I really enjoyed my time at The InterContinental San Juan Resort, Spa & Casino. The beach and pool areas were excellent. Nice large towels and comfy lounge chairs. I found the restaurants in the Hotel to be pricey. We went across the street to the plaza and found the food to be cheaper and better. Be warned: the fast food retaurants are very slow! My only complaint is the housekeeping was good some days and bad other days. The street the Hotel was on, was sometimes difficult to cross. But other than that it was all good.

Rooms very nice we booked 2 laguna views but for $40 more a night per room we were upgraded to 10th and 11th floor ocean views. The featherbed pillow tops were so comfy that we ordered 2 when we got home. The free wireless internet is very fast I was getting download speeds of 220 kbs. The free in room safe was huge big enough for a laptop. and an empty fridge was very useful. The first day we stocked up with lots of beer softdrinks and liquor from the supermarket across the road. The casino has waitresses providing free alcoholic drinks and sandwiches which are gorgeous we loved their pina coladas. We play video poker machines and we were a bit dissapointed that the machines here only pay out 5 credits for 2 pair this can make a huge difference to play time as vegas machines pay out 10 credits for 2 pair this together with the wait times for the elevators were the only negatives for this hotel. We had to push both up and down on the elevators and go along for the ride just to get on else you could be standing there for many minutes. The ocean was the nicest I have ever been in very warm and clean and with a very welcome constant breeze. We ate once in the breakfast buffet it was very nice but about $5 overpriced. Also we ate once in Alfredos italian. the prices for the food are not to bad but the wine list is very overpriced the cheapest was $40. For 4 with wine was $230. We went to mi Casita for breakfast very reasonable but extremely slow. It took 10 minutes to bring a menu 20 minutes for coffee and 30 minutes for the food to arrive. We also ate at Lupis, Metropol and the Ranch all excellent. If you go at the end of june you may see this guy in the photo walking the beach he comes every year and entertains the ladies. The cab fare is $15.50 from the airport for 4 with 4 bags and $21 to old san juan try to get dropped off at the castillo san felipe del morro as the walk through old san juan is then mostly down hill. The liquor laws seem very loose here as they served my 16 year old daughter without question. Also the duty free in the airport allows purchases to the US. All in All an excellent vacation which I give 8 out of 10

Negatives:

-Stayed at San Juan Isla Verde arrived around 1p, not accommodated w/ early check in until 4p by that time kids were cranky and tired.
-House keeping horrible, dirty comforter was set aside to be changed instead they used the same comforter, flipped it around. Did not come daily, had to call to get room made.
-Bathroom is small.
-Cafe by pool and Italian place included tip charges even for take out.
-Business center charges a fee for internet services.

Positives:

-Hotel decorated nicely...most of staff very friendly
-kids love the pool and beach, beach entrance closes early.
-taxi convenient located outside the hotel
--mini mall w/ food restaurants across the street (starbucks next hotel over), brand name pharmacy walking distance
-provides towels and beach chairs for beach
-mini Refrigerator, iHome radio, made in Paris hair shampoo/cond, comfortable bed
-small casino open 12n-4am....can use casino comp towards food and room
-Restaurants in hotel: Cafe by pool - good freshly made pizza, Jap restaurant - great habachi, Ruth Chris...do not recommend Italian restaurant
-rent a car available

Taxi cost (not including tips)...beats paying for gas and looking for parking:

-To and from hotel: $10.5-11.00 each way
-To and from Plaza las Americas mall: $18 each way (supposedly biggest in carribean - typical american malls)
-To and from Old San Juan: $19 each way (lots of souvenir shops, stores are small and do not accommodate strollers, food costly esp authentic puerto rican food).

A friend and I went to San Juan for a girls' weekend and to celebrate her birthday...there were great surprises from the beginning! The concierge upgraded us to a garden/pool view from a city view and had a cake waiting for my friend upon our arrival along with a personal message for her. Even the person checking us in wished her a happy birthday.

The hotel is older but very clean and well-maintained and the pool is absolutely sublime! The waterfall gives an excellent massage...and the hot tub is the perfect temperature. The only complaint either of us had was the length of time we had to wait on the best pina coladas ever by the pool. The music was fun and the towels plentiful by the pool...and the attendants by the beach were glad to set up a beach chair immediately.

The only place we dined onsite was the Japanese steakhouse...very good and the maitre'd was delightful but the restaurant was incredibly warm. We walked to restaurants in the area and there is a Starbucks in the lobby next door!

I will definitely return...beach was fabulous and clean, iPod alarm clock for your own paradise playlists, taxis are always easily accessible, every request is met with a smile, service was expedient and the beds heavenly!