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The Marriott San Juan is a beachfront resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I had a fantastic 3 days here. It exceeded my expectations. I was upgraded to a lovely corner suite with sea view. I had free breakfast for my family of four, as I’m a Marriott Platinum. I enjoyed the pool, the water slide and the beach with my kids. In terms of location, The Marriott is right in San Juan. Very close to the airport.
There’s also a casino on the property. Although I didn’t use it myself.
The Marriott San Juan sits right in the centre of town, but you walk out the back and there's the Caribbean. A water slide, two pools, and a casino glowing in the lobby like a slice of Vegas. It's half city hotel, half beach resort — a property with a genuine identity crisis. And somehow that works.
I paid $450 a night for the cheapest room going. That includes a mandatory $65 destination fee, which buys you a heap of 'benefits' you'd get anyway. Pricey? Sure. But Puerto Rico is a brutal place to find a cheap bed, and a 5-star spot on the sand beats a basic $225 room every time.
A few honest warnings before you scroll on. The beach water is rough — my son point-blank refused to go back in. The free elite-member wine is genuinely bad (no beer, sadly). And the tennis courts were shut for renovation. None of it stopped me having a brilliant three days, mind. El Yunque rainforest was 45 minutes away and cost us $8 an adult.
A big chunk of what made this trip sing was my Marriott Platinum status, which I got through a timeshare rather than a thousand paid nights. If you fancy the same kind of upgrades and free breakfast without the full commitment, the Hawaiian Resorts at a 70% discount with Marriott Vacation Club deal is how that whole world opened up for me — worth a look before your next big booking.
I booked the cheapest room at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino for 3 nights. The cost of the room was $450 per night. This included a $65 destination fee.
The $65 destination fee is a mandatory fee on top of the base price of the hotel room. It comes with a bunch of ‘benefits’ that you would get anyway, for staying at the hotel. High speed internet, bike hire, $30 casino voucher etc.
I thought this was a decent price. Puerto Rico is an expensive destination for hotels. It’s close to impossible to get a hotel for less than $225/night. And that $225/night hotel will be basic as hell.
Better off paying $450/night for a 5* beach front hotel. I booked the cheapest room going at the Marriott San Juan. Three nights on the sand.
I have lifetime Marriott Platinum Status because I own a timeshare with Marriott. If you've ever wondered whether that maths actually stacks up, my full guide breaks down what you get for the money. I've had a great experience as a Marriott Platinum, as I get free breakfast and excellent upgrades.
I wouldn’t recommended buying a Marriott timeshare just to become a Marriott Platinum, but I do love my timeshare. I wrote a complete guide to the program in this article.
I was really impressed by the benefits I got as a Marriott Platinum, at Marriott San Juan. Between 11am and 7pm, there was a counter that provided free snacks for Marriott Elite members. Potato chips, soft drinks and wine. I did try the wine a couple of times. It was pretty bad! Sadly, they didn’t have any beer.
I also got free breakfast for my family of four. The cost of breakfast was $45 per adult (kids go free). So I saved $90 each day for breakfast.
The Marriott San Juan sits just 5 miles from the airport. Less than a 15 minute drive. The location is excellent. Right on the beach. Shops and restaurants right outside the front door.
You're in Condado. About the best base you could ask for in San Juan. Think of it as the island's smartest beachfront strip — Art Deco buildings, designer boutiques, and a restaurant on practically every corner.
Upmarket, but not stuffy. The kind of neighbourhood where you can wander out in flip-flops and nobody bats an eyelid. The nearest grocery store is Supermax. 15 minutes walk or 3 minutes drive. Really great value, and my family visited a few times. To collect supplies (food/beer).
They also have a fresh sushi counter with some great value options. Which is pretty cool.
Now, getting to and from the airport. A taxi is your simplest bet. San Juan sets fixed tourist taxi rates from the terminal, and Condado falls into a flat fare of around $20, plus a dollar or two per bag.
You can do it far cheaper on the public AMA bus — fares are just $0.75. But herding four people and a week of luggage onto a local bus is a special kind of penance. I gave that one a miss. Honestly, with kids and bags, I pre-book a transfer every time. Less faff. The driver is waiting when you land.
I use Welcome Pickups. Door to door, fixed price, a friendly face at arrivals. pros: no haggling, no queue, your driver meets you holding a sign. Cons: a touch pricier than flagging a cab on the rank.
If you're moving a bigger group, or you just want to compare a few quotes first, it's worth a look at GetTransfer. You set your price and pick from the offers that come back. Handy for a family that doesn't fancy folding into one small taxi.
Pros: you choose the vehicle and the price, great for groups. Cons: you're sifting offers rather than one fixed rate.
One thing worth knowing. San Juan does have a metro, the Tren Urbano. It's just no use to you here. It doesn't run to Condado and it doesn't run to the airport. So you can forget it for this trip.
