Puerto Rico can be a fantastic option for a warm-weather family vacation. It’s a short (often direct) flight from many United States destinations, and those traveling from the United States won’t need a passport. The tropical location means it often has warm weather – a welcome change for anyone traveling from a cold-weather destination in the winter.
During the vacation time between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, we headed south to Puerto Rico for a five-night family vacation. For our vacation, we decided to stay at the Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino, in Puerto Rico. This family resort offered everything we wanted – beach access, pools, a great location, and delicious food options. It would also be a great option for spring break.
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Review of the Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino, Puerto Rico
Location of the Resort
We arrived at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and headed to the ride-share pick-up area. We decided not to rent a car and relied on Uber (or walking). It was a 15-minute ride from the airport to the hotel, and we were quickly checked in.
While this resort was recently under renovation, it appeared to be completed before our arrival. We were treated to a bustling, brand-new lobby as we walked into the hotel.
In addition to the check-in desks, there is a concierge desk and a tour desk if you need to book any tours, admissions, or restaurant reservations.
The resort is located in San Juan, about 15 minutes from Old San Juan. Many restaurants and shops, including a sizeable 24-hour pharmacy, are a short walk away. We were quickly able to walk for dinner each night.
Amenities
Pools
We primarily booked this hotel due to the beautiful pool areas. The resort offers two adjacent pools – one with a water slide. Lounge chairs surround the pools, and there’s also a swim-up bar. Chair service is offered for food and drinks from the pool bar.
Beach Access
Want to spend some time at the beach during your San Juan vacation? The Marriott San Juan Resort offers a beach-front location and beach service, including complimentary chairs and umbrellas. We got these each day of our vacation (bring extra cash to tip).
The beach is beautiful, but the water is rough. We had red flag days on each day of our vacation. I did, however, enjoy going into the water up to my waist.
From your beach chairs, you can order food and drinks. We ordered a delicious lunch and drinks each day.
Stellaris Casino
The resort offers an onsite casino, the Stellaris Casino. It’s located off the lobby, and while it’s large, it also is pretty discrete if you aren’t interested in going to the casino.
Activities
The resort offered numerous activities during our stay, including aqua zumba, yoga, hair braiding, and movie nights. Some were included in the resort fee, while others were for an extra fee. We received a schedule of events when we checked into the resort.
Tennis/Pickleball
The Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino offers both tennis and pickleball courts. Court fees are included in the resort fee, and reservations are required.
Bicycle Rentals
Want to explore the resort area by bike? Bicycle rentals are available from the resort, and the fees are included in the resort fee.
Fitness/Wellness Center
The resort offers a 24×7 fitness center for all guests. In addition, the Ocean Club Wellness Center is available with massages, facials, and body treatments.
Poolside cabanas can be reserved for an additional fee through the Ocean Club Wellness Resort. These include 2 Fiji Water Bottles and a fruit plate.
Food and Restaurants at the Resort
Upon arriving at the hotel after a delayed flight, we were hungry but didn’t want to venture beyond the resort. Luckily, the Marriott San Juan Resort offers several different dining venues.
Cosecha: This is the resort’s main restaurant, located along the pool area. It offers a full, buffet breakfast, along with lunch and dinner. Depending on your booking, some rooms may include breakfast, but others do not. We had every breakfast and one dinner at Cosecha, and really enjoyed it.
Terrazzo: This pizza restaurant is located adjacent to the resort. It offers stone oven pizzas. While it looked delicious, we didn’t have the opportunity to dine there during our vacation.
Sakana: Sakana sushi/ceviche counter is located right in the lobby of the San Juan Marriott, adjacent to the casino.
Cafe Mercado: Also located in the lobby, Cafe Mercado is where you can get a morning coffee, light breakfast, and snacks throughout the day.
Brisa Pool Bar: A pool bar located along the main feature pool. Drinks and food from chair service also come from Brisa. There’s also a smoothie/acai bowl kiosk at the pool area.
Azure Lounge: A bustling all-day bar, located in the resort lobby.
Rooms at the Resort
The resort has two different areas – the cabana rooms and the main tower. The main tower is closest to the beach; many rooms have partial or full ocean views. You’ll need to book a room with the specific view you want.
The cabana building has fewer floors, and many of the rooms overlook the pools. We had partial ocean-view rooms in the main tower.
For our family of four, we had two rooms with double beds. These rooms were adjacent but not connecting.
Room amenities included a balcony, mini fridge, television, and hairdryer. These recently renovated rooms are crisp and clean, with flooring rather than carpeting. There’s also a chair with a foot stool, and a workspace with desk chair.
In addition to standard hotel rooms, suites are also available.
Travel Tips for Your Vacation
- There is a $65 per day, per room resort fee that you should be aware of (prices are always subject to change)
- The area around the resort offers many restaurants and cafes. Our favorites included Via Appia, Burrito Social, Anita Gelato, and El Refran. There’s also a Starbucks across the street.
- It’s easy to get around with Uber if you choose not to rent a car.
- Pool chairs were difficult to get, and many people reserved them first thing in the morning. After a little while, however, pool attendants do go around and remove belongings that have been placed.
See more reviews here and book your stay here.
