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We booked a fabulous Southern Caribbean cruise! Sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, we decided to fly in the night before. You never know when something might happen with a flight and we felt more relaxed being at the departure port on the eve of our cruise. We needed a hotel in Old San Juan.
I found the Casablanca Hotel the same way that I find most of my hotels when I travel – through TripAdvisor reviews. After weighing the cost, the location, and the reviews (both good and bad), I decided that the Casablanca Hotel fit the bill.
Getting There
The hotels in Old San Juan do not have their own transportation to and from the airport. A few hotels have arrangements with a transportation company, but for most, you’ll have to find your own way there. We opted to take a taxi from the airport. The entire process is very orderly, with a set line where personnel assign you to a taxi. The fare is pre-set. During our May 2018 trip, the cost was $24.
The Lobby
Arriving at the hotel, the Casablanca theme was carried throughout. If you haven’t watched the movie, you can watch it in the lobby since it plays on a constant loop across multiple screens.
There is also a bar in the lobby area, which was closed when we visited. The after effects of 2017’s hurricane are still evident in many places.
The Room
The Casablanca theme is carried right through to the room. The room was small, which I already knew before we arrived due to the reviews (I took this photo from behind our door!). Our room had a window that opened to the elevator shaft (Room 3G). This meant that we had no view. Surprisingly, we couldn’t hear the elevator going up and down and with the shutters closed, we couldn’t even tell that is what it was. But let’s face it, if you’re staying at the Casablanca hotel in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, you’re not going to be spending a lot of time in the room!
I enjoyed the iPad by the bed that gave some basic information about the area. The room had all the basic necessities we’ve come to expect – TV, coffee pot, toiletries. There is a wardrobe, not a closet, and there are only a handful of hangers. But you wouldn’t be unpacking here anyway for more than a few days. As you can see from the photo below, I took this from the bed, and it is tiny!
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The Rooftop
The real reason I chose to spend a little extra on this hotel – the fabulous stone bathtubs found on the rooftop! I had this great idea that Allan and I would get to enjoy watching the sunset while sipping some champagne. But in was rainy the entire time we were there and the hotel bar was closed. While there was a couple soaking in the tubs during the night, we passed. Of course, the next morning we got up early, I put on my bathing suit, and even though it was drizzling, I got in the tub for the photo!
That is a fort in the background. And yes, I booked the Casablanca Hotel because of these great rooftop stone bathtubs!
Nearby
The Casablanca Hotel is ideally located on Fortaleza Avenue in Old San Juan. You’re in the middle of the tourist area, so walking a few blocks in any direction will lead you to whatever attraction you seek. An Irish bar down the block supposedly served the best mojitos in town. They were fabulous!
Everything was within a few blocks walk from the hotel. We enjoyed mojitos at the famous El Convento hotel. While walking around, we saw a couple getting married. Since the pina colada was created here, we sampled one and tried the mofongo at Barrichina. The Casablanca Hotel in Old San Juan was ideally located to easily walk to all the tourist areas.
Lots of cruisers stayed at the Casablanca Hotel. It really is the perfect place to stay if you want a hotel in Old San Juan prior to or after a cruise. I don’t know that I would spend more than 48 hours in Old San Juan, but it would be a great place to start the rest of your vacation or go explore the rest of Puerto Rico.
Have you ever picked a hotel because of a quirky detail like the stone bathtubs? Let me know! I might want to check it out!
Happy travels!
Annick, The Common Traveler
Raised as a third culture kid living in South America and Europe, Annick caught the travel bug early. Â As an empty-nester, Annick enjoys sharing her tips for traveling for those with champagne taste and beer budgets.
What great post! So good! I want to stay there!
So pretty!
I loved Casablanca movie and so this hotel in San Juan is worth to stay for. Though I have seen this movie, but watching again on screens in the lobby must be great. Wow i-Pad by the bedside is another good feature here and my kids would love to have it. Roof top bath tub is also unique and not seen anywhere.
Pretty unique hotel!
Wow what a great hotel. The Casablanca is surely a great place to chose in old San Juan with that lovely theme carrying through right along. The stone bath tubs on the terrace must be refreshing after a long walk through the city with great views. Rooms look clean and comfy. A great place must say.
The rooms were clean and perfect for short stays!
Yes to those stone tubs! Without a doubt I would book a place based on those. And I would also have all those same visions of sipping a cocktail in the roof tub as the sunsets. I’m so sad to hear it didn’t work out that way for you. We often book a place based on the balcony. With kids, we like to escape them a bit at night and it’s the easiest way!
I am totally floored by those stone baths on the roof. I had no idea any hotel could offer something as quirky as these. They look out-of-the-world. I would definitely spend on something like this. Thanks for sharing.
I can clearly see that you had a lot of fun in the Casablanca Hotel. The lobby and especially the room looks very cozy and inviting. But what caught my interest the most is the fancy iPad. This is a great idea in my opinion and very helpful, since you always have a little helper nearby. The rooftop stone bathtubs look fantastic, I would love to try them out too.
I live in Puerto Rico and have walked by this hotel a few times. It is a great location in Old San Juan! I love the Casablanca theme and will have to check out the bar next time I walk by.
What an amazing find, looks lots of fun. The stone baths on the roof are a bit interesting, you definitely need a swimming costume given how open it is up there! I’d love it if they put these tubs out on private room balconies!!
What an amazing hotel. I certainly wouldn’t mind spending my vacation here. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Loved how luxurious it feels. Great interiors and loved the rooftop stone baths. So unique. Had never seen one before!