Hotels/places to go in San Juan in a few weeks?

[Siper2]

Hi all. My fiancee and I may be flying from Pittsburgh, PA down to San Juan at the end of this month (the 31st, actually). My father sails down around there in winter, so we will be meeting with him, but I wanted to know if you folks could help with a couple suggestions.

First, I assume there's got to be some New Year's Eve festivities somewhere, so where's a good place to go? We also will be tracking down a decent but inexpensive hotel for one or two nights. The only reason we may stay the night we arrive is that meeting Dad is a bit tricky--we'll have to taxi to the other side of the island I believe to meet him in whatever marina he could get to. Though maybe I'm wrong......maybe that's if we flew into Fajardo. I forget.

Anyway... If you guys know of decent places to be, I'd much appreciate it. Thanks!

Chris
-S2-

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[Prog]

Wow, youre in for a... treat i guess, depends on how you look at it. The new year's festivities here are CRAZY... total madness. Usually hotels and such host festivities, but they are usually $$$. Also you may want to check out hotels starting now, because thats a pretty busy season...

Depending on the dates and stuff we could whip out a Subie Meet

[Siper2]

That'd be fun.

I've been to and through PR many times, I've just never stayed in more than one hotel. Couldn't even tell you where the last one was. A few blocks from a casino, but I'm sure that narrows it down.

Believe me I'm well aware of how wild it gets down there, and I'm not even sure if we'll need to spend the night, but..... We also think it'd be fun. I don't need a hotel that hosts festivities, I just need a pillow to sleep on.

The Subie meet would be a cool way to welcome in 2002, though!!!

-S2-

[Leonardo]

Hi!

You will be flying into SJU (San Juan International) and if anythig fly American Eagle to Fajardo or I might be able to drive you there as a friend haves a boat in Fajardo and I go all the time. ( He has a Beltram 37 and his dad has a Hateras 62(?) ) So let me know.

Festivities in Hotels are wild with all compeeting as who has the best show/actors. They get pretty booked. If you stay in Isla Verde, there are tons of little hotels next to the big ones. plus all the sports bars like Lupi's and Oyster Bar.

If your'e traveling from Pitsburg, coming via US Air? I love that airport, well mall if you think of it. Grabbed a wicked buzz at Fat Tuesdays while switching planes heading into Vt which was fun!

Leo

[Siper2]

Hey Leo!

Actually no, we're flying in via NorthWest. My fiancee got a free voucher back in April, and it expires next April, so we have to use the thing sometime... We weren't going to fly down to see Dad this year (she's only been once; I go every other year so I've been a bunch of times, so I know all about SJU ), but the ticket price for me dropped to about $400 round-trip. Pretty good. So do the math and we get nearly two weeks for about $200 each in travel expense. Screamin' deal.

The hotel thing was just a fun idea we were tossin' around... As for a ride, if we go I could definitely take you up on that one, even if we just need a lift to wherever Dad will meet us. He spends most of this month in and around St. Thomas/St. John, so I think he sails in on the Fajardo side. I don't remember, my geography's off. But I assume you'll know.

Getting a lift would be very cool! Of course we could give you a few bucks for the trouble, but it's better to see an i-Clubber than some taxi driver.

-S2-

[Leonardo]

Of course we could give you a few bucks for the trouble

Please, don't even think about it! It's a drive my wife and I enjoy!


If he sails to those islands, yes it's into Fajardo, just ask him which marina, Puerto del Rey or Puerto Chico. THe rest is up to us.

Just let me know!

Leo

[Prog]

is that gonna be in the 13 second Subie, or the 17(?) second Bimmer?

[Siper2]

Oh please, the Subaru of course!!!

Thanks much, Leo. I'll keep you posted. The problem right now is I can't get in touch with Dad... I don't want to book the flight if I don't know if his plans have changed. We'd been telling him most recently that we WEREN'T coming, but now that this ticket is cheaper.......


I just don't want to surprise the guy and say hey guess what, we're coming. Don't know if you're familiar with a lot of boats down there, but he's s/v "Between the Sheets." It's a 48' (maybe 52' but I forget) sloop, and he sails in the Caribbean 1500 a lot. Been doing it since the race started many years ago.
He primarily does coaching now, and my stepmother hosts seminars to calm the women who have to ride along on their husbands' mid-life crisis adventures.

-S2-

[DITCH]

There's a hotel called Fajardo Inn. I stayed there this summer for my sister's wedding, and it was pretty good for the price. (About $60/night, IIRC) If you're on a big budget, El Conquistador is the place to go, but pricey.

Hey, Scooby meet in Fajardo, eh? I'd like to go since my SO wants to get a TS. Let me know.

Ditch

[Siper2]

I dunno where we'd be staying. If we went to Fajardo, we'd probably end up just rendezvousing with Dad. I think if we're to stay on P.R. at all, it'll be in a hotel near San Juan. I think.



