Aqua Marina Beach Club

The place is beautiful, but I felt totally bamboozled by the marketing. We stayed at the aqua marina beach house from Dec 27th-Jan 1st, and it didn’t deliver what the pictures promised. The rooftop restaurant shown online, and mentioned on the check-in desk chalkboard, was never open. It only seemed to be operating during the New Year’s Eve party, where we were ignored again. My husband waited 15 minutes at our table, then stood at the bar without anyone speaking to or looking at him. While he was there, the owner or his son made himself a drink and didn’t acknowledge us. We were greeted well at check-in, but largely ignored after that. The shower never had hot water, and staff didn’t respond when we tried contacting them. We also didn’t get the promised bathrobes or any housekeeping during our five-day stay, despite the contract saying housekeeping had to come every third day. The whole atmosphere felt like a money hungry fake lie. The aqua marine beach club wasn’t what it seemed, and wasn’t worth the money.

The drinks were delicious, and the bartender was kind and accommodating. The food, though, was disgusting, and the staff were rude. I saw employees smoking weed on the premises, and saw manager Michael smoking with two other employees near the hotel entrance. When I asked for a manager, I was shocked to learn that Michael was in charge. He came across to me as looking like a homeless man off the street, and seemed extremely unprofessional. This is one of the worst places I’ve ever been to. I’d give it zero stars if I could.

The room was comfortable in temperature, clean, and had what our party needed. The host and staff were very nice and accommodating, the bar was cute, and the pool was amazing. When the island lost power during our stay, Aqua Marian Beach Club had a generator ready. We’d booked through a third party and hadn’t realized kids weren’t allowed, but instead of making us leave, they asked us to sign waivers for our teens. We arrived too early to check in, so they stored our bags while we went to the beach. The small, quaint resort is directly across the street from the beach, with plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. The town square is walkable or a short drive away. I like the boutique feel, and honestly can’t think of anything bad to say. I plan to stay here again on my next trip to PR.

There are several bar and restaurant areas, plus a number of places to gather, which makes it great for family events. The rooms have been nicely renovated, and the staff are wonderful. Giovanni is probably the island’s best bartender. He’s also an avid diver and snorkel guide.