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    Hotel El Convento

    4.2 (321 reviews)
    PriceyHotels
    Open 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

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    Jeff H.

    An architectural gem from the Spanish colonial era circa 1651 . A couple great restaurants within. The original bell resides there.

    Main Entrance El Convento
    Claudio N.

    Everything was good the first day till we went to shower & no hot water on saturday or sunday we asked the front desk & they said they had to shut off the boiler room due to a gas water heater leak & that our room was far away from boiler which was no comfort to hear in a remodeled 18th century colonial era (1700's) religious bldg turned hotel with extremely high prime time prices in Old San Juan with its old brick paver narrow roads, we expected better. Its located immediately across from "The Catedral" founded in 1521 where Jennifer Lopez has been married 3 times. This is spring break week there 2 really good restaurants with excellent staff inside the hotel & 2 nice weddings took place during Friday & Saturday. Hotel staff was not sure if there were carbon monoxide alarm in the rooms when questioned which made sleeping not very comfortable. I rate 3.5 stars

    Inside lobby
    Tad S.

    If your walking around and want to get in and catch some shade and some good food this is the place they have a bar near the lobby with appetizer and some food. We had Nachos and a chicken sandwich. It was really good and service was excellent... and being that this is a historic place it made it even better... it a must see if your walking around old San Juan....

    Watermelon cucumber salad
    Mary Y.

    We had a wonderful server named Derrick that made wonderful suggestions and delivered top notch service. The watermelon cucumber salad was incredible. Such a surprise, i never thought of pairing the cucumber and watermelon w/ feta. It was divine. The lobster risotto was delicious and creamy with a perfect seasoning. The roasted chicken and root vegetables were very good. Would have been excellent but the chicken leg was a little dry.

    Rooftop pool area.

    Boutique hotel in the heart of old San Juan. We've been here five times. This year was our anniversary and they upgraded us to a suite with an amazing rooftop veranda! The staff is always super attentive and we love the complimentary wine and cheese each evening. Also check out the pool a top! There's no better place to stay!

    Rheaa R.

    We had the best time here! The hotel is gorgeous -- old architecture that's meticulously preserved, including jaw-dropping arches, restored stairwells, lots of lush greenery. The rooms itself are modern, which is nice. They give unlimited wine and cheese for guests at 5pm everyday -- what a treat! The views from the terrace are gorgeous, as is the pool. Location is ideal: it's a quick walk to the San Juan gate, and it's easy to explore Old San Juan with the hotel as your base. Outside the hotel is a cute, tilted cobblestone path where you can enjoy the afternoon under the shade of an old, beautiful tree or grab a light bite across the street. Food at the hotel's restaurant isn't the best -- but the service is exemplary and the pina coladas are refreshing, so that makes up for the lackluster food. Hotel El Convento made our island experience magical! We'll definitely be coming back!

    View from inside
    Annette P.

    The room was clean and comfortable. Staff was friendly and helpful. They came and got our bags from us as soon as we arrived. We were fortunate that our room was ready for check-in at 11:00 a.m. I was prepared to leave our bags and come back later in the day but we had access to our room immediately. Between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. is a nice wine and cheese reception. The manager that checked me in remembered my name later at the wine and cheese reception. Great customer service! We ate dinner there on site twice and the food was delicious. Wait staff was very helpful answering questions about the menu and making recommendations.

    View from roof top pool deck
    Marie C.

    This is an absolutely beautiful historic hotel, but it also needs a lot of love that it looks like it's not getting currently unfortunately. Our room looked exactly like I did in the photos, except for our refrigerator was dirty (human hair and debris on every shelf and rings from the previous occupants drinks etc) and there was not a drop of soap, conditioner or shampoo in any of the dispensers in our shower. We were also given just one wash cloth in our double queen room. There were things that we absolutely loved, including the complementary water bottles available at any time, the coffee bar, and the amazing 5 PM wine and cheese hour. We met other guests from all over the world while enjoying the hot tub and the pool on the roof which was so fun! Note that the hot tub is not actually hot, it's more the temperature of a lukewarm bath, and there was no way of them adjusting the temperature apparently. The restaurant Santismo (sp) was absolutely amazing - everything we had there was just delicious! You are in the heart of things at this location which was also very nice. My first draft of this review was more harsh but I wanted to re-write it because we really did enjoy our visit overall. In the end we felt the price point was too high for what you're getting here. Our room should have been clean at the very least. We might go back but not without checking out other local boutique hotels in old San Juan.

    Wow..
    Joan M.

