Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

We just returned from a 4-night stay at the Fairmont. While I would love to leave a stellar review, I cannot. It was a quick (less than 10-minute) uber ride from the airport. When we arrived at the hotel I was impressed with the elegance of it. The lobby area was glamorous, carved wood ceilings, & a breath taking chandelier as soon as you walk in. We checked in and our room was ready well before the check in time. Then the disappointment set in. Once off the elevator everything changed, the hallways are worn, paint chipped & scuff marks over the doors & baseboards, plus there was an unpleasant odor. We were right next to the elevator which was quite noisy at all times. We had a king bedroom, partial ocean view, sadly our view was of the rooftop & the banyan tree. The room was very tired! Once again chipped or missing paint, mold in the showers, the bathroom was incredibly small, only room for one person at a time. It had a barn door which did not open properly or completely & the wear marks on the door were an eyesore. There was hardly any counter space to keep your toiletry bag next to the sink. The lighting in the bathroom was so dark, it was impossible to put makeup on. It appeared there was a light around the mirror, but it was not working. The bed was comfortable, but the pillows needed replaced. The power in the hotel went out multiple times during our stay, everything went dark. It would come back on after a few minutes but happened several times during our stay, mainly in the evening & overnight. As far as the grounds of the hotel they were beautiful & well maintained. We ate Cava, Meat Market & the pizza place. Meat Market was our favorite. My main complaint about the restaurants/cocktail bars is they have zero options for wine. I am a Cabernet drinker & unless you want to spend $$$ for a bottle, you have only one option to choose from for a glass. And sadly it wasn't for me, we went & got our own. We checked out on Monday & then another surprise came, there is a 22% resort fee charged each night. So, whatever the cost of your room per night they add 22% + tax on top of that, absolutely insane! As excited as I was to stay here, I was ready to come home as soon as we checked in. We have stayed at many Fairmont's & the name itself should indicate, class & elegance. Unfortunately, Fairmont El San Juan fell way short of the reputation Fairmont has.

We we were here recently for four nights and considering we paid nearly $800 on average a night I was expecting an upscale resort. While the lobby bar, restaurants and casino are nice, that’s where it ends. The hotel rooms and hallways are very dated and run down. We complained twice about our room door which had a large gape in the bottom that not only made us feel unsafe it meant we heard everything at night in the hallway. After complaining twice and again at checkout nothing was ever done and the staff was rude as if it wasn’t their problem. The bathroom was dingy and not clean. The toilet barely flushed and there was stuff all around the toilet that proved they had not cleaned it in some time. There is also no divider for the shower so the entire floor gets wet and there is no ventilation at all in the bathroom which meant mold was prevalent. The bathroom door was breaking off and wood chips laying on the floor. On several occasions in our room and in the lobby the lights went completely out. We even heard a woman screaming in the elevator when the power went out. The pool and beach area are nice and the location is great for walking but I will never stay at this resort again as there are far better places that are cheaper in the area without all the issues. This hotel needs serious renovations and better service staff at the front desk who can deal with issues better.

I came from Italy and I stayed here 10 days. It’s been the best holiday I’ve ever had. Beyond the place which is beautiful and trust me when I say that, the hotel is amazing: it’s huge and it has a lot of offers when it comes to food and activities. I definitely recommend the Caña restaurant where you can try typical puerto rican food, and the Lobby restaurant that has an amazing selection of sushi and an extraordinary live music entertainment. The pool is awesome and the beach is amazing. You can also spot some animals like iguanas, a lot of beautiful cats and you can also hear the “coqui” frogs that are typical puerto rican and you can find them only on this island. I stayed in the Front Ocean suite that was huge, it was like a whole apartment and it was on the green spot that has some hammocks from which you can enjoy the sunset relaxing and from that you can directly reach the beach. The staff is really nice and caring. This hotel has an incredible vibe. I really recommend Fairmont Hotel, it’s the best one!

From the time I’ve checked in, I’ve been disappointed. The check in process, the room, the lack of friendliness from staff, the lack of care. Upon checking in, the agent was unfriendly, kept asking me to repeat myself as if she could not hear me. Did not cover any hotel information and pointed me to the elevator. When I arrived to my room, it smelled horrible. In my Fairmont profile, I asked for a pet-free, hypoallergenic room. I called the front desk, asked to be put in a room that did not host pets. She put me on hold and never returned. I went back to the front desk and she was and a colleague were standing there chatting. I asked again to be put in another room and she hemmed and hawed put me in another room. The bathroom to the “new” room is atrocious with a rim of mold around the sink, and the toilet soiled with waste. See photos. Sent a text to the number given and was told that they will ask housekeeping to clean the bathroom. Not a single apology.

My wife and I checked into Fairmont's El San Juan Hotel, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on January 31st, 2025. Cosmetically, this is a beautiful hotel, with numerous palm trees outside, and gorgeous wood in the lobby, inside. However, that's where the charm ends. In a nutshell, pool water is cold, music by the pools is concert level, and check-in process was poorly handled. Finally, the place just looks a little beat up. Staff are generally friendly. We will not be coming back.