The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is a great resort for families.
Sure, there are more luxurious resort hotels in Puerto Rico – the Ritz-Carlton is a short drive away, in fact – but the Marriott is the best family-friendly luxury resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Luxury Travel sat down for drinks with the General manager and the Director of Marketing at the San Juan Marriott Resort. Their enthusiasm is contagious. A 2-year renovation has just been completed, and everything is completely up to date in this terrific, high-end resort hotel. The property manager and marketing director were pleased to discuss both the luxury amenities and the child-friendly aspects of this looks-like-new resort in Puerto Rico.
San Juan Marriott Luxury Accommodations
There are 21 floors of renovated room (511 total) and suites (14 total). Each room has wireless internet access, large flat screen LCD televisions, amazing “rain shower” type bathrooms, and extremely comfortable bedding. Seriously, the pillows are perfect; it makes a difference! There is a 24-hour business center, 24-hour room service, video arcade, and both turn down service and valet dry-cleaning. Customer service is outstanding. Guests at the San Juan Marriott are as pampered as at any 5-star resort.
The Ocean Club Spa and Fitness Center
There is a small fitness center here, with spa treatment rooms toward the front of the gym area. The design could be improved with a separate designated spa area, as the noise and intrusions form the fitness center and shared locker room can interrupt a post-treatment mellow groove. The treatments are wonderful though; the seaweed wrap left Luxury Travel feeling soft and pampered. The Jet Lag massage is recommended especially for guests who traveled across time zones to reach Puerto Rico.
The Stellaris Casino
The San Juan Marriott’s recently completed renovation included a complete overhaul of the first-floor casino. It’s 12,700 square foot size leaves room for wide aisles, and elegant design, and 470 slot machines along with gaming tables. There also must be a state-of-the-art air filtration system in place: There is smoking in the casino, but never even a whiff of smoke immediately outside of it in the main lobby.
The Child-Friendly Aspects of San Juan Marriott
Puerto Rico is a diverse Caribbean island, with activities for adults as well as kids. The San Juan Marriott is no different; while responsible parents wouldn’t take their toddlers to the casino, the resort itself is very family-oriented. The pools, beach, and tennis courts all promise to make children tired enough that they’ll fall asleep at a reasonable hour. The toddler-friendly pool is less than two feet deep, whereas the adjacent four-foot pool has a swim-up bar for relaxing adults in vacation mode (plus it has a fun, twisting water slide).
Special programming just for kids is offered during holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. Finally, a healthy children’s menu (think grilled chicken, fresh fruit and veggies) is offered at the onsite restaurants. If a family wants to venture off the property, there are several eating options right across the street as well (but who doesn’t love a breakfast buffet?) to sate their dining wishes.
The San Juan Marriott is the best luxury family resort in Puerto Rico. It’s in historic San Juan, of course; the city by the ocean may not quite lend to guests the feeling of a tropical getaway that smaller, more distant resorts give. However, once inside the property, the family-friendly nature and elegant setting (not to mention killer mojitos) really promotes the feeling of being on vacation on a Caribbean island. Two great pools, the beach, luxury amenities, and happy children; what more could travelers want? No wonder it’s the best.
