Old San Juan The Core by Otium

The house had a lovely old feel, and I loved the location and the spacious suites. Downstairs there were two bedrooms and a small kitchenette without a stove; upstairs was a large loft. The wooden ceiling beams looked so nice. We had a problem checking in, so make sure you call ahead to confirm your reservation is there. We had to wait outside while they sorted it out. The staff were polite and professional, but the mix-up was a mess. Eventually we got our room.

The room had no ventilation, bathroom fan, or window. My clothes were damp when I went to dress, and the bedroom dehumidifier was full. I emptied it, but the walls still had wet, moldy condensation and the bedding felt damp. There was little storage, so I didn't unpack. The next morning, after being woken early by people walking upstairs and talking loudly outside our door in the shared seating area, I decided to leave as soon as I could. We had no hot water the night before and I washed with cold water. There was a note asking us not to waste water, so I didn't want to leave the tap running. In the morning I ran the shower's hot tap for five minutes and still got no hot water. By then I was in tears, stressed and thoroughly depressed. A cleaner said it needs to run for about ten minutes with the taps in a certain position. It would've helped to have a sign explaining that. When we arrived, an English-speaking receptionist showed us to a dated, tatty suite. There were notes everywhere warning of charges for noise between 9 pm and 9 am because the old building isn't soundproof, as well as charges for breakages or other damage and many other rules. When we asked to see the manager as we left, the receptionist suddenly couldn't understand English. It was a horrendous experience. I've worked in hospitality for 45 years, and in the UK I think this place would be shut down.

The beds were super comfortable, and our suite was spacious. Climbing to the top was worth it: we had two rooms with queen beds at the entrance, plus a bathroom and full kitchen. From there we went out to the center balcony, where there were two more queen-bed rooms and another bathroom. We didn't have any trouble getting a hot shower. Someone set fire to a power substation while we were there, and our power went out. Luckily, we had a restaurant reservation at a place with a generator. When we got back, we used our headlamps and played Cards Against Humanity in the dark. The power came back at midnight. I'd love to stay here again.

We picked Old San Juan Rentals for our December 2018 anniversary trip after looking into San Juan, though we were a little unsure since we’d never been there. From booking through the end of our stay, everything went so well. Our contact replied quickly and gave us clear instructions. When I needed extra help, the owner sorted it out right away. The room was very clean, and even after we checked out for our cruise, the owner went out of her way to help make the rest of the trip easier. Such a great experience. We’ll be back. Peace and blessings to the wonderful people at San Juan Rentals!