The Royal Sonesta San Juan

I booked a resort pass with the RS through Resort Pass. I had a pedicure appointment with Revamp Nails across the street and then walked over after. When I went to the front desk, I was greeted immediately with a smile. The clerk pulled up my name, got me checked in, and gave me my wristband. She explained where everything was and told me once I changed, I could bring my luggage back for the bellman to keep during my visit. I also received a voucher for a complimentary drink at one of the bars on the property. I was able to find a lounge chair with an umbrella by the pool. I ordered a salad and got my complimentary drink. Both were great! The pool and jacuzzi were clean and the perfect temperature. Next time I come, I may just have to stay here. The service was just amazing here. Special thanks to the front desk, the bellmen, and the bartenders for making my day here feel so special!

My friend and I were visiting for the weekend after a rough travel experience getting to Puerto Rico. The moment we arrived, everything changed for the better. We were warmly welcomed by Javier at the front door, who helped us store our luggage—he was friendly and super helpful, setting the tone right away. At check-in, Nestor, the Chief Concierge, completely turned our mood around. He was incredibly accommodating and went above and beyond to make us feel at ease. His professionalism and warmth were unmatched. Down by the pool, Jeni, the poolside server, truly delivered some of the best hospitality we’ve ever experienced. She checked in on us consistently and made sure we had everything we needed, always with a smile and a great attitude. The hotel grounds and rooms were spotless, and the overall atmosphere was beautiful and relaxing. What started as a stressful trip quickly became a magical getaway thanks to the amazing staff. Highly recommend!

Location was amazing, right next the beach and easy access to pharmacy/grocery store. They kept rooms clean and offered 2 bottles of water each day which was nice. The only issue I had was the room key or bracelet stopped working and they had to change it 2x as well as the door lock, they had to drill and replace it 2x while I was there for a week. Staff was very responsive and nice.

I'll start by saying that the overall positive experience we had was heavily dependent upon the type of room we chose. #1 tip: GET THE CLUB LEVEL ROOMS! Our room was #209 (second floor, offering more privacy than ground) in the low-rise Lanai section overlooking the pool and it was great - so quiet and kept spotless every day. We stayed at the same period of time as the last (very unhappy) reviewer, but were not at all affected by the prom parties in the main building so location was key. ||Info on the club level rooms are scarce but they include a nice lounge area where we ate take-out dinners a few nights, with fruit and sometimes cookies. Club level rooms also include daily buffet breakfast for 2 (including 2 mimosas as our server Wanda kindly informed me) AND free apps and drinks every day at the lobby bar during happy hour (5:30-7pm). Alexis at the lobby bar was so nice and remembered what we liked to drink every day. Seriously, excellent value with this level of room. ||I honestly thought the food was great. Faves: @lobby bar: ceviche and amazing arepas appetizer, goat cheese balls, lamb meatballs. Pool bar/Ocean breeze: kids burger, my kids liked the tenders and fries, chicken skewers. The margherita pizza was phenomenal. The turkey club was DELICIOUS and was NOT made of turkey deli meat. Their frozen cocktails ($14) were so yummy as well.||The pool and large hot tub were amazing. There's a big "shallow" 3/3.5 foot pool so my kids didn't need floaties. I love that you can get fresh towels by scanning your bracelet (and get into your room without a key). We went mid-week so there were plenty of chairs (more umbrellas would've been great). It did get busy by 10-11am but surprisingly no one was laying out towels at 7am like they do at other resorts, at least not when we were there. ||Beach is SO close to the pool. When we went (June 15-20), there was NO seaweed and water was prob 80 degrees. Sand was golden/white, clean with no shells or seaweed either. I couldn't have asked for better, considering our last few beach vacations. ||Ubers are plentiful, fast and so so cheap. Remember to tip very well since the rate is dirt cheap. Uber from Isla Verde to the fort in Old San Juan was under $10 (plus tip). People were flying kites at the fort. If you can get one, what a fun idea! We also booked a jungle waterslide tour through TripAdvisor with Casa Venturas (Stephanie and Luis were our guides) and LOVED it. I didn't know you have to go fully into the water with whatever shoes you have on your feet so be aware and ready to sacrifice a pair of sneakers like I did. Still worth it! We also rented a jet-ski on the beach ($100 for half hour) which the kids enjoyed. ||Location was less than 10 mins from the airport (I think the Uber was $4 on the way home - yes, $4!!) and we did hear planes now and then but honestly not that often and definitely not in the room with the balcony door closed.||Only negative and the reason for 1 star deduction from an otherwise awesome stay was the AC went out for about 36 hours. Looking at other reviews, it appears to have happened again end of March too so it's a recurring problem. We got a fan, but honestly sleeping that night was super uncomfortable (80+ degrees in the room) and the rug felt damp with the humidity. Some people we met ended their stay early and negotiated some comp. ||There is a daily resort fee of about $60/65 which we expected and a $500 hold for meals/etc. Checkout was easy and NO wrong or surprise charges but we chose to pay for all meals directly with our credit card to avoid any confusion at the end, which was a smart move on our part, I think. ||Overall we really enjoyed our stay, aside from the broken AC. If we went to PR again, we wouldn't hesitate to stay here again and would recommend it to others. Service was excellent - everyone we encountered was very polite, from front desk to bar and restaurant staff.

