Comments on: Puerto Rico: Culture vs. The Beach

By: Maria

Maria — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:26:00 +0000

What a bummer, I love to travel too and I hope we enjoy Puerto Rico. We don’t drink, club or dance so at nights we usually just stay in and eat at the restaurants the hotel may have. But during the day we would like to be able to find some good Puerto Rican restaurants.

By: SoloFriendly

SoloFriendly — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:44:48 +0000

Yeah, it was disappointing, but it didn't ruin my vacation or anything; it just taught me not to make the same mistake again. (And frankly, that's what I get for gambling with Priceline on what resort I got.) I'm not sure there's a point to me making suggested changes to them, since my opinions of what's wrong with their property is really just my opinion, based on my preferences. I'm sure some guests are perfectly happy with it just the way it is. I may contact them, though, just for the heck of it.

By: SoloFriendly

SoloFriendly — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:29:40 +0000

Yeah, cabs are that expensive. :-/ Yes, that's what I'm trying to say about consistency of standards while still customizing the “feel” of the place based on location. My goodness, if you were staying at a Holiday Inn in Paris, you wouldn't want it to feel like you were still in the US, you know? You'd at least want a little Parisian Cafe on site.

By: joanna_haugen

joanna_haugen — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:08:59 +0000

What a bummer, though I guess some of the best learning travel experiences are the ones that teach us what we don't like or don't want.

It also doesn't make sense to me why the Hilton wouldn't offer some sort of convenient transportation for its guests, unless it just wants to keep people on the grounds buying pina coladas. Have you thought about contacting Hilton and sharing your thoughts?

By: SoloFriendly

SoloFriendly — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:07:27 +0000

From your lips to the Hilton's ears on that shuttle, Brian. It also wouldn't kill them to hire a band to play some salsa music at night. Thanks for the info on the Beach club! Good to know.

By: grrrltraveler

grrrltraveler — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:02:55 +0000

First- are cab rides in PR really that expensive? That's more than a crosstown cab in NYC.
Second- it is sad & i'm totally there with you. But I think all the big chains like hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt etc… have generic setups because they know people come to them for their “consistency” of standard. (I guess not all travelers want “ethnic culture” in hotel- only their landscape…& these hotels serve the bland but expensive palate) For instance, I remember their room setups being same across the board, despite the state I traveled to- i'd always know what to expect. It's understandable for the U.S. but I totally agree, when it comes to the more exotic locales & countries, they should take advantage of the local flavor. A friend of mine stayed at the Sheraton (i think) in Delhi & while it felt more extravaganza than the States, there were parts of the room & bedding that were exactly reminiscent of what I found in Ohio or Atlanta, etc…

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:29:27 +0000

May be the Hilton should consider offering a FREE shuttle into Old San Juan for its guests. I know a lot of people in forums are put off the Hilton due to its location with respect to OSJ and the restaurants in Condado / Isla Verde.

For your readers, I believe that The Soleil Beach club in Pinones (just east of San Juan airport) offers a shuttle to their restaurant (may just be on weekends). The restaurant overlooks the ocean and serves typical Puerto Rican food. Pinones is a good spot to also check out local kiosk food too during the day.