Holiday Inn Express San Juan Condado

The location of this hotel is amazing. You can walk to nearby restaurants and beaches. However the rooms were really tiny ! The hotel was well kept, which didn’t make up for the sizes of the rooms.

The hotel is clean and inexpensive. The staff is beyond friendly. We even had a clerk, Beatriz, go out to her car to get her umbrella for us to borrow in case it rained. They really go above and beyond for their guests! The breakfast doesn’t have a lot of variety but you get what you pay for. It’s perfectly located in the heart of Condado, walking distance from lots of cute bars and restaurants and only one block from the beach. Definitely a great stay!

We have just checked in after a very late flight and to say Im disappointed is a complete understatement. Never mind how small the room is… our room smells like it is molded and mildewed. It’s giving me a sore throat. We asked for a different room but the hotel is unfortunately sold out. In addition to this, the bathroom smells worse and the sink is clogged and now unusable. The lock to the door is also broken. We are all too tired to keep checking the room for issues so we have given up.
The one star is for the front desk receptionist named Jose, who was very warm and welcoming. He allowed us to have late checkout and also gave a discount to a recommended local restaurant. He has been the saving grace.
We are just waiting for breakfast to start at 6am so we can eat and leave. Hoping breakfast is at least good but I don’t have high hopes. Not a good start to our much anticipated family vacation.

I am writing as the week happens in order to get an accurate account of the good, great and poor experiences.
The check in process was easy and quick but there is a serious parking issue here. It’s like parking on the street in manhattan. Almost impossible. And the alternative is a $ 17/​day expense. I have been fortunate to find parking at a free meter everyday.
The room thus far is ok. As small as expected but what hotel room with 2 double beds isn’t small? The bathroom is an ok size. Ok, mentioning that bathroom would be incomplete if I didn’t mention the rancid sewer smell that emanates from the bathroom. It is so nasty and it got worse as the week went on. The cleanliness is great. It’s very clean and inviting.
The pool is way too small and murky. There’s a non-​smoking policy but there was disgusting cancer sticks being smoked in the pool area.
Now to bkfst. If you’re a runner then it’s ok. There’s plenty of bread and peanut butter. But… if you’re wanting to eat good protein your only option is the hardboiled eggs. The omelets are ham filled and salty to high hell. It would be great if there was some fruit available aside from banana and apples se melons and pineapple would have great. Some avocados would be appreciated as well. There all over the island. I would have to give this place only 3 stars because of the smell and the lack of parking spaces.

We stayed at this hotel recently for a one-​night stay before a cruise. It was perfectly adequate for our short stay and proved to be a great location. We arrived at about 7 p.m. and check-​in was a breeze. We had room 501, which had two double beds. As other reviews have stated, the room was small, but it really was just fine for such a short stay. The room was very clean and had the basic amenities we needed. Also the furnishings were nice and modern.
The location was good and we went to the main drag just a block away. We went a few blocks to Ropa Vieja, which was yummy (see separate review) We all slept well as the room was nice and quiet. We slept a little late and barely made it down for breakfast, but were able to quickly grab something. There was a decent amount of offerings to hold us over until lunch.
We checked out, which went quickly. The lobby was a bit packed with everyone trying to catch taxis to the get on the cruise ships. We decided to take our time and checked our luggage. We then walked a block and a half to Condado Beach. We were pleasantly surprised by the beach and ended up staying for several hours. When we were ready to head out, we gathered our luggage and the staff called us a taxi, which pulled up a few minutes later.
My only real complaint was the wifi was a bit slow. I normally wouldn’t care about this on a non-​business trip, but there was an itinerary change on my cruise and I wanted to research what there was to do in the new port. This just made it a bit more challenging; however, there were two computers near the breakfast area and I was able to hop on one for a few minutes to complete my research.
All in all, a good stay and would consider the Holiday Inn Express again if in the area.

We had a great stay at the Holiday Inn Express. The service was great from the moment we arrived. Alev and Beatrice checked us in and were very friendly and welcoming. The room had a comfortable king size bed and an amazing shower, with multiple settings. Best of all, the hotel has an amazing location. Just a walk across the street were all of the downtown bars, restaurants, hotels, and the beach. Plus, you can not beat the price! Breakfast was even included. It was a great value. I would definitely stay there again.

For the money you pay, you are better off at a different hotel. Very small rooms. Only seven parking spots for entire building. The eggs and sausage at breakfast tastes horrible on multiple days. It is in a good area and close to the beach.

I booked this hotel very last minute, so I didn’t really know what I was getting into. The service/​staff are all great. There’s free breakfast in the morning hours, a pool/​spa & really, really, REALLY good wi-​fi. Best wi-​fi from any hotel I stayed at. The rooms were clean and modern and the bathrooms are updated as well. Overall, for about $ 100/​night, you get what you expect from a Holiday Inn Express
Now that I got the good out of the way, the location is awful. It’s nestled in between 50 buildings on a hard-​to-​find street. They only have about 5 – 8 parking spots (which for a 10-​story hotel is RIDICULOUS). You have to park in a valet lot nearby for around $ 10 – 15 a day or be lucky enough to find street parking.
The parking killed. I’ll come back to stay by the beach in Condado, but not with a rental car.

