Puerto Rico Holiday Reviews

Playa la Pared is abeautiful "surfers" beach (not recommended for everybody due to strong waves and unpredictable currents). So walk a short block (literally) down the street, and all of a sudden you are at a very nice, protected beach with calm swimming and reefs for snorkeling. Or keep walking another 2-3 blocks around the bend and come to Playa Azul for some great waves that work well for bodysurfing (can be big, but much friendlier than the waves at la Pared).The town itself has seen better days but I always felt safe in the area. Lots of nearby restaurants to explore as well as the ferries in Fajardo to the outer islands and tram tours of Los Cabezas de San Juan. Can highly recommend Pasta y Pueblo,Rincon de Sabor (block or two off the Plaza), Miramar (corner of the Plaza), and Sandy's for dinner. And don't miss the Kiosko 13 - incredible Tapas! Luquillo is a great jump off point for El Yunque and day trips to Culebra and Vieques.

Walking down the successive beaches you encounter a surf beach out front, then a reef (good to snorkel, they explained, but you must be a strong swimmer), then a semi-calm bay beach, then a very calm public beach with full facilities. On the day we were there it was clean and full of families. You do want to note that the area around the hotel looks really sketchy. We went to buy a bottle of wine at the local corner store, and it reminded me a bit of the inner city of LA. Pawn shops, guys hanging out drinking beer in front of the store, they sold cigarettes by the singles...that kind of place. And the local pub does security checks before you are allowed in. That being said, everyone was super friendly and we did not feel at all threatened or like it was dangerous--but I wish someone had explained the neighborhood a bit so I thought I would describe it. If I was a woman alone, I would not walk around that area at night.Also, you need a car to do anything. This part of PR is very much like LA, where everything is in strip malls and you need a car.

Since we were here in the off season, we had a room on the top floor facing the ocean. All I can say is that the sunsets were incredible. The one 'drawback' is that the beach is not really within walking distance. Walking to the beach is downhill, on a street without sidewalks. And I am not sure if it was just my experience, but cars in Puerto Rico don't seem to go too slow. Obviously since the walk to the beach is downhill, after a day laying in the sun and being in the water going up a steep hill isn't all that fun. So if you are staying here, I recommend having a car available to go the nearby beaches and the town for the restaurants. My ratings for this hotel

Nice, clean and comfortable environment. Now here’s a place one would return too.

Very relaxed and slow paced. no much in area.

Took the tour June 8, 2009. The guides are consummate professionals and this ranks as one of our favorite excursions on any trip that we've ever taken. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.