, Yoga takes place in the mornings for a $5 per person charge. On Friday and Saturday nights, there are free salsa lessons in the lobby bar which is one of the hot spots in the neighborhood. There are other scheduled activities, for all ages, throughout the week. I highly recommend stepping out on the beach to feel the sand get in between your toes.

Be A Star:

A really fun activity the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino offers is a YouTube Concierge. Guests get the chance to record a 30 second video on property and can view the video later that evening on the resort’s YouTube channel. This is a fun and innovative way to share your visit with family and friends. Be sure to check out the San Juan Marriott on YouTube.

Overall I found the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino to be a great choice for family travel, romantic escapes, or a girlfriend getaway in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Special thanks to the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino for hosting my visit to Puerto Rico.