El Conquistador Resort

This is a beautiful resort that offers many amenities for all to enjoy. It truly depends on what you are looking for on vacation. The staff was very personable and although not as knowledgeable they always tried to listen and help. One of the front desk attendants was very helpful when we had an issue. Not sure I have the correct spelling of her name. But think started with a “N.” Hard to explain the pros and cons of the resort: Pro-if you want large expansive resort with lots to do. Con- nothing is close. Not even the beach. You must take a ferry to their beach area because not a beach front property. There is a funicular that you ride down to access other parts of the property. The views were awesome, but this gives you an idea of how big the property is. If you are looking for quiet, couples type of atmosphere then not here. It is a family resort that caters to young children too. Food was good average prices to pricey. They have options of pizza through Mexican with ice cream shops and a coffee shop. Rooms were very clean and designed nicely for a comfortable stay.

Regardless being in Puerto Rico the pool water was cold near the condo where we stayed. The ocean view from my balcony looking out to Palomino Island was beautiful and peaceful. I didn't like that I needed to wait for the ferry to go to the beach I would prefer to be able to walk to one from the resort. The staff was friendly however a resort that size and the amount we paid, did not have enough people to help deliver luggage to the room. They kept the resort very clean including the pools and trash can never overflowing. The water park is overrated and not really geared toward your children. The food was overpriced and adequate. The local public beach was my favorite to visit. it's a very large resort at the end of the day my smart watch calculated an average of 20,000 steps a day.

Loved the resort, amazing layout, with a beautiful low key beach and a lazy river/waterslide on another side of the resort, but the food was overpriced and not good, especially the dinner food. The breakfast and lunch food was good though, especially the acai bowls.

We had an amazing trip. The hotel is beautiful. From the minute you arrive the views are amazing. The room was clean and cleaned everyday. All of the food we ate on the resort was great. We traveled during the holidays so making reservations was recommended for some of the restaurants but we never really had to wait for a table without a reservation. Every employee that we dealt with went above and beyond. A few employees that we dealt with stand out - Robert at the Splash bar at the main pool, Jason and Kevin at Las Ventanas Restaurant and Raquel at La Eskina Restaurant. The hotel has access to a private beach a short boat ride from the resort. The beach was great. Their pools were also amazing. We went to the water park one day and had a great time. The resort is a short walk into las Croabas, which had a bunch of decent restaurants as well. I would head back tomorrow.

Hmm—where to start? I’d summarize this as a place with an identity crisis. Check in was a bizarre experience when they tried a bait and switch and send us down the cliff side to the marina section when we booked ocean view up top. We had no warning or heads up that our original building was ‘closed’—wasn’t until the bellman had us going down a funicular that we were like “hold up…” Thankfully we got a equal substitute to what we booked but did they really think we’d take something half the cost and deal with the funicular several times a day? Others had glowing reviews on the water park. “Meh” is a polite verdict from our family. Our 7 year old was an inch short to do anything but a baby slide and there was NO budge on that rule. I wouldn’t ever suggest something unsafe or I didn’t think my kids couldn’t handle but we’ve been to many other water parks and there were many more options for her age. If the resort ever thinks of charging extra or separate for this amenity they are out of their mind. They might as well have played Pink Floyd’s The Wall as vibe music behind all the lifeguard whistles. If you like running or staying in shape on your vacations—good luck! The main fitness center is nowhere near appropriate size for a resort with this capacity. Two treadmills. Two. They were taken all hours of the day I observed between 6:30AM and 9PM. Other options are running loops onsite up and down a small mountain (hill training anyone?) with no path. Or you can brave the trek to Seven Seas beach where I became a Strava Local Legend doing so many loops. I learned on the 3rd day there is a gym in the spa with more treadmills—9-5 PM only. No one mentioned this at the resort orientation we didn’t actually have. Anyway, not everyone is a psychopath like me and likes running before starting their family time but I offer this as my advice to management (and warning to fellow psychopaths)—a larger gym or longer spa gym hours would be a good investment. Palomino is cool but is a long wait for a boat (both ways). Which gave me a chance to write this review on our last day when one of their boats was inoperable! The restaurants were respectable, but I’m not a foodie (all that running means everything tastes good!). It’s a beautiful (and big) resort too. They have a big conference center so if I ever worked somewhere that paid my room here, would I come back? Heck yeah! But would I pay for it again on my own. Now that I know more of the resort layout and hacks—maybe, but likely not my first choice here in P.R. Scenery and close proximity to many activities like El Yunque nudged this from a 2 star to 3 star experience. Also make sure you get your parking ticket validated if you rent a car before trying to rush to a bio bay tour.