Layover in San Juan Puerto Rico

We arrived in San Juan around 5:30 AM. We weren’t allowed to board our cruise ship until 2:30 PM which gave several hours with nothing to do in San Juan. We decided to go to the San Juan Water and Beach Club Hotel and purchase a day pass.  We chose this hotel in Isla Verde because it was close to the airport.  Uber fare  to the hotel was around $10.  The official airport taxis were charging $18.

We arrived around 6:00 am and had breakfast. At that point, we began to think about the $70 fee we would pay for the three of us to have access to their pool until 1:00 pm.  We were finished with breakfast and still had some time to wait until the pool opened.   “Let’s just go to the beach, I said as my frugal side started to get the best of me.”  We unpacked our always-packed towels and lay on the beach.  Within minutes, my son said, “There’s too many bugs here!”  Sure enough he was right. I had over 20 visible noseeum bites on my legs in under 10 minutes. (As the day progressed and the welts fully appeared, I ended up with over 100 bites on my legs, ankles, and arms).  We got up, I surveyed the area and said, “Let’s walk down there and see if they have chairs for rent.”  We walked one block to the right (facing the water) of the Water and Beach Club and we found chairs for much lower price. The chairs here rented for four dollars a chair and an umbrella was $10.  Holy cow!  That’s just a fraction of the price the hotel was charging.  Directly in front, across the street, there’s a restaurant called Alambique. It opens and 9:30 am and beach guests can use the toilets and purchase drinks to take back to the beach.

Were we ever glad we discovered this option. We saved over $55 from our original plan.  I now have a newfound love of Puerto Rico. I could spend a weekend at this beach and in this area.  I’m happy to have found it.

~Bella