They claim the hotel is on the beach, not true. Previous posters who mention low showerheads were not kidding. I am 6 feet tall and nailed my head on the showerhead. Rooms were TINY. Smelled very musty. We had ROACHES in our room, these things were massive. Continental breakfast was basic- bagels, juice, cereal and fruit. Pool was also small. First class shoppiong is around the corner like stated. You have to take a cab to Old San Juan, its not within walking distance. If you are just coming in for a cruise then stay here. if you are staying for an extended period suck it up and pay the extra money for the Marriott. I was travelling for work and was unable to stay in a hotel with Casino in its title. We were also looking for low cost. The rates at this hotel are some of the lowest in the area.

I must say it's hard to find a good hotel in San Juan. I read several reviews and decided for this hotel after checking TripAdvisor. Thanks for your honesty guys! This hotel was excellent for the price. My husband and I stayed two nights only...By the time we left, we wanted to take the bed and pillows with us, they were sooo comfortable.
We checked in Saturday at 4:00pm. The two ladies that helped us at the counter were very nice. We had a rental car and spent a lot of time looking for parking, so save your valuable time and ask for a spot at the counter. They have a secured, small parking lot (about 5 cars) on the side for $10 a day.
We got a double room (only available) on floor seven. We had a view of the street but could see the ocean and the lake on both sides. The bathroom and toiletteries were nice.
The location is excellent too. It's on a safe area right on Ashford Ave. accross from the beach. It's a 20 minute drive from the airport to the hotel. It's very close to the bridge to Old San Juan, with no traffic it took us 10 minutes to drive there...Saturday night it's another story, took us about half hour to get there. Ashford leads to major highway 26, that goes to Isla Verde and Luis Munoz Marin airport.
If you rent a car, call the agency and ask where is the rental counter. The airport is being remodeled and Budget was now outside the premises. We had to walk outside and wait for the shuttle bus to take us to the office. I suggest getting the Metrodata road map of Puerto Rico. I got it from Amazon for $10, but on the island is $5. I read it was the best map and it is true. We drove from San Juan to Ponce, and San Juan to Aguadilla and we didn't get lost! The streets are very detailed and also marks areas of interest. The hotel also provides a nice map of areas of interest.
We had an awesome time partying Saturday night at the Nuyorican Cafe in Old San Juan (San Francisco street). We ended up here after hearing salsa music coming out of a little store/bar accross the restaurant. Lots of young people (we are 30 and 28) in this bohemian, laid back atmosphere, were sipping drinks outside waiting for the "bomba y plena" show. By midnight we drove to the El San Juan Hotel. We were told it was the best spot for latin dancing, plus they don't close until the last person leaves the dancefloor! The atmosphere was excellent, the decor was very chic, and the mojitos were amazing (a little expensive though)! Parking was horrible at the El San Juan though. If you park in the building accross the street, "take your ticket with you" and pay in the first floor cashier, before going back to your car. There is no way to pay anywhere else, otherwise you'll get really frustrated like us.

Came in late on a red eye after missing connection to San Juan. At 6 am Jean was at the front desk with a wonderful smile and great hospitality. He welcomed us and told us to help ourselves to breakfast, stored our luggage and let us wait by the pool until a room was available. By 9:30 am we were in a room and getting some much needed sleep. Thanks so much to JEAN!!

Now for the room it was a corner room #315 and was clean and comfortable. The bed was soft, the pillows outstanding and we had plenty of room for the 2 of us. There was a window in the tiny bathroom that looked out to the lagoon. The shower was nice and strong and refreshing after a full day of travel. Although the towels were standard issue the soaps and shampoos were nice.

The pool area is kept very clean, although it is small, and the loungers make for an enjoyable end to the day.

The breakfast was more than adequate and met all of our needs. There was always plenty of food available.

Our luggage was stored all day while we enjoyed Puerto Rico before heading out on our cruise. What a nice convenience to have at no extra charge.

All in all this hotel is excellent if you are looking for a budget friendly hotel with outstanding customer service and a relaxing atmosphere in the heart of the condado shopping area. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone unlike our post visit to Condado Plaza (read my review there).

The Holiday Inn Express in the Condado area of San Juan is not cheap (San Juan is a very expensive city) but it offers great value. We stayed two nights in April before our Southern Caribbean cruise. Getting to San Juan from Western Canada is a trial, and your chances of making your ship on the same day are slim, but you would be cheating yourself to miss out on one of the most beautiful cities in the Western hemisphere, comparable to Quebec City. (both are walled with narrow, ancient streets)
I was a little afraid to book, having read some negative reviews on this site, however my fears were quickly dispelled. Most of the complaints were about the rooms being small for 4 people. Yes, I would hate to have 4 people in such a room, but that would apply most anywhere. The room is a tad small, but really OK for a couple. Our room was beautiful, with a partial ocean view. It had the finest bedding, mattress and pillows we have ever seen in any hotel, and a great shower.
The free Internet and continental breakfast were real plusses. We didn’t use it, but there was a nice outdoor pool. There was no restaurant, but there are several good restaurants close by and it is a safe neighbourhood. We dined at a rustic sea side restaurant with huge breakers crashing on the rocks just outside the open window.
It’s a short taxi ride to the old town and forts, the airport or the cruise docks.
The only downside was the paper thin walls. If you had loud neighbours it would not be good news.
I would definitely recommend it, and hope this is typical for the chain, because we are booked into another Holiday Inn Express in Glasgow this summer.