    What a beautiful historic hotel located right in the heart of Old San Juan. Back in the day, it was a Carmelite Monastery. I can hear the nuns.. definitely took me back to my youth and boarding school!! Now it's on the register of Historic Hotels of America. It sure is, the architecture, history, antiques are everywhere. Beautiful patios, green spaces with flowers and singing birds. Cats... everywhere!! To me it's a perfect oasis in the heart of Old San Juan. The staff are so helpful and friendly. As soon as you walk in here, you are so glad you did. Our room was just gorgeous, with huge windows and doors that can be opened wide to the street. It was spacious and full of antiques. It also has all the modern aspects that you would expect in a hotel room. All in all the perfect choice for a complete immersion into the Puerto Rico culture.

    Checkin counter. Sebastian artwork.
    Fred T.

    Book this place now. I really enjoyed this place. It was an old building somewhat remolded to fit the standards of a hotel. Historic hotel with great customer service and conveniently placed in San Juan for you to walk to every place you need to get to. If you have any question about restaurants, then ask the front desk and they will give you a list of places to choose from. Antonio was our desk clerk and he also works at the sister property Palacio Provencial. He was super nice and helpful. The restaurant downstairs was busy and the service was a bit slow. Our bartender made sure the ladies received their drink in a timely manner as we sat waiting for just a cup of water. He finally helped us and started to take our order, but he was very very slow. Sitting at the bar was close to the kitchen so it seemed rather hot while sitting there, but the tables were all full so we chose the bar area. Overall this hotel was nice. The elevator sounded a bit uncertain so we used the stairs more than the elevator which is great for your health so no complaints there. I'd definitely book this hotel again. It's was convenient placed in Old San Juan with an ocean view and very relaxing snd quiet stay.

    The view from my room
    Lena B.

    This is a beautiful hotel in a great location in Old San Juan. It was my birthday so I wanted to treat myself to a nice stay. I liked the hotel a lot... it was very pretty and had an old world charm. The staff were very nice and helpful any time I asked. The beds were comfortable, AC worked well, good shower, and I loved my room. The bartender was very nice and drinks were good. I didn't use room service or any of the restaurants in the building though. Also I did not use the pool area but it was nice. I didn't give 5 stars because there was two things that bring it down a little... With the pandemic and curfew, things close early and getting food can be a little challenge... having a microwave in the rooms is a small fix, but would help their guests immensely in these strange times. They have a mini fridge, which is great, but the microwave, which comes standard in many hotel rooms anyway, really makes so much sense right now. Also, they block the road off in front of the church at certain times, which makes it challenging for you or your Uber/taxi to get by the entrance, especially when you have bags. But I was able to get a staff member to help me with a cart and go around the corner to where the cars have to stop to collect my stuff. This is not a deal-breaker, but definitely an inconvenience, and not the fault of the hotel. But you should be warned. As a person with a disability, I probably would have chose another hotel if I had known. But overall, I thought it was a beautiful hotel with great service. And if these two things don't affect you, my suggestion is to stay here.

    Sad chair
    Sarah R.

    Positives: It is beautiful. Seriously. That's what led me to choose it for our one night of luxury in San Juan. The courtyard is green and filled with singing birds and coqui. In it's prime it would have been the most beautiful hotel I'd stayed at. The bed is really nice and the towels are nice. Negatives: Prices don't match the experience and need to be lowered. Room: It was a complete waste of our fancy night on our Mother's Day trip. We each got the Queen Vista suite because we wanted the view. Thw view of the ocean is beautiful. The rooftops leave a lot to be desired. The Queen Vista claims to be able to sleep four people. They are not suites (as described) and there is no reason to try to squeeze four people into the room. It was spacious for one, but certainly not as big as the name implies. The shower head is old and calcified. It wasn't even as good as my home shower and nothing kept the water in. The toilet took multiple flushes every time. The toiletries are cheap and I didn't understand why they'd be in a $400 a night room. I was expecting lovely smells and thick products. Nope. The furniture is the room was stained and tattered. The chairs all looked like they were straight from a rummage sale. Rubbed and worn. It all needed sanding and re-finishing and new upholstery. The freezer in my room was thick with ice. I couldn't open the door. My mom's remote had dead batteries. The light just outside her room was out. The hotel is lit like an alley. So with the light out her doorway was really dark. Which was hard with her visual disability. All three rooms were similarly ill-equipped. Service: We chose it because we hoped that the similar price point to Condado Vanderbilt or the O:LV hotel meant similar service, but the distinct and historic interiors distinguished it. The service is non-existent. The hotel is woefully understaffed. There was no bellhop or concierge. Just a very young staff of front desk people who could not and did not describe the amenities - We carried our own bags in and out of the hotel and to our transport. We never saw a bellhop. Our tip was in our pocket. No one to give it to. - We tried to book massages via the hotel, but the clerks don't know the prices. So by the time they were able to report back that the price was exorbitant we couldn't make time to book our alternative. - We booked with the expectation of room service. Nothing indicated that actually existed. No menu. The front desk didn't say it either. Food: - The upstairs restaurant was full of frozen imports. And the oysters from Mexico made me super sick. Literally one of the worst dishes I've ever eaten and utterly boring cocktails. Also the server over-explained as if this was the first restaurant we'd ever visited. Overpriced and unpleasant. We left and went downstairs. Super friendly and attentive bartender. Good drinks. But the food was just previously frozen stuff and the cocktails relied on bottled citrus and sours. Final: We spoke to a manager with super fair excuses. But the prices have to match the experience. This was a complete waste of $1200 and our only evening in Old Town. Total bummer because we really save for those luxury moments. Nothing at all to indicate a $400+ price point. If you think it's pretty grab a drink and wander. Don't spend your night there. Maybe in a cheaper room. But you can't get you money's worth over $250. Not even for the excellent location.

