The El Conquistador Hotel (a former Wyndham Hotel) sits on a magnificent bluff on the northeast corner of Puerto Rico with wonderful views of the sea and nearby islands of Vieques and Culebra. Its unique location provides an entertaining vacation experience for families of all ages.

Despite some difficulty finding the hotel, we were quickly impressed by the El Conquistador's style. The winding entry road showcases the challenging 18-hole golf course and ends at the grand entrance to the resort.

The hotel boasts several types of accommodations including hotel rooms and the new Las Casitas Village.  These colorful buildings, high atop the bluff, hold beautiful one-, two- and three-bedroom villas complete with butler service. However, the rooms in the two main wings of the hotel are large and comfortable with a sitting area, balcony and large bathroom with huge walk-in closet.  There is even a small, empty refrigerator, always handy for families.  The couch holds a single sleeper sofa making one room a good value for families with small children.  The rooms could use some updating, as some wear and tear is evident. 

We really enjoyed the view overlooking the sea, nearby islands and the El Yunque rainforest and the sweet, but loud song of the Coqui frogs that lulls you to sleep each night.

Hotel Living & Family Activities

Our favorite experience at the hotel was our visit to Palomino Island, a 20-minute boat ride from the hotel marina. This island paradise makes the hectic life of San Juan feel islands away.  The adventure begins with a fun funicular ride down to the hotel marina and continues on a small private ferry.  Once at the island, guests have plenty to do or can do nothing at all! We enjoyed the beautiful beaches and shallow swimming area, and rented an inner tube and snorkel gear. Guests can also rent kayaks, waverunners, floats, sailboats and windsurfers.

Little Palomino Island sits within kayaking distance of Palomino, ideal for a deserted island experience.  We took a short hike up to the wedding chapel and found that there are plenty of longer hikes available around this small island.

There is horseback riding, a restaurant/bar, shops, ice cream stand and the headquarters of the Coqui Kids Club for ages 5-12.  This friendly club keeps children busy with an assortment of activities in and out of the water. Some parents have objected to the inconvenience of this location for the children's program, but we enjoyed the adventure of getting there.

The hotel's showpieces are the three pools that feature a swim-up pool bar, whirlpools, and slide.  Family-friendly activities take place around the pools throughout the day, as well as arts and crafts, Spanish, and Latin dance lessons.

The hotel also boasts 16 bars and restaurants with a variety of cuisine and price options, a full service marina, plenty of shops, large casino, fitness center, tennis, golf, game room, and a new Golden Door Spa.

The downside of this size and the numerous facilities is its appeal to large conventions, which caused us a particularly painful and slow checkout.

- Lauren Goldenberg

Villa Living & Resort Facilities

My family and I recently spent a weekend at the elegant  a striking property perched upon the cliffs of Puerto Rico's northeast coast, where the constant winds assure cool, if sometimes rainy, tropical weather year-round. At that time, it was part of the Wyndham Hotel and Resorts company, which was among the "10 Best Hotel Chains for Families" as selected by Child magazine for 2003.

Our family was fortunate to stay in a deluxe Spanish-style private, two-bedroom villa at Las Casitas, an elegant "hotel within the hotel" whose discreet butler dropped off fresh fruit and other goodies each day. This newer lodging area on the cliffs has 155 one to three-bedroom units decked out in stucco, wrought iron, terracotta tiles and other hints of Spanish royalty.  A pool and outdoor cafe area make this seem like its own exclusive resort. The service was friendly and super-efficient, with most of the waiters and bellmen savvy about what the majority of guests -- anxious New Yorkers, celebrities, CEOs -- expect from a luxury retreat.

Life at the quiet Las Casitas is a contrast to the rest of this very large property, as the El Conquistador Resort is comprised of 750 guest rooms and 17 suites in lowrise guest wings. Not as deluxe as the villas, the hotel rooms are spacious for families and really do provide sky-high views of the ocean or golf course.

We left Las Casitas to enjoy the resort's main multi-level pools, restaurants (where, to our dismay, few typical Puerto Rican dishes were served) and the wonderful Golden Door Spa. Complimentary fitness classes and pricey and delightful spa treatments are available. Everywhere at El