Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
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Hotel Details
Location
San Juan
Puerto Rico, North America
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Expert Review: Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Michelin Key Selected property, is widely celebrated for its luxurious ambiance, historic charm, and exceptional service. Guests consistently praise its prime oceanfront location and world-class amenities, making it a highly desirable destination for discerning travelers.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel generally garners an impressive overall rating, often cited as a "five-star gem" offering a luxurious and unique experience. It boasts a strong average rating, with many reviews highlighting a positive sentiment towards the hotel. While the overwhelming consensus is positive, some guests have expressed concerns regarding the value for money.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently laud the Condado Vanderbilt for several standout features:
- Service: The staff is frequently singled out for providing warm, attentive, and impeccable service, often going "above and beyond" to enhance the guest experience.
- Location: The hotel's prime location, perched on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, offers breathtaking views. Situated in the vibrant Condado district, it provides easy access to nearby restaurants, bars, and is just a 10-minute drive from Old San Juan.
- Design & Ambiance: The hotel's stunning architecture and rich history, dating back to 1919, are frequently appreciated. Following a $200 million renovation in 2014, it beautifully retains the elegant charm of its Roaring Twenties inspiration while incorporating modern touches.
- Amenities: The Condado Vanderbilt offers world-class amenities, including a luxurious spa, multiple fine dining restaurants, and 24-hour room service. The thoughtfully designed poolside decks, offering both shaded and sunny areas, are a guest favorite. It also features a modern fitness center and beach butlers providing towel and cocktail service.
3. Room Quality
Rooms at the Condado Vanderbilt are described as large, well-appointed, and exuding a classy and elegant vibe. Many offer beautiful ocean views, enhanced by comfortable beds and soundproofed windows. The decor typically features a soft palette of rose, beige, and gray, complemented by dark-wood furniture and stone-topped bathroom vanities. Standard room amenities often include French presses for coffee and Smart TVs. Suites are particularly impressive, boasting lofty nine-foot ceilings, kitchenettes, separate soaking tubs, waterfall showers, and often wrap-around balconies with stunning views. However, some "Heritage Queen" rooms are noted to be on the smaller side at 295 square feet. Minor critiques include a lack of storage around bathroom sinks and sometimes oddly placed towel rods.
4. Dining Experience
The hotel offers a diverse and highly-regarded dining experience with several on-site restaurants:
- 1919 Restaurant: This fine dining establishment is a highlight, recognized for its modern, farm-to-table concept, with approximately 80% of its menu comprising local or house-made ingredients. Guests describe it as "incredible" and rave about its phenomenal 10-course wine pairing meals. The dining room is noted for its old-school sophistication.
- Ola Ocean Front Bistro: As the main restaurant, Ola offers an "awesome breakfast buffet" and decent lunch options. However, breakfast is typically an additional cost. Some past reviews indicate the buffet food can be "hit-or-miss," with good pastries but less impressive hot dishes.
- Tacos & Tequila: This casual, innovative Mexican restaurant provides a fun, open-air environment with ocean views, making it a popular spot for groups.
- Vanderbilt Court: A sophisticated lobby lounge, it features a wine and cognac bar, a cocktail bar, and a cigar lounge, offering a selection of small bites.
- The hotel also provides 24-hour room service.
5. Service & Staff
The service at Condado Vanderbilt is consistently praised as a major highlight. Guests frequently commend the staff's exceptional friendliness, warmth, attentiveness, and impeccable service, often stating that employees "go above and beyond" to ensure a memorable stay. Many visitors report feeling like valued guests due to the high level of hospitality.
6. Location & Accessibility
The Condado Vanderbilt is ideally situated in the "lively" and "accessible" Condado district of San Juan. It's conveniently located near a variety of restaurants and bars, and a short 10-minute drive connects guests to the historic charm of Old San Juan. While the hotel has direct access to a small beach area, the waters on Condado Beach can be rough with strong undertows and rip currents, making swimming directly in front of the hotel potentially unsafe. However, a public beach is within walking distance, and guests also have access to a larger beach section with full beach butler service at the nearby sister property, La Concha Resort. The hotel is easily accessible from San Juan Airport, approximately 25 minutes away.
7. Value & Pricing
Room rates at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel can range from around $272 to over $500 per night, with prices varying significantly based on room type and booking dates. While some guests consider it a good value, particularly during off-peak seasons, a recurring criticism is that the hotel can be perceived as "overpriced" by others. May is typically the cheapest month to stay, with prices seeing an average 27% drop, whereas January is the most expensive, with a 19% rise. Guests should also note that breakfast is often an additional cost.
8. Common Complaints
Despite its many positives, some recurring issues and criticisms have been noted by guests:
- Value for Money: As mentioned, some visitors feel the hotel is overpriced and express dissatisfaction with the overall value for the cost.
- Noise Levels: Noise has been a common complaint for some, potentially impacting the overall experience.
- Room Amenities: Specific minor issues include a reported lack of hooks in rooms for drying towels and swimsuits, limited storage space around bathroom sinks, and oddly placed towel rods.
- Pool Size/Vibe: The hotel's pools are sometimes described as smaller, offering more of an "adult lounging area" rather than a family-oriented pool with features like slides.
- Beach Conditions: The waters at Condado Beach are often rough with strong undertows, and swimming directly in the ocean in front of the hotel may not be recommended or ideal.
- Cleanliness/Maintenance: A few guests have reported isolated incidents of cleanliness or maintenance problems.
- Employee Feedback: While guests praise staff service, internal employee reviews occasionally mention concerns about low pay, understaffing, and a lack of employee meals, which could potentially impact long-term service consistency.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •Despite its many positives, some recurring issues and criticisms have been noted by guests:
- •Noise Levels:** Noise has been a common complaint for some, potentially impacting the overall experience.
- •Room Amenities:** Specific minor issues include a reported lack of hooks in rooms for drying towels and swimsuits, limited storage space around bathroom sinks, and oddly placed towel rods.
- •Cleanliness/Maintenance:** A few guests have reported isolated incidents of cleanliness or maintenance problems.