This hotel gets four stars for the price.
Location: in the Condado section of San Juan, which is a young area of the city, full of bars and night life. The hotel is 2 blocks from the beach and there are plenty of little restaurants around.
Amenities: free wifi, continental breakfast, pool. The rooms are an average size and I felt the bed was pretty comfy.
The staff here is very friendly and helpful. We needed to print tickets for EDC and they let me into a little back office to use their computer and printer.

Really small rooms, no parking (the independent garage next door is cash only and not affiliated with the hotel), hardly any amenities, and bad breakfast. It’s supposed to be cheap though, around a hundred bucks.

There appears to be a discrepancy between the website and the real hotel. From the travel sites, the hotel appeared to be on the beach, but I quickly learned upon my arrival that it is not only across from the beach, but on a side street blocks from a lagoon the tends to flood the south corner of that street around 10pm every day.
As with any typical «Downtown» location of any major U.S. city, got to pay to park. Compared to what I pay in Chicago if I was booking there, $ 15 dollars a night sounded like a steal. It’s cash only so make sure you have cash upon arrival, otherwise there is a very generous ATM on the corner with a 5 dollar surcharge!
Upon entering the Hotel Lobby, it appeared pretty modern and up to date. A bit small though when it came to the amenities (small pool, small fitness center, and don’t get me started about the business center with only «2» PCs that are not only several years old, but NO PRINTER). The breakfast bar was also very small so if you want to eat, hit it early or your stuck standing.
Now to the rooms, unlike the pictures I had saw prior to booking, the rooms were small. The bathroom smaller and the smell was «antique». Besides the modern Flat Screen T.V. everything else is in a dire need of a remodel (they even had old 240 Watt Plug Outlet hidden behind the closet!). Yes the beds were comfortable, but they were full size beds (not queens that pretty much rule most Condado Hotels). Finally their WiFi was next to non-​existent. Though you can get on, the connection was next to 0. I did find another hot-​spot from some bar near the area that I ended up connecting too that was faster.
Long story short, this hotel didn’t work out. Besides being near Ashford Ave and near the beginning of the Strip where the action is, I’ve stayed at better hotels with more room and modern amenities. Personally I’ll just pay the extra $ 250 and go back to the Double Tree Hilton which is located at the southern end of the strip a block south of Ashford Ave. That hotel was a 21^st Century hotel and it was just way better. Sure you’ll have to walk a little bit to get to the lively part of Ashford Ave at night, but if you’re relaxing during the day, you’re a block from the beach, get complementary beach gear and there is a local diner called «Bebos» that offers amazing food at a good price.

the free breakfast everyday consisted of: bagels, muffins, croissants, pre-​made omelet, depending on the time you come eggos & sausages. sometimes there’s yogurt and milk in the container. coffee, bananas, and cereal [which was literally eat there and not take with you; since it came from a dispenser. juice consisted of cranberry and pineapple that tastes like orange juice.
two very small elevators. that makes you feel clasuphobic. they have a small gym that you’ll have to ask for a key to use. there’s a vending machine next to the ice machine. the vending machine consist of only drinks no snacks.
self parking is across the street. 15 bucks a night. which sometimes have working elevators and sometimes not. and you gotta display this yellow paper. street parking is for taxis so don’t risk getting a ticket.
getting to the hotel is a one way street. kind of hard to find. if you see cartier turn on that street because the hotel is literally down the street.
hotel rooms are small. its tiled floors so bring sandals to use for the room. bathrooms are tiny! if you don’t leave the AC on for 60 a funky smell will appear and everything will feel damp. they don’t really give you a lot of towels. i saw stains on one pillow and the sheet. so i had to remove it and lysol everything down. the button to flush the toilet was kind of hard to push down. they didn’t give us a tissue box.
they give you free shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, lotion, shower cap, and bar soap.
there’s free wi-​fi which is a little slow but works when you need free internet.
pros: walking distance to little bouqtues, food [i.e. subway, dennys, yogurtfit, ben&jerry, etc.] across the street from the beach. there’s an LV, cartier, mont blanc, etc just around the corner. there’s two starbucks in walking distance, 2 subways, souvenir shops, walgreen with a redbox, etc.
there’s a staff in the lobby that can give you recommendations on what to do in PR. if you’re chilling in the lobby there’s plugs where you can charge your phone if you have your charger as well. i used it! :)
i would recommend staying here because truly no one plans to stay in their hotel room all day/​night. most of the time you’re out and about seeing the town anyways so i say why not. if the holiday inn express has a deal take it and spend the money you would’ve on the hotel on good food, gifts, and attractions.