As for the budget, no it's not big. Very much to the contrary. Neither of us have a lot of cash. My plane ticket's going on a credit card as it is...

-S2-

[Leonardo]

Yeah, plenty of little hotels in San Juan. It's the place to be for New Year's!!!

But ya know, I pretty much will drive anywhere with new friends!

Leo

[Siper2]

Thanks again Leo. Don't suppose you could be talked into driving us back to the airport too, could ya?

Hey drop me an Email. siper2@netzero.net

Easier that way!

-Chris

[Prog]

keep posting on the thread, its a good read

[Leonardo]

Don't suppose you could be talked into driving us back to the airport too, could ya?

No problem with me!

Leo

[Siper2]

Well, I heard from my stepmother... Doesn't sound like our coming down is going to work out too well, unless we figure out a plane/ferry from P.R. to maybe Culebra. That COULD work... See we'd been telling them we probably weren't coming, due to ticket costs and timing, but that all changed, which is why we were talking about going, again.

I've done some research and found some Caribbean airlines that do shuttle runs, not sure if there's a San Juan (SJU) to Culebra (CPX) or not... Some SJU to STT run about $150/r.t. per person, which is more than we want to spend. Way more. And the only ferry from P.R. to STT I think leaves on a really odd schedule, like once every two weeks or something?? Maybe that's wrong but the times are weird.

So I dunno what options we've got, right now.

[Leonardo]

Well, Try Vieques Air Link or Isla Nena Airways. From Isla Grande Airport (in San Juan) Could run you like $79. e/a round trip. Give me dates and I can chech for ya

Those two airlines run to both small islands!

Leo

[Siper2]

Hey Leo. Well there's a pretty good price. Hadn't seen that yet.
IF we can go down, the arrival time in SJU is like 2:30p on 12/31. We leave 12 days later I *think* .... Not sure.

-S2-

[DITCH]

Does the "lancha de Vieques" (ferry boat) still exist? Since you're on a budget, that might be an option. IIRC, the cost was a few bucks (<$5) but it was about a 2-3 hr boat trip.

Ditch

[Leonardo]

Yeah


S2- if you can meet up with your dad on the 1st, I can drive you to the Fajardo Airport and the plane ticket is like 20 to 25 dollars. but last plane leaves 30min after you arrive at SJU.

If not from Isla Grande in San Juan will be like 70 dollars and I can drive you straight there.

Leo

[Siper2]

Hey Leo.

The latest news is that my fiancee has a class conflict cutting in to the vacation time, so we're trying to work things out at the moment. Otherwise, I've been in touch with Dad and the rendezvous point is Culebra, so we'd just take the ferry from Fajardo on Jan. 1 I guess. As I recall it's like three bucks a person. Do you know if the ferry schedule is expanded/reduced on New Year's Day??

Chris

[DITCH]

You can ask the Port Authority. (787)723-2260 Found this on Google.

Ditch

[Siper2]

Thanks DITCH.

I found a ferry schedule... http://www.culebra-island.com/Culebr...y_Schedule.htm

[Leonardo]

Holidays is almost never on time and if you go on the cargo one it ca nake you up to two hours at sea.

You have to be there 3 hours or more before on that day to make sure you get a seat cuz that day, (if you go on the 31st) alot of people go to the island as the whole island mmets at the town to say goodbye to the year. If you go on the 1st, it could be better to call just in case the captain has a hangover and didn't make it to work, which happens!

This info comes from my cousin which has a house there and ferries back and forth all the time.

It's a PITA, but cheap!

Leo

[Siper2]

Leo,

Well I'd have the phone number(s) with me anyway, so yeah I'd call ahead. We'd go over on the 1st, not the 31st, so no worries about that.

If we even go. I hate undecided plans. What a mess.

[Siper2]

Okay well Leo, you at least saw the "okay we're coming" post I put up a couple weeks ago. This is just to reply to this thread to let everyone else know that Christine and I will be indeed coming to P.R. We arrive at SJU on 12/31.

We've just made a reservation for a place in San Juan that night. So Leo, we'll meet up with you maybe that night if you want to show us around, and then the 1st maybe we can meet again to drive around El Yunque or whatever. The next night (Jan. 1) we may or may not spend on P.R. Probably, though. So we're contemplating the Fajardo Inn (thanks again DITCH) for that night if we do indeed stay.

I'm game for a Subaru meet.

Leo, you have my cell number. I Emailed you a few minutes ago but that was before we'd made the reservations in San Juan. No more Net access after right now.

We'd love a ride from the airport if you can do it, if not I'm sure a taxi won't be expensive. If you guys do want to organize a meet for the 1st (maybe a caravan of us can do El Yunque??), go ahead. Leo, just keep me updated!!

-S2-