    This is what my office looks like in a 16th century Spanish convent... fly like Don Quixote;) Te Amo

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    How the fuck don't you have a working phone number for the hotel. We're stranded waiting on a cab driver we got through the hotel.

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    horrible wait for ordered food and it was horrible. cold al alcapurias that looked like nickels in size. this place has gone to shits

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    Page 1 of 9

    Hotel El Convento Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Hotel El Convento

    We were also able to go to the complementary wine and cheese reception for hotel guests that evening.

    Mentioned in 15 reviews

    Read more highlights

    La Terraza - Master bedroom with master bathroom.

    La Terraza

    (90 reviews)

    $$

    La Terraza Hotel was great! The staff was friendly and accommodating. My sons and I went to learn…read moreabout Old San Juan. This hotel was at walking distance of many great shops, grocery and pharmacy. Carlos at the front desk always welcomed us as "familia". He shared stories, referrals to great places to visit and great places to eat with the authentic Puertorriqueño cuisine. I recommend this Hotel.

    We stayed her for about 3 nights. We came to San Juan to explore the area a bit. It was fabulous…read more The service here was a bit good and not so good. A guy checked us in to our room.. he seemed nice. 2 young girls helped us a little during our stay, they were great. Came down 1-2x and we wanted to ask some basic questions... This bitter older woman was there. She seemed like she wanted nothing to do with us. Wonder if she was the owner. Our room was ok. They had a variety of disposable soaps and stuff in bottles. Usually hotels will have a small disposable bar soap or something. They had a tiny bottle of body wash which we used to wash out hands with. Our room didn't really have any windows lol... There were 2 windows that basically faced inside the hallway. The shower pressure was not all that great. Also, the walls are thin. We could basically hear everything from anywhere close. Our neighbors were pretty active at night. It was like in the movies. We felt like we were s silent foursome lmao... They were bumping, grinding and moaning... The sound was so clear as if we were in the room with them lmao... The pool upstairs is.... Not something I would even consider getting into. You have to wonder how often they even get a chance to service and clean the thing. It's more like an oversized soaking tub. The great thing about this hotel was its location. Everything we wanted to go see was within walking distance. Literally no more than 8mins away. Sadly, the day we were leaving I was persuaded by the guy at the front desk to allow him to get a taxi for me. There was a 3 day festival coming and he says Uber/Lyft won't be able to make it to us because they are clearing the street to get ready. However Uber showed someone can come take us to the airport for $9. Anyway, I let the guy call his taxi person. Got to the airport and I felt like I got ripped off. Charged me $40. That was a slap in the face. Why align your hotel with a shady taxi service??? For the money and location this honestly isn't a bad spot. We just needed a safe place to sleep close to where we wanted to walk to.

