We just returned from Puerto Rico last week and because tripadvisor reviews were such a great help to me during planning, I thought I would do my part and write a review.

Now mind you, I am a person who realizes that I am on vacation and that the culture anywhere I go is going to be different than home. I don't take much seriously when I am on vacation. After all, the purpose is to relax and go with the flow. With that said, the hotel itself is gorgeous!!! The rooftop garden/pool is beautiful as is the entry foyer. The location is optimal as it is close to shopping, food and sights.

My biggest complaint (which is really not a huge deal) was that all the glasses in the room were dirty. We brought some plastic cups from the previous hotel so we used those. No biggie. The bathtub was not the cleanest thing I have ever used, but it was in the corners of the tub so I just stayed away from those sections.

Although I expected it (it is a converted convent after all) the room is really small and smells a bit musty. Again, no biggie. The bose stereo was nice and the flat screen tv was cool for watching tv before bed. HAHAHAHA! We had a haunted phone that would turn it's speaker phone on by itself and refused to hang up. Eventually we just unplugged it after it woke my boyfriend I in the middle of the night. The alley view from our room was nice and the staff, including the parking valets, were super friendly and knowledgeable. The 24 hour water, tea, coffee service was nice as was the wine/cheese reception every day at 6pm. All in all it is a nice hotel but was not my favorite of the trip.

We stayed here for two nights at the end of our honeymoon and LOVED it! It is the perfect location from which to explore Old San Juan. The hotel itself is beautiful and well-kept, our room was very comfortable and we enjoyed the pool and jacuzzi on the roof. We liked having breakfast each day in the courtyard and the waitstaff was very attentive. The only drawback was they did not have any rooms with a king size bed, and since my husband is very tall we would have ilked to have that. Still, the bed was comfortable, just not quite big enough. Everything else was perfect.

Overall this place was great! Unbeatable location, great terraces, spacious rooms, friendly and very helpful staff, and who could help but rave about free wine and cheese?!?

My family and I took one of the tours listed in the guest services books (Rain forest and beach) in the rooms and had an amazing time. The hotel took the hassle out of finding and booking a good tour guide. I thought the tour was a bit pricey at first but following the tour I'd say it was worth every penny.

Only complaint I have was that my bed definitely had bed bugs. Every morning (and sometimes throughout the night) I'd wake up with new bite marks all over my legs. Now I don't recall being bitten by anything when I was out and about (in fact I can't recall encountering many bugs at all in Puerto Rico) but, by the time I returned home I i have quite a few bite marks all over both legs. Considering we never opened the patio door I think it is a safe bet to narrow it down to bed bugs.

Other than that a great stay.

I couldn't have been happier with our one night stay in June. We had spent the previous 5 days at the Wyndham Rio Mar but we wanted one night in San Juan in order to see the city more fully. We had not originally booked here only b/o the two night minimum on weekends and instead reserved the Marriott in Condado instead, even though honestly, we would have preferred this hotel. Unbeknownst to me, that Marriott was the old Dupont Plaza where the tragic fire of 1986 took place. We had been booked at that hotel for arrival the day of the fire in '86 (when I was but a teenager) and the only reason we were not there was our flight was delayed. To put it mildly, we feel it was a miracle we were not there at the exact time of the fire where 97people lost their lives. Anyway, I found this out only the morning we were supposed to check into the Marriott and I will give them credit, I explained my story and they cancelled our reservation without penalty. I was then scrambling for a hotel and Carlos at El Convento worked a small miracle for us. He found us a double room and waived the 2 night minimum since we were calling for a room for that day. I can't tell you how much his effort and hospitality meant to us.

The hotel itself simply could not be more atmospheric and the location was ideal. The nightly wine and cheese reception was a treat with a gorgeous assortment of cheeses and interesting wines, all served on the 4th floor terrace. The 24 hour coffee and tea service and the rooftop pool overlooking the cathedral were also big hits for us. Our room, though without a view, was enormous! All we had to do to get a view was walk 5 paces, so no complaints there. My only word of advice would be for travelers with children. The hotel staff themselves were nothing but gracious and welcoming but I would not say the same for all of the guests - I understand this to a certain point, it is more of an adult hotel but the fact is, they allow children so if other patrons want absolutely no children, they need to find an adult only hotel. We have 2 children ages 5 and 10, who are seasoned travelers and know when they are to be on best manners, and still we got some dirty looks. So while I wouldn't steer families away from the hotel, one night was just right for us.

The four of us also had dinner at El Picoteo and thought the food and the atmosphere could not have been beat. I would recommend this hotel for everyone who wants to have total immersion into the charms of Old San Juan, even those with children. I asked my kids to be respectful that the guests were mostly adults who didn't want to hear a lot of screaming kids, and made sure that they were on their best behavior but after that I just didn't let the other guests spoil what is an unforgettable hotel!