EL Colonial Hotel Open Bar Adults Only

The staff were gracious, polite, and so helpful. Felix Christian and Alison were amazing. The place is charming and right in the heart of San Juan, just a couple of blocks from the old Fort and surrounded by good restaurants and a lively street scene. There are no elevators, but the apprentice will help with your luggage if you’re nice. The small lobby bar is for guests and available 24/7. It’s complementary with your room, and they have soft drinks, water, beer, wine, coffees, and teas. Wonderful hotel, amazing people. I highly recommend El Colonial.

The hotel promptly canceled our reservation and refunded the $400, so that earns the one star. We’d booked one night for $400 and arrived at noon after a long journey. The late check-in policy says 4 pm. We dropped off our bags, were given a detailed list of damages guests would be responsible for, and had to sign a statement. It seemed clear they’d hold us accountable for any damage we caused. We needed to rest and freshen up, but tried sightseeing while we waited for the room. We were told it would be ready at 4:00pm and that they’d text when it was available. At 4 pm, we contacted staff and were told they were still cleaning and we’d have to “sit tight.” They said they’d had a busy night and needed more time, and offered complimentary drinks at the bar while we waited. That didn’t work for us, so luckily we found another place that had a room ready in 30mins. It’s unfortunate management took a $400 reservation without enough staff to handle it. We were left to figure things out, and the staff didn’t keep their check-in commitments. That felt at odds with the high accountability expected of guests, who had to sign documents about potential damages. For someone visiting Puerto Rico for the first time, this wasn’t a good experience.

The free guest bar and kid-free property were real perks, and the hotel staff were super nice. But our six-night stay was a letdown and the lowlight of my trip. I wasn’t expecting the ritz, but the booking-site photos and some reviews left me feeling misled about what we’d get. It might be fine for one night, but I wouldn’t choose it for six. The property looked worn: cracked and flaking plaster, old flooring that was somewhat clean but never felt clean under bare feet, and aged fixtures and construction. Cracked shutters left gaps, and doors caught on the floor and wouldn’t open all the way. Everything in the room that could be worn was: towels, sheets, and mattress. The shower temperature and pressure were all over the place, flipping from icy to boiling within moments, so we couldn’t get a decent shower. There’s also a window from the toilet into the bedroom, so warn your roomie or partner to look away if you don’t want them seeing everything. One heads-up that isn’t really the hotel’s fault: plumbing in the building, and throughout Old San Juan, can’t handle toilet paper, so you have to throw it away instead of flushing. That was different and not always comfortable for us.

The rooftop patio is a lovely place to spend a couple of hours relaxing in the evening and taking in Old San Juan’s sights and sounds. The furniture is comfortable and updated, and the views are great. We stayed here for a night before our cruise and had a fantastic experience. The historic building feels true to its time while still offering modern amenities, and the staff were friendly, professional, and helpful. It’s right in the heart of Old San Juan, close to shopping and dining. There’s no elevator, and our top-floor room meant hauling very heavy bags up steep stairs. They were clear about this on the site and at booking, so if that kind of exertion isn’t for you, skip it. Also, Old San Juan’s narrow one-way streets make driving tricky, and parking is hard to find since it wasn’t planned for when the city was built. We took an Uber from the airport, then walked our bags to the pier for the cruise, which worked perfectly. The hotel will hold bags for free after checkout if you want to explore before leaving. We’ll definitely stay here again.