Tony H.
Yelp
First time in Puerto Rico and for the value, I couldn't have picked a better homebase than the Condado Palm Inn located in an area central to the best touristy neighborhoods and, of course, Condado Beach.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a pleasant scent pumped into the air that reminded me of some Vegas resorts I've visited. The staff was friendly and efficient although, like a lot of hospitality professionals here, will switch immediately to English if they sense your Spanish is not natural or fluent.
My Oceanview King room was a bit small but well-appointed. The bed and sofa were comfortable, and the desk provided ample workspace. The fridge and safe were convenient for my needs.
The bathroom was well-appointed with branded soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Great water pressure in the sink and you have the option of the built-in and handheld showerheads.
The TV offers local network stations - English on the same shows and Spanish with local programming - an NBC station out of New York, Univision and a local Spanish-speaking station, as well as the usual cable channels in English.
It is an ocean*view* room rather than oceanfront so a couple hotels and a parking lot come between you and the Caribbean, but it was still pleasant to gaze out towards. I think being on a high floor gives you more scenery to enjoy.
I passed by the pool every morning but preferred the beach, choppy as the waves could be there. I do wish I had tried the hot tub.
While there are plenty of good eats on Ashford and Magdalena Avenues, the hotel hosts two restaurants of their own: Ropa Vieja Grill, whose outdoor dining area was popular, and Chocobar Cortes, who offered great desserts and interesting takes on entrees. They also offered a morning buffet for $18.95; if you love omelets then it's probably worth it. I don't but I had to leave for an early tour one day so their other choices sufficed.
It's becoming harder to avoid resort fees but the $40 nightly charge here came with both highlights and disappointments. The best amenity was the included daily beach and umbrella rentals which would be $15 per person if purchased separately. If traveling with a companion, the fee practically covers itself at that point. It was too hot - and IMO the streets too precarious - to take advantage of the bicycle rental included. Said heat made me appreciate the two daily bottled waters. I received one (not the promised two) Cortes chocolates each day and I never saw a discount shopping book. I'm not a coffee drinker so I admit missing out on that culinary renaissance.
My biggest complaint - and it's a minor one in the grand scheme of things - is that my washcloths were never replaced. When I had one left by day two (out of five) and didn't receive a refreshment, I passed it off as waiting until I was completely out. But on day three, I received hand towels and full towels but no washcloths. Housekeeping came early on day four and I figured that it would be taken care of, but I ended up having to call their office where the manager promised to send some up. Nonetheless, when I returned later in the afternoon...still no washcloths. I resigned myself to hand towels for the rest of my stay.
Edit to add: I kept noticing a sound that was similar to a running toilet. Eventually I realized that was in fact the plumbing. In a way, it sounded like the nearby sea - or at least those canned sounds you from a bedside machine - so I decided it may lull me to sleep. However, if you are sensitive to noise, it may prove to be distracting. /EDIT
Would I stay here again? Probably if I had a beach-loving companion to get the most out of the resort fee. I'd certainly be more proactive about securing the bathroom amenities.