Villa Herencia Hotel

The building is beautiful and historic, and the location is wonderful. It was quiet and private, with accommodating staff and great air conditioning in the rooms. We loved having coffee on the rooftop in the morning and a dip in the hot tub. It was just as lovely at night, and the historic character is the best part.

Our planned trip fell apart because Villa Herencia had no record of our reservation, despite taking the payment and confirming it. We booked eight months ahead for specific dates, but when we called on the day we were due to arrive, we learned the booking had been made for a year later. In other words, nearly two years after the booking date. My wife and I had each called a week earlier and been told the reservation was confirmed. The hotel only has staff on site for a few hours and wouldn’t answer the phone, so we had no warning until we were at the airport, ready to fly. We’d spent over a year planning and working for this trip, and now Old San Juan was fully booked with nowhere for us to stay. They made a series of mistakes and did nothing to fix them. There was no accountability, and I’d give zero stars if I could. Delta also canceled our flight after we sat on the runway for two hours while they tried to start an engine, and then we missed our connections. That part was understandable, since safety comes first. Villa Herencia’s handling of our booking was not. We’d just returned from the airport with our dream trip canceled. A very sad lesson, especially since the hotel won’t feel any of the hurt. 1/15/25

My husband and I spent a long weekend in Old San Juan and had a lovely time. We stayed in town to shop, walk around, eat, drink, and see the sights, with lovely views of El Morro and its castles. The hotel was a hidden gem and the service felt welcoming. I’d strongly recommend it to friends and family so they can make memories like we did.

The main reason for my low rating is the lack of support. My daughter and I booked one night in San Juan and got a check-in day email saying nobody would be at the hotel after 1 PM. We’d arrive late in the afternoon with very heavy luggage and a second-floor room. I asked if we could move to the first floor, but they said it wasn’t available and didn’t offer anyone to help with our bags. The stairs were narrow, and I slipped while trying to carry a large suitcase up. I was upset and uncomfortable being alone in a new country with no one there to help. We also needed suggestions for somewhere to eat and had no guidance. We found a nearby hotel instead. It was extremely nice and had a bellman to help us. I tried Villa Herencia and the emergency number to say we wouldn’t be staying, but neither answered. The other hotel called three times too, with no response. I emailed that day to say we hadn’t stayed and wanted our money back, but got no reply. When I called the next morning, a man apologized and said I should have known staff were only there until 1 PM. He said he’d speak to the manager about a refund and get back to me that day. Four days later I was still waiting, and another email went unanswered. The room also felt old and claustrophobic, with no bottled water, even though we were very thirsty after traveling all day in the heat. I’m disappointed by how little help we got. They should have arranged luggage help or refunded us once they knew we hadn’t stayed. El Convento next door was extremely nice, with pleasant rooms and staff available 24/7.