The big one is Old San Juan — the historic walled city with the forts, the blue cobbled streets and El Morro fort staring out over the Atlantic.
It's about 3 miles west of the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Ten minutes in a cab on a clear run, a fair bit more when the traffic stacks up. Too far to stroll in the heat with kids, so grab a taxi. Genuinely one of the prettiest old towns in the Caribbean. The highlight of the whole trip for me.
Rent a Scooter
Once you're settled in Condado, the strip and the beaches beyond it are made for two wheels. We grabbed a scooter for a day and saw more of the coast than any taxi would've shown us — flip-flops, sea breeze, the lot.
I sort out the wheels before I land so there's no faffing at a counter. Compare scooter and bike hire across San Juan and you'll see the rates up front, book the one you fancy, and just turn up to collect it.
Wander Old San Juan on foot The historic walled city is the prettiest corner of the whole island, and the best bit costs nothing. Just turn up and walk the blue cobblestones. Wander down Paseo de la Princesa, watch the waves smash the old city walls, and let the kids run loose in the plazas. No ticket, no queue. Just a couple of hours and a decent pair of shoes.
San Juan Guided Turtle Snorkel Tour If the rough beach water at the resort put you off swimming, this is the gentle alternative. You can book here for $44, and it's rated a cracking 4.9* from over 16,000 reviews — about as bulletproof as a tour rating gets. You get a guide, calm clear water, and they throw in complimentary videos so you don't have to fuss with an underwater camera. Lovely for families who want the sea without the surf.
San Juan Sunset Harbor Boat Ride A proper treat-yourself pick. Book your spot here for $109, rated 4.6* from over 1,400 reviews. You'll see Old San Juan and El Morro from the water as the sun drops, which is a view you simply don't get from the cobbles. Sunset on the Caribbean from a boat is the sort of thing you book once and remember for years.
ATV Adventure at Hacienda Campo Rico For a bit of mud and adrenaline away from the beach. Grab your ride here from $149, rated 4.8* from over 2,600 reviews. You'll tear across the trails of a former ranch just outside the city, and it's a brilliant change of pace from all the walking and snorkelling. Honest warning — it's the dearest option here, and you'll come back caked in dirt. Worth every speck of it.
The Marriott San Juan isn’t the biggest resort, but it’s definitely a lot of fun. The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino has the following facilities:
The hotel is half a city hotel and half a resort. The fact that it’s in the centre of town gives it a city hotel feel. Also, the casino means the hotel feels quite busy. However, it’s on the beach and there’s swimming pools and a water slide. Which gives more of the resort feel.
So yeah. The hotel has a bit of an identity crisis! Either way, it’s still really nice.
The hotel lobby is really busy. There’s a coffee shop, a bar, a restaurant and the casino to one side. It reminds me of the hotels in Vegas a bit.
You walk through the lobby to get to the back of the hotel. You come to the counter where you have the snacks for elite members. You also have a pretty great view of the beach.
The full name is the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stella Maris Casino, and that casino glowing in the lobby is the Stella Maris. The property opened in 1995, bringing the Marriott flag back to Condado's beachfront strip on Avenida Ashford.
The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is a proper high-rise — 17 floors holding 525 rooms and suites, which is why my corner suite on the eighth floor still had a fair bit of tower above it. Big enough to feel like a resort, central enough to feel like a city hotel. That identity crisis again.
One thing worth clearing up early, because it's the question I see asked most: no, the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino isn't all-inclusive. There's no wristband, no unlimited buffet, no drinks-on-tap deal. You pay for your room, and meals and drinks are billed as you go — breakfast at Cosecha, a cocktail at the lobby bar, whatever you fancy.
Which, frankly, suits this place. It's a city resort on Condado beach, not a sealed-off all-inclusive compound, so you're meant to wander out and eat where the locals eat. Plenty of brilliant spots are a short walk away, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice staying penned inside any one resort for a whole trip.
There are two restaurants at the Marriott San Juan, plus a busy lobby bar and a pool bar for when you can't be bothered to move far.
I had breakfast every morning at Cosecha, the restaurant on the ground floor. Modern, relaxed, and the spread was genuinely excellent — the oatmeal alone won me over, and I'm a fussy oatmeal man.
The second restaurant sits off the lobby, alongside the coffee shop, the bar and the casino. I didn't eat there myself, so I'll not pretend to review it. The lobby has that buzzy, half-Vegas feel, so it's a handy spot for a drink even if you don't sit down for a meal.
I got a pretty fab upgrade. From a city view guest room, to a corner studio suite with sea view. The studio suite was retailing for $575 per night. $125 more than the city view room I'd booked at the Marriott San Juan. The studio suite had the following features:
I stayed in room 804 at the Marriott San Juan and the best thing about the room were the views! There was a large balcony that had a view of the resort looking over the ocean. I made sure to sit out there by myself a few times and just soak up the views.
