Hotel El Convento

Authentic vibes

Wonderful experience. Juan L and Monica were amazing! Would definitely recommend!

Lovely hotel with lots of nice common space. Rooms were on the small side but well lit and comfortable. Juan C was great with breakfast each morning.

Great location, but it was not the five star hotel experience we expected. Front desk staff were young kids who didn’t seem to know anything about excursions around San Juan so we did everything on our own. Disappointing experience overall.

Great location at this historic hotel--over 375 years old---in the heart of old San Juan. 4.25 stars

Highlights:
- Location: steps away from places to eat, drink, and shop
- Rooftop pool: very small plunge pool but nice to have
- Wine and cheese hour daily from 5-6pm on the patio was lovely as was the hostess there. Also had bottled waters could grab.
- Coralys: stellar representative for the hotel. Emailed her before our stay to help with some beach tour ideas and she was fantastic and gracious in helping me and responding promptly .
- Relationship with Courtyard Marriott to hang out at their beach which was a 25 minute Uber away and a fun day
- Lots of open areas to sit from by the restaurant to small tables in the hallways and the patio a level under the pool.

Midlights:
- Pool besides being small there is no shade so not one to hang out at too long
- Included breakfast was very simple: choice of cook on egg and meat (bacon, sausage) with bread that varied each day you ordered from the staff with coupons

Lowlights:
- Staff quality varied at reception and restaurant: on arrival reception was not welcoming so not a great first impression and another time we talked to them similar cool treatment. Few girls that helped with the Marriot prep paperwork were nice. At the restaurant we either had wonderful wait staff or mediocre with long waits.
- Very small bathroom: had to squeeze to fit in with half of it being a shower

Our experience at this hotel was extremely disappointing, especially considering that our reservation was part of a Group with a confirmed block of rooms for a weeding.

Check-in was disorganized, and despite our group reservation, our rooms were not available when we arrived based on the fact that they had overbooked the hotel. After traveling and looking forward to the wedding weekend, this created unnecessary stress and frustration. I do have to say that I spoke to the front desk manager and demanded that they found us the room we had reserved, and after leaving the hotel for a couple hours, she did find us the room.

I was also concerned when we checked out that no receipt was provided. They said they would email us. I found out later that charges for housekeeping and bell service tips had been added to my bill without my prior knowledge or authorization. We did not use either of these services, yet gratuities were added automatically. I explained to them that my original confirmation receipt did not have or mentioned these charges at all. My total for the 2 nights, as it showed on the confirmation receipt was $756.02 and not$766.02. Once again, I contacted the front desk manager after I had already spoken to a couple employees after checking out and she told me she would give the $10 credit back to my card.

Other than those issues, the hotel is very nice, they treat you well, and it is a very special location within Old San Juan. I just hope they improve in those areas so future guests don't have the same experience.

Dusty, old, with lots of dark wood and unhappy looking staff - esp waiters in the half-entry restaurant [which nonetheless had surprisingly good food]. Like staying in a museum . Great views and locations and room layouts. Just really needs an upgrade -- the bone structure is still there for a world-class hotel.

Hotel El Convento is a beautiful hotel inside and out and we highly recommend recommended for those visit visiting San Juan
The atmosphere and the service was fantastic, including food and drinks
Want to give a special thank you to Jesus awesome service and great bartending. He made us feel extremely welcomed in at home and we really appreciate great employees like him. He is definitely a valued asset.

My wife and I grew up in Puerto Rico and always wanted to stay in El Convento and after many years in the United States we did it! Exceptional hospitality and service! The staff was outstanding, making for a fantastic experience. George made the stay much better as he gave us a short tour and explained the Hotel amenities in detail. The restaurant staff was equally well attentive to us during our dinner!

We enjoyed our stay. I especially loved the service when we ate at the restaurant. We particularly enjoyed talking with our friendly servers, Jesus and Indira. Everyone was so nice and friendly.

Best location in Old San Juan. Beautiful historic building (375 years old) and excellent staff. We had a delicious breakfast at Patio del Níspero and a great dinner a Materia Prima. Highly recommended.

The location was ideal for a weekend in old San Juan. The staff was so helpful and friendly. The free coffee in the morning while sitting overlooking the cathedral was a great way to start the day. The complimentary wine and cheese every afternoon set the tone for an evening out on the town. The room itself was large, with an adequate bathroom and soft linens.

This was our second time staying at El Convento, and this visit established we will return every year. The hotel is a quiet, peaceful respite from all the action of Old San Juan. We had an issue with our room (previous guest’s fault, not the staff’s) and they solved it promptly and generously. Special thanks to Ms. Andrea Figueroa for her assistance. Most of the staff is warm and attentive. George at bell hop/front and Luis at Patio del Níspero execute their jobs masterfully and with a smile. Speaking of Patio, the breakfast offerings need other vegan options beyond fruit. Oatmeal is not vegan as it’s cooked with regular milk. They did have two delicious vegan entrées at dinner. Morning coffee in the lounge is such a treat. Most importantly: cold air-conditioning in the rooms. We can’t wait to return to what’s becoming a tradition for us. Five gold stars!