by Julie Schweitert, The Collazo Projects
The San Juan Marriott is, by all outside appearances, just another Marriott property, which is to say: one in a string of properties with structures, rooms, and services that become almost indistinguishable after awhile.
Sure, the name of the hotel restaurant changes based on the location-- Beach Bar, La Isla [The Island] Grill and Pool Bar, and La Vista [The View] Restaurant and Ocean Terrace--and maybe the food changes a little, too, a half-hearted nod to the local culture in which the hotel has asserted itself so incongruously.
But the bottom line is: you'll never find the kinds of stories at a Marriott like you'll find at a place like Villa Sevilla.
Right?
Well, not exactly.
San Juan Marriott Guestroom (Photo by Julie Schwietert Collazo)
It's true that the Marriott doesn't have the kind of compelling story told by a friendly proprietor of an independent business into which a life savings has been invested.
But during our December stay at the Marriott in San Juan, Puerto Rico, we met plenty of folks with interesting backgrounds and stories. A hotel public relations administrator has been able to travel more than she'd ever have done independently thanks to Marriott's corporate training program. A janitor from Cuba found his newly landed job both demanding and rewarding--picking up double shifts allowed him to support family back home.
And two hotel guests, visiting from Japan, were fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting Puerto Rico and dancing salsa in one of Latin America's most rhythmic and musical cities.
I haven't said anything yet about accommodations, which were beyond comfortable.
Fresh from a recent renovation, the rooms at the San Juan Marriott are bright, the natural light filtering in amplified by the cheerful yellow palette of colors selected for the walls, window treatments, and bed scarves.
The rooms are spacious, the bathrooms stocked with amenities, and the hotel is centrally located in the Condado neighborhood, also referred to as the New San Juan. While a car is generally needed to navigate around Puerto Rico, the Marriott is the perfect base for a short trip that will keep you in the Capital.
You can walk to many restaurants and shops, as well as the La Ventana park (where concerts are often held on weekends), and can take the bus to Old San Juan. The Marriott also has live music on the weekends, and believe it or not, is a magnet for dance-crazed locals (though the crowd admittedly skews to middle aged and older adults).
As a former tour director who led student groups around Puerto Rico, I've stayed in at least seven different chain hotels in San Juan, but Marriott is certainly the best. It's not without its drawbacks--the wired traveler will find the WiFi fee difficult to swallow and those who have cars will need to budget ample money for parking--but overall, this is an excellent choice for lodging in San Juan.
Julie Schweitert is a world traveler with a special love and longing for South America. Along with her husband, Francisco Colazzo, they have created Colazzo Projects to share their love of travel and their present NYC home. Julie is also an editor for Matador Pulse and contributor to Donne Tempo Magazine.
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