Are you looking for a pre-cruise hotel in San Juan? It’s always smart to fly into your embarkation port at least one day ahead of your cruise. You don’t want to miss your ship due to potential flight delays! And, why wouldn’t you want to start that cruise vacation even earlier?! If you are wanting to really kick-start your vacation with a bit of luxury and a resort feel then the InterContinental San Juan Hotel is a great choice!
Intercontinental San Juan Hotel – San Juan, Puerto Rico
We booked our pre-cruise night stay at the beautiful InterContinental San Juan Hotel. Located at 5961 Isla Verde Avenue in Carolina, Puerto Rico, this luxury hotel is right on the beach and very conveniently located to both the airport and the Pan American Pier cruise port.
It has a fabulous resort feel with beautiful outdoor areas leading straight out to the sand and the surf! Sounds like the start of a great vacation, doesn’t it?
The InterContinental San Juan hotel features:
- On-site dining options
- Bodega for quick grab items
- Spa
- Fitness center
- Boutique
- Resort style pool
- Outdoor bars
- Patio with fire pit and multiple seating areas
- Hot tub
- Children’s play area.
- BEACH ACCESS
The outdoor area at this hotel is nothing less than exceptional and the staff is warm and friendly with a laid-back vibe.
If you are an IHG rewards member be sure to let them know. Brian and I received free wifi and two coupons for buy-one-get-one-free house drinks! As IHG Rewards members, we were also given handy wristbands to access our room instead of the traditional key card and a discount at one of the restaurants.
Make sure you always check out the available rewards programs before you travel!
Shortly after arriving we wished that we had flown in a couple of days earlier. This hotel would have been a very easy place to spend several days!
Last Minute Essentials Near the Intercontinental San Juan
Forget something? There is a CVS less than a block away if you need anything for your cruise – sunscreen, hats, pharmacy items, etc. They also sell wine at a more competitive price than the marketplace located directly across from the hotel. The items are more expensive than in the states but less than if purchased on the cruise ship.
Do you carry wine onboard? Let me know in the comments below.
Related Post: Curious to know what I pack in my embarkation bag?
On-Site Dining and Bar Options at the Intercontinental San Juan
After exploring the neighborhood surrounding the hotel we decided to try the onsite Asian fusion restaurant called Saki. We love Asian food and were excited to give it a try.
We ordered a Shrimp Tempura roll (my personal favorite) and an order of Shrimp fried rice. Both were different than home but very good. It was very fresh. Even the fried rice didn’t feel heavy or greasy. Tasty!
Once again the staff was warm and friendly. We were enjoying a little table dish that was kind of like a chip but a little sweet. I inquired about the dish and they told us all about it. They even googled it to show us pictures and how it is prepared.
We now know that we quite enjoy Malanga!
Roll, rice, one drink, and excellent service – approx. $35
Following dinner, we headed out to the beautiful outdoor bar area complete with comfy seats and a fire. We enjoyed a glass of wine by the fire before heading up for a good night’s rest before our cruise!
Transportation Options:
Transportation from the airport:
The Intercontinental San Juan is located extremely close to the airport. It was only a 5-10 minute taxi ride from curb to curb. When you get in the taxi line leaving the airport a representative will ask you where you want to go, how many people, and the number of bags.
The rate for our taxi with two people and two bags was $17 +tip.
Transportation is regulated at the airport and Uber is not allowed. Our driver, Ishmael, introduced himself and was warm and welcoming. So, overall it was a positive experience.
Transportation to the Cruise Ports
Uber is, however, available outside of the airport and may be less expensive. So you have the options when exploring old San Juan or traveling to one of the cruise ports.
Uber fare from Intercontinental San Juan to the Pan American Pier – $35 (It’s about a 15-20-minute drive and we requested an XL vehicle because we had two full-size suitcases)
Please note that there are TWO cruise ports located in San Juan. They are located just across the San Antonio Canal from each other. The San Juan Cruise port can hold up to 7 cruise ships and the Pan American Pier can host 2 additional ships so make sure you research where your particular ship will be hosted.
Are you looking for a pre-cruise hotel in San Juan? If so, you should check out the Intercontinental San Juan Hotel.
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Looks like an amazing hotel. Thanks for tips. Haven’t cruised out of Puerto Rico, have just come there by cruise ship so nice to know good place to stay.
Thanks, Carol. We have once prior but it was years ago. It’s a great place to visit but our airfare was a little ridiculous. I will definitely check airfare first next time.