The smaller balcony had a city view.
The decor of the room was modern and clean.
There was a drip coffee machine. I didn’t have a coffee, but I did make myself tea a couple times. Which I definitely enjoyed. The tea selection was pretty nice.
The king bed was comfortable.
The sofa-bed was ok. The sofa was fine, but the bed was not great. I slept on the bed the 1st night. Then I told my kids to sleep on it after that!
Ultimately the room was all about the views. To have a corner suite with sea view was terrific.
I loved the breakfast at the Marriott San Juan. As a Marriott Platinum, I got breakfast for two people for free. The cost of breakfast for one person was $45. So for 3 nights, I got breakfast worth the value of $270. As both my kids are under 10, they got free breakfast too. Breakfast was served at the ground floor restaurant, Cosecha. There was a wide variety of high quality food:
I tried a few dishes. Oatmeal, potatoes, pancakes, bagels with guacamole. Everything the Marriott San Juan put out was fantastic. The oatmeal was some of the best I have ever had. I have oatmeal four times a week, so that’s a big compliment!
The bagel with avocado toast was my own version of avocado and toast. It was really nice.
The fresh fruit included dragon fruit, which is an expensive exotic fruit.
Drip coffee and tea selection was available. I had both English breakfast tea and the drip coffee. I enjoyed both.
I also made sure to have a mimosa each morning. I don’t normally drink too much, but why not?!
One thing people always ask me: is the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino all inclusive? It isn't. There's no wristband, no swim-up bar tab covered for the week. Breakfast at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is either a paid buffet or one that comes free with elite status or a rate that bundles it in.
Which, honestly, suited me fine. I'd rather pay once, graze for an hour, and wander off than feel I had to eat my money's worth. Just go in knowing it's a resort you book room-by-room, not an all-in package.
The Marriott San Juan is right on the beach. It’s at the very back of the hotel. But be warned, the water is rough!
I stood out there with my kids on the 1st day for a few minutes. My daughter’s shoes were nearly swept away. My son refused to go back out to the beach as it was so rough.
If you’re an adult, you should be fine to stay out there. But I wouldn’t want to swim in the water. And it’s not good for kids.
It's not the nicest beach I’ve been to. But it was nice and sandy. And I walked along it a couple of times.
If the rough water here puts you off, I get it. For a gentler Caribbean swim a short hop away, the Westin St. Thomas infinity pool and its calmer beach are worth weighing up before you book.
We really loved the pool at the Marriott San Juan. There was a shallow pool, designed for the kids.
There was a deeper pool for the adults.
The water slide went into the deeper pool. The attendants were pretty relaxed on the slide. They let my 3 year old son go with me. It was the 1st time he had been on a water slide and he loved it!
There was also a hot tub and a pool bar at the Marriott San Juan.
The area at the back of the hotel isn’t the biggest. The Marriott San Juan isn’t a mega resort, but it is a lot of fun.
They had a couple of games. Giant Jenga and Giant Connect 4. Sadly no table tennis.
They also had a couple of nice features. Free popcorn and free snow cones for the kids. I really appreciated this. Those free items meant that less would have been spent at the pool restaurant. But it creates good will amongst guests.
The Marriott San Juan had a tennis court and pickleball courts. I was very sad that they weren’t available while I was there. They were undergoing renovation.
I stayed at the Marriott San Juan for three days, and it left me grinning despite its little quirks. The breakfast at Cosecha was a genuine highlight — the best oatmeal I've had, and I eat the stuff four times a week. Add the corner suite upgrade with that sea view, the water slide my three-year-old adored, and a Condado location right on the sand, and you've got a resort that punches well above its identity crisis.
It's not flawless, mind. The beach water is rough enough that my son refused to go back in, the free elite wine is genuinely bad, the tennis courts were shut for renovation, and that mandatory $65 destination fee stings on top of an already pricey room. None of it ruined a thing.
So who's it for? Families who want a 5-star beach base in the centre of San Juan, and don't mind paying for the privilege. If you're chasing a cheap bed or a calm swim with the kids, look elsewhere. But for me, the views, the breakfast and the location made it worth every penny. I'd happily book it again.
So where does this land? If you've been wading through San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino reviews trying to work out whether it's worth it, here's my honest take: yes, with eyes open. The Marriott San Juan isn't a tucked-away beach hideaway — it's a high-rise city resort with a casino humming in the lobby, and that's either exactly your thing or exactly not.
And if this whetted your appetite for a proper family base, the Marriott Maui Ocean Club is a mega resort with enough activities to keep the kids busy for a week — my review lays out whether it's worth the trip.