I stayed here for a few days and the trip was perfect and made because of William. He greets you at the door with his kindness and warmth. Need a breakfast recommendation?? William will tell you where to go. He was so special and just the person to make your trip. I can’t wait to come back to see him.

The room was clean, and the amenities were terrific. Customer service was excellent, and the food was good as well. Overall, I recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a pleasant and relaxing vacation, or if you want to party, since several clubs and bars are within walking distance.

A Hidden Gem: Royal Sonesta Far Exceeds Expectations The Royal Sonesta truly surprised us—in the best way possible. Tucked away on its own private compound, it offers a calm, elevated experience that the photos on their website honestly don’t do justice. One thing that stood out right away: when they say the beach is a 3-minute walk, they’re not exaggerating—it’s literally a 3-minute stroll from your hotel room. The Pool & Beach The pool was spacious enough that even when it was busy, it didn’t feel overcrowded or chaotic. Just a heads-up: if you want a lounge chair by the pool, get up early! They go fast. The beach was an absolute highlight—clean, beautiful, and serene. The staff went above and beyond by setting up extra lounge chairs and planting umbrellas in the sand exactly where you wanted, so you could get your perfect balance of sun and shade. Dining Let’s talk about the food—wow. Between the resort options and the walkable local spots, there was no shortage of great meals. One standout was Oceans, which sits right on the beach and offers unbeatable views while you dine. The food was delicious and the service was excellent, although we did find the drinks to be a little on the weak side. The Room We stayed in a garden-view room which, while not particularly memorable in design, was comfortable. We did run into a few hiccups—our mini fridge was leaking, and we needed help figuring out the shower. A team member came up quickly to help, which we appreciated, but during that visit we also discovered the shower itself was leaking. The furniture showed some wear and tear, but that's to be expected in a popular, high-traffic resort. The biggest issue we encountered was with housekeeping. We stayed for 4 nights, and our room was only cleaned once. There didn’t seem to be a consistent schedule, and even when we communicated directly with the staff about cleaning while we were out, we returned to find it hadn’t been done. Island-Wide Blackout During our stay, the island experienced a blackout—local businesses and even other resorts went dark. But not the Royal Sonesta. It was fully operational the entire time. That’s when we learned that the resort runs independently from the island’s power grid. That level of preparedness really impressed us and gave us even more confidence in our choice. Final Thoughts Despite a few minor issues, the overall experience at the Royal Sonesta was excellent. Between the beautiful setting, top-tier service (in most areas), and resort reliability during a major blackout, we felt confident that we picked the right place. We’re already planning to make this our go-to spot every time we return to the island

Beautiful views from the balcony! Loved it here. It was my first time in Puerto Rico. They have a huge pool, hot tub, and a private beach with chairs right on the ocean. The have a swim up bar, servers that will walk around the pool deck if you need food or drinks, and an outdoor restaurant. Great location right in central San Juan that's close to the Foxwoods casino and a lot of restaurants. Quick drive to the El Yunque Rainforest National Park as well as old San Juan. The staff at the front desk were helpful and friendly. The servers outdoors were attentive and super nice. A lot of families here as well. The rooms were nice and spacious. They felt very clean and updated. The maid staff was amazing as well. We never had to call down and ask for extra anything it was great. Overall would love to come back!