After a peaceful retreat in the mountains, we headed to the beach for the second part of our babymoon in Puerto Rico. We stayed in the Condado Beach area in San Juan, which is the most popular area for tourists with its lively atmosphere and nice hotels. I was excited to transition from the mountains to the beach and enjoy the conveniences of San Juan.
We stayed at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, one of the nicest hotels in the area. I admit, this was the most we ever spent on accommodation, but I wanted to splurge a little since this was our main trip of the year. I also wanted to test a 5-star hotel experience after years of staying in hostels and budget Airbnbs. 😛 There was no better time like our babymoon to treat ourselves. 😉
I admit, I struggled the first day to transition. Coming from an amazing, peaceful experience in the mountains that was more up our alley, I was overwhelmed by the crowds and busy atmosphere of Condado Beach. Even crossing the street made my heart rate rise! I had thoughts of “did I make the wrong decision” by committing to stay here for 5 nights…
Fortunately, things turned around within a day. The main event was that we asked to change rooms since there was a dog barking next door, and unexpectedly, they upgraded us to a top floor, ocean-front view with a balcony. I didn’t expect such a nice upgrade, but it definitely felt more like the 5-star hotel experience I hoped for. This was the view from our room. 😉
In addition, we started using the hotel’s amazing amenities, which helped me unwind and have a luxurious experience. Even though outside the hotel was busy, we were able to create a little bubble in the hotel, and I started to see why people stay in these places. Have I mentioned I’m a luxury travel newb? 😛
The hotel had multiple pool areas and a private beach. We spent almost every day here, taking advantage of the free towels, umbrellas, and privacy. If there was an amenity, you bet we took advantage of it. 🙂
The gym at the hotel was awesome with views of the ocean. I visited almost every day and loved having the extra time to be active.
One of the highlights was booking a boat tour to Icacos Island, an uninhabited island off the east coast of Puerto Rico known for its reefs and untouched beaches. We shared a catamaran boat with a group of about 20 people, and it was a nice retreat away from San Juan for a day.
Icacos Island itself was really nice, with a white sand beach and crystal blue water. The boat also stopped at a coral reef where we got to snorkel. We saw a nice variety of fish. It was so peaceful and cool to see a more remote part of Puerto Rico.
There was plenty of room on the boat to lounge around and enjoy the ocean.
Another activity was spending a half-day in Old San Juan, full of colorful historic buildings, cute eateries, and shopping spots. We did some souvenir shopping and had lunch here.
We also visited Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a large fortress in Old San Juan. It was a fun area to walk around and enjoy the coastal views.
Given our location on Condado Beach, our food options were mostly other hotel restaurants. One restaurant stood out as it was right along the water, called Havana Bar and Grill. We spent our last night here and enjoyed the seafood dinner while watching the sunset. A very memorable last night. ❤
What a fantastic, memorable week in Puerto Rico. It took some time, but I’m so glad we settled in and enjoyed this chapter in Condado. While I loved treating myself to this 5-star experience, next time we’ll probably stay in a less busy, more remote parts of the island as that’s more our preference. 🙂
Nevertheless, Joe and I agreed this was one of our favorite vacations ever. The time away was just what we needed, and I’m coming back feeling refreshed and glowing from the good memories. Thank you for reading along our babymoon!
I Run Like A Girl 