El Conquistador Resort

My family traveled here in January for a celebration and our stay here was a disappointment. We booked two rooms in the marina. Upon arrival we were not told our rooms were not available. Instead, the desk clerk named Angel simply gave us our newly assigned room in the Las Brias building. When I questioned him he brushed my concerns to the side and informed me they were of the same quality and location. For our inconvenience we were offered a $425/room credit. Sadly, this credit was never given and upon reviewing their website was simply the difference in room category. Our rooms were in what I consider the bowels of the hotel and in desperate need of renovation and cleaning. The windows were not clean, the bathroom had mold and walls/tile/ and flooring were scarred and in need of repair. Halls were musty and honestly the room felt like something in a Motel 6. After 3 nights in these rooms I checked with reception and were moved to the Marina. What a difference. Rooms were beautifully decorated and clean. You’ll want these rooms if you choose this hotel. We liked the property but felt several changes could be made. Ferry to island is small and only holds about 1/2 the number of interested people. This necessitates arriving 30-40 minutes early. Pools were nice and clean and loungers always available. Food at resort was acceptable but not memorable. We waited around 45 minutes for salads at one of the restaurants. Found small village walking from marina that offered better options for both dinners and breakfast. Food at resort was expensive. Upon returning home we realized many mistakes were made in billing including the elusive credit. Our emails and calls have not been returned, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Is this resort nice? The common grounds certainly are, however the management lacks integrity. Not being told at checkin that we were being given inferior rooms left us feeling taken advantage of. Not receiving credit is the icing on the cake. If our family chooses to return to Puerto Rico we will likely try another resort.

Our experience at ballyhoo was wonderful. Alejandro and bolivar were the best We liked it so much that we dined there 2 nights

Beautiful resort but big problem trying to get to Palomino Island. Today I waited 30 minutes in the sun for the 11 am ferry ( they only run hourly) and instead of using one of their 2 large ferries, they used a small boat which accommodated 25 people leaving 50 of us in the sun for another hour. They claimed mechanical problems. This is the resorts weak link and needs to be fixed!

We really enjoyed our stay. I want to name a few people that were helpful and super friendly. Yvette in the lobby was all smiles and very helpful. We had a great dinner at Epazote, Krystal was our server and she really worked hard to see that we were happy. I need to shout out to John in the General Store. He was very helpful and pleasant. I enjoyed going in there. Everything was wonderful during our stay and we really enjoyed it. We’re returning for sure.

We stayed at El Conquistador expecting four-diamond service, but unfortunately our experience did not fully meet that expectation. For background, we are a family of four traveling with an autistic 7-year-old who requires gluten-free meals, and a 4-year-old. Pros: • Unparalleled natural beauty • Impeccably clean resort and rooms • Stunning views and landscaping • Multiple pools, waterpark, and private island amenity • Many dining options and water refill stations throughout the resort Cons: • Inconsistent ferry access to the private island • Limited and unreliable gluten-free food options • Guest Services difficult to reach • Balcony pests (wasps, ants, mosquitoes) not resolved after calling Guest Services Resort & Rooms: The resort itself is breathtaking, very large, and fun to explore. The funicular tram connecting the upper resort to the marina/waterpark is convenient. Room areas vary: • Las Brisas • Las Vistas (near pools and restaurants) • La Marina (closer to waterpark/ferry but limited dining) Palomino Island: The island is beautiful, but access is poorly managed. Ferry service runs on the hour starting at 9am, with the last ferry to the island at 3pm and returns until 5pm. Around 2pm, service was inconsistent due to staff lunch breaks. Sometimes a smaller boat is used instead of the larger ferry, resulting in guests being turned away. We waited about 25 minutes in line only to be turned away, which was especially difficulty for our autistic child. There is no system to count guests or inform families ahead of time that they won’t make the cutoff. We were also given conflicting explanations about why the larger ferry wasn’t running from it was broken to they just don’t use it during the week. Dining: Dining was a recurring issue. • Ventanas: Over an hour wait for food, missing items, forgotten drinks, inattentive service, and still charged full price for incomplete meals. Our son’s gluten-free muffin arrived undercooked and much later than everyone else’s food. We were told they were very busy and that the oven was broken. (The coconut French toast was delicious.) • OATs: Great açaí bowls and smoothies • Cafe Bella Vista: Just okay; outdoor setting with guests walking through • Okinawa: Excellent sushi and service • La Ezkina: Very good and consistent poolside Mexican food • El Cafecito & Palettamerica: Great grab-and-go options In-Room Dining: In-room dining is only available via QR code. Ours did not work, requiring staff to physically walk the QR code to us. Items ordered were unavailable at one location and sourced from another, resulting in different charges without notification. Charges were removed, then reapplied incorrectly. If staying in La Marina, food arrives cold due to distance. El Coquí Water Park: Great waterpark with slides, lazy river, infinity pool, and kiddie area. Strict 48-inch height requirement for larger slides. Some staff at the rental station were unhelpful. A standout was Waldy at Oasis Bar & Grill, who went above and beyond to help accommodate our son with a gluten-free grilled cheese despite ongoing equipment issues. Unfortunately, the oven remained broken our entire stay, limiting safe food options. Bottom line: El Conquistador is undeniably beautiful, with great amenities but service, communication, and disability accommodations need improvement. Families traveling with special-needs children or dietary restrictions should be aware of these challenges before booking.