Best Hotels in Puerto Rico

General Areas to Stay

Fun fact supplied by Google: to drive the entire perimeter of Puerto Rico without stopping would take 6 to 8 hours. 😮 To a midwestern gal, that’s telling me I can explore the entire island from one base location and technically, you can. But I wouldn’t recommend it. Refer to my driving in Puerto Rico guide for more insight into why, but also I want to immerse myself into these areas and just driving non-stop isn’t going to get me that. So, where do I recommend staying? I’m so glad you asked. 😀

Old San Juan

I highly recommend staying in the Old San Juan area or near there for your first trip. As you can see in my 7 day itinerary, a fair amount of your time will be spent in Old San Juan or the city of San Juan in general. If you’re wanting to avoid driving, you’ll need to be in San Juan for the most accessible tours offering hotel pick ups. The hotels I would recommend based on experience with the chain, their locations on the island and overall reviews are: 

• Hyatt Place San Juan or Hyatt House San Juan

  • in T-Mobile Arena area - just outside of Old San Juan

  • free breakfast

  • requires shuttle to Old San Juan/Condado Beach

  • pro from my experience: if you’re going to be gone a lot and need a place to crash at night and kick off your day in the morning, one of these options is your place

  • Pick Hyatt Place if you want a cooler pool for kids. If Hyatt Place isn’t available though, book Hyatt House and you can still use the pool at Hyatt Place.

These next places are better if you have a bigger budget to spend and prioritize being right on the ocean/beach. 

• Condado Vanderbilt Hotel

  • in Condado (an upscale area in San Juan)

  • elegant

  • ocean front

• Hotel El Convento

  • in Old San Juan

  • beach club access

• San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

  • in Condado (an upscale area in San Juan)

  • beach front

West, East and South Sides of Puerto Rico

If you’re cool with driving though and/or want to leverage using credit card points or miles, then you may also want to consider these options: 

• Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico OR Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort (East Side of Puerto Rico)

• Fairfield by Marriott Luquillo Beach (East Side of Puerto Rico)

• Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort (for the nontraditional option: on the south side of the island so close to a bioluminescence experience offered from Puerto Rico)

• Courtyard by Marriott Aguadilla (if you’re flying or wanting to spend time in Aguadilla (Crash Boat Beach - west side of Puerto Rico))

If you’re going to stay overnight in Vieques, then I recommend these options: 

• For close to the ferry: Casa de Amistad 

• For close to bioluminescent bay kayak tours: Esperanza Inn or The Vieques Guesthouse or for an adults only option: Blue Horizon Boutique Resort 

Wondering why Vieques? Check out my 7 Day Itinerary guide here).

Exploring the Entire Island

If I had an extended timeframe and was going to stay at different places on the island to see more of it, I would stay in these hotels to do that: 

• Hyatt Place 

  • San Juan 

  • North side of island

  • International airport is here

• Courtyard by Marriott Aguadilla 

  • West side of island

• Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort

  • South side of island

• Esperanza Inn (Vieques Island), 

• Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort (east side) OR Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico (east side). 

Staying in those regions will give you a good base for exploring the island while also enjoying the properties themselves. 

There are many options in Puerto Rico and I’m certain you’ll find the right fit for you and your budget. As always, if you want personalized help, use the link at the bottom of the page to book a consultation. 

Puerto Rico Hotels FAQs: 

Do I need to switch hotels to see all of the island?

While you can technically drive the entire perimeter of the island in 6-8 hours, I wouldn’t recommend it and would switch hotels mid stay. That way you can immerse yourself in each region as you explore it. 

What area should I stay in for my first visit? 

Near Old San Juan or Candado Beach - there is so much to explore between Old San Juan and San Juan. Even if you don’t want to drive while you’re in Puerto Rico, you could easily spend a week just in these areas.