    Palacio Provincial

    Palacio Provincial

    (36 reviews)

    We stayed for one night in April…read more PRO: -convenient location in old SJ, easy to walk everywhere, great surrounding energy -beautiful hotel, with cute rooftop pool and a lovely AC'ed library you can read or work in -the evening social hour with complimentary rose was a welcome treat CON: -staff was professional and polite, but not warm or friendly (this is a minor point, and admittedly subjective) -shower floor was not guarded against water flowing out, so I ended up wasting two towels mopping up all the water that escaped after a 30 min shower (yes, I closed the door correctly) -our standard 2-bed room was on the smallish side. It's cozy for two guests, but will feel cramped if you have more people. -the worst part: breakfast service was SOOO SLOW!!! No one greeted us on arrival, so we weren't sure if we should sit ourselves (which we did after standing around for a bit). Once we sat down, it took about 10 min to be given our menus. Then it was another 30 min just to get our juice and coffee (and only after I got annoyed and asked). Then probably another 20 min for the food to arrive. Once we were done eating, we waited for 15 min for the check, then I just gave up and went to pay. There was no communication, and we were ignored for ages. They were NOT busy, and looking around, other diners were also waiting a lot and looking annoyed. We usually eat our breakfast in about 40min, but this dragged on for about an hour and a half. We were checking out and flying later that afternoon, so this was a stressful start to the day. I'm glad we stayed here once, as it's beautiful and feels like a big part of old SJ history; plus, you can't beat the location. But personally, I think there's better value at other places.

    Great hotel! Classy and right in the heart of old town up the hill…read more What is with the diesel generator on the roof? So loud!!! It's ambient noise so... But seriously? Great service and super clean.

    Hotel Rumbao, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

    Hotel Rumbao, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

    (41 reviews)

    Extremely happy with my 6-night stay at the Hotel Rumbao…read more I know I wanted to stay in the Old San Juan area and after researching various hotels in the area...I saw Hotel Rumbao had consistently good reviews. I arrived at the front desk at around 5pm on a Sunday and was greeted by friendly and helpful hotel staff. The check-in process was seamless. The room, although understandably smaller given the area, was very good. Comfortable bed, adequate shower water pressure, mini refrigerator, large screen TV with adequatre channels, efficient climate control/HVAC system, coffee machine, and lots of electrical and USB outlets. My room also had a partial view of the bay and cruise ship port...which was pretty cool. The hotel common areas were very well-maintained throughout. Pool was on the top floor...offering some great views of the surrounding areas. There was a fitness center on the main floor. Ice machines on every floor. My room rate included breakfast which was offered from about 7am - 10am and had you decide from a pre-fixed menu including a parfait, fruit, and eggs and sausage/bacon. Everything I had there was good. Excellent location...within walking distance to many attractions including the streets of Old San Juan, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San del Cristobal, Fuente Raices and tons of great eating options. The Walgreens on the first floor of the building is great...a perfect place to stock up on drinks and snacks for the stay. Also...very convenient place to pick up all the toiletries you forgot to bring. All staff I encountered during my stay were great...very friendly, helpful and patient. Note that the area gets very busy when then cruise ships are in...especially when more than one ship is docked. Luckily, you can look at the cruise ship docking schedule in advance...if you want to avoid or target those times. The only possible gripe is the parking situation. While they do offer valet parking, the self-parking option is about a block away in a multi-level parking facility...which surprisingly get filled up particularly when the cruise ships come in. The garage areas/elevators/stairs can get a bit lonely at certain times. Though my room rate included parking and I did NOT have any issues getting in and out of the garage after they added my car (license plate) to their system.

    Lest start with location: can't be beat. Right on the corner with the entirety of old San Juan…read morelocated right behind this location. We are able to walk old San Juan each evening to find a new place for dinner as well as walk up and explore the fort on our first day. We were uneasy 10 minute Uber drive from the hotel over to Isla Verde Beach. (Pro Tip: visit the Walgreens on the first floor and pick up a soft pack cooler, a 12 pack of local beer and a bag of ice for the beach). Breakfast: we had breakfast five mornings on site at the restaurant on premise (Kueros). We sat out on the second floor balcony overlooking the port and enjoyed the buffet, which was ample in selections of breakfast items. Service: if you're like us, you will discover that Services not specialty at most restaurants and bars in old San Juan, Puerto Rico that is not the case at this hotel and restaurant. Our morning breakfast servers to the bar staff all the servers were fantastic.! Room: we had a corner room with a Juliet balcony. The room was wonderfully appointed with an unbelievably comfortable bed. We slept like babies every night with no noise and wonderfully working air condition.! thank you Port: cruise ships dock directly in front of the hotel. During the five days we were there we experienced one day without a cruise ship two days with one cruise ship one day with two cruise ships and one day with three. Jesus Christ, to be honest, the passengers from the boat made old San Juan come alive.! We would highly recommend this location for anyone visiting old town San Jose. It's a perfect place to operate out of. We went to the beach one day. On another day, we drove to the east end of the island and explored the waterfalls and hidden beaches.

    Hotel El Convento - hotels - Updated August 2026

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