Nice enough place. Convenient location, clean, no frills. The safe in two of our groups three rooms did not work reliably and the small continental breakfast nook is so locked down that you cannot even get a cup of tea after 9:30 PM.

Loved staying at this hotel. Hotel is close to everything (Bars, Shopping, Old San Juan, etc)! Had an amazing view of the ocean! Rooms are a bit small but with the hotel being so close to everything and the nice pool area made it much enjoyable! Edith at the front desk is truly amazing and will make you feel very welcome! Will be staying here again!

Decent for a short stay in San Juan. It is among the recently renovated Holiday Inns. The lobby is nice, the rooms are clean. The rooms are a little small though — again, good for a night or two, but not some place for a family to stay for a week. Beds were comfy. Shower had oddly high water pressure, especially for a hotel.
The elevators were oddly small. I didn’t eat the breakfast, but the coffee was terrible.
Staff was friendly and attentive. I called down for extra towels and they were at my door almost immediately.
In a pretty good location, short drive to Old San Juan, lots of stuff within walking distance. Good value for the price, I would stay there again if I spend a night in San Juan.

Its wireless network sucks a lot. It stops working now and then. I’d rather there is not wireless at all.

Because I’m giving some more resorty hotels only four stars, I can only give this place three stars. But, if you find yourself going to San Juan on short notice and want a convenient hotel only two blocks from the beach, you’ll find this place to be worthwhile.
The rooms (and bathrooms) aren’t very large, but they’re clean and comfortable. No complaints. Also, the front desk was helpful and the hotel is very close to the Condado nightlife. It’s also a relatively short cab ride to Old San Juan.
Bottom line: it’s no resort, but it’s convenient and affordable. I wouldn’t object to staying here again.

The Holiday Inn Express, San Juan (Condado Section) offers reasonable amenities for the budget traveler who wants to be in the heart of it all without paying the cost. I stayed here twice first in October of 08 then in April of 09.
Location: Located on Mariano Ramirez Badges, a side street off of Ashford Ave in the Conrad Section of San Juan. FYI if you are using a GPS system, Mapquest, or the map off the Holiday Inn website you will be shown a different location on those maps. Nonetheless locate the Gucci or Cartier Stores on Ashford Ave and the hotel is on the side street in between them. Mariano Ramirez Badges is a one way street that only stretches about 1 ½ blocks an is bordered on the south by the Lagoon and on the north by Ashford Ave. Directly across the street on Ashford Ave is a vast grass plaza (open to the public) that belongs to the Renaissance La Concha Hotel. The plaza leads directly to the beach and a pier.
Hotel: Seven stories Biege concrete structure that is decorated in a tropical contemporized motif. The hotel offers only 16 parking spaces in a small adjacent lot for $ 10 a day. Reserve your spot with the booking since it fills up quickly. The hotel offers king and double rooms. A continental breakfast (Bagels, breakfast pasties, cereals, hard boiled eggs, fruits, juice, milk and coffee) is served daily from 6am to 10am. A small pool, business center, and fitness center are also offered. Something not offered is coin laundry.
Room: All rooms are tiled and offer a tube television, mini fridge and free Wi-​Fi and other additional amenities. The room (s) I stayed at was 601, directly right of the elevator. Although being close to the elevator I never heard any loud noises in my room. The second room was 702 which was mid hallway. The rooms had the same décor however 601 was two feet wider then 702 and 601 also contained a mini-​fridge and 702 did not. The bathrooms were small however I believe they are standard hotel size. The beds have wheels and tend to move when you move. Air Conditioner unit is in room and you control it yourself.
Staff is courteous, friendly and accommodating.
Want to go to Old San Juan? Free city bus stop is one block away on Ashford.
Hotel tends to get busy on weekends when its fills up with people who are boarding a cruise in the nearby Old San Juan Port.
Within Walking Distance
Walgreen’s 24 Hour Pharmacy, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Renaissance La Concha Casino, Marriott Casino, Chili’s, Churches Chicken, Burger King, Krash Puerto Rico, Juniors VIP I and II, Circus Bar Lounge
Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this hotel. I found it to be a great deal in a very upscale area. It is walking distance to casinos, Latin cuisine restaurants, fast food chains and the new up and coming gay night life area of Santurce.

This is not a five star hotel as compared to The Ritz, but five stars as in clean, quiet and hospitable service.
The room was very clean and the beds were not only very comfortable, but the sheets were high quality too.
We had a quiet room with a somewhat view of the sea across the street. Because this was only an overnight stay for us, we chose to stay in Condado and pay under $ 125, compared to higher priced hotels in Old San Juan. There is a bus stop across the street on Ashford and the B21 will take you to Old San Juan for $ 0.75!
The gal at the desk, Shely, was a gem. She called the airport for us and helped my mom converse with the Spirit Airline people over her lost luggage :(
Overall, great service and accommodations at a great price. We got the best price from the Holiday Inn website (AAA rate).