La Capitana Old San Juan

We spent our evenings dragging the kitchen stools onto the little balcony to watch the nightlife and cruise ships head out of port. The view and location are the reasons we'd come back, absolutely. We stayed in room “zen” on the third floor of the 413 calle de sol building. The apartment was spacious, though the bathroom was tiny and quite dated. We also lost running water twice for long stretches in under 24 hours. We learned this was an Old San Juan infrastructure problem, not something caused by the building. If you're after affordable, spacious lodging in a prime Old San Juan spot with a great view, I'd recommend it.

The location is amazing, and the ocean view is lovely. It's comfortable and has a full kitchen, though the place isn't fancy and could use some improvements. Leave your bags at 413 calle del sol first, or you'll have to walk back because check-in is in another building about three blocks away.

I was actually looking forward to staying in an old place, and we're not fancy people, but getting to the room was a struggle for all three nights. I'd seen other reviews mention it. We booked a balcony room after seeing pictures with a sea view, but the balcony door couldn't be opened and badly needs repair. Check-out at 11 was really annoying. I expected at least another hour, but a very rude person was banging on the door at exactly 11 to get us out. Late check-out costs $50. I've paid late fees elsewhere to get more time, but I guess this hotel has its own rules. They said late check-out isn't polite during busy season, as if they had a lovely tidy room to clean, when ours looked like an abandoned old apartment. Check-in isn't until 3 either. I've stayed in all kinds of hotels in many countries, and this was the worst. The room's location is its only saving grace, and the service was awful.

For my birthday, I booked a room in Old San from August 11 to 14. The location made it easy to explore on foot: San Cristobal Castle is a minute away, a supermarket is two minutes away, and Playa Capitolio is a 12-minute walk. It's decent for a quick beach visit. We also liked Playa Escambron, about 11 minutes away by Uber. Our room could fit a family or four friends, with two beds that each sleep two. One is a Murphy bed in the living room, and the other is in the master bedroom with its own bathroom. The master bedroom AC worked perfectly, and the sheets were clean. There's no AC by the living room bed, just a ceiling fan, so it would get hot there during the day in warm weather. The kitchen has a large fridge, microwave, small coffee machine, stove we didn't use, dishes, glasses, and cutlery. They provide ground coffee and brown sugar, though the coffee machine is very old and small. The kitchen drawers worried me: they were dirty, had spider webs, and contained little white or beige particles I couldn't identify from the pictures. I couldn't tell whether they were dirt or chemicals, so I washed all the kitchenware before using it. I think the stove should be replaced. The bathroom was the biggest issue. I didn't take photos or videos, but there were no hooks for towels, so we used the shower rod. There was no shower caddy or shelf, and toiletries were kept inside the mirrored cabinet. We only got shampoo and conditioner, so I was glad I'd brought a small bar of soap. It's a very small bathroom with little room for makeup or other things, and the sink pressure was weak. At check-in, the front desk person wasn't welcoming or energetic, just blah. I work at six hotels, so I expected a warmer greeting and felt disappointed. There was also a check-in mistake, but it wasn't a big deal and was acceptable. We arrived after 4 pm. For what we paid for three nights, the kitchen should be clean, especially where food is prepared. A shower caddy and some corner shelves or a cabinet would also help. There's room on the right as you enter, and it was awkward putting toiletries on the shower floor or the toilet box. I'm not asking for a five-star setup, just a bit more convenience. It would also be nice if guests were greeted warmly and made to feel valued. People get tired, but in hospitality you shouldn't look half asleep in front of a guest. We tried empanadas at Al Fredo Old San Juan, delicious and $4 each, with more meat than pastry. We had my birthday dinner at Cayo Caribe and enjoyed the food, though I found it too pricey. We wanted Restaurante Raices, but the line was long. Souvenirs at the supermarket were cheaper than at souvenir shops, and the same kind. We also went to Playa Pinones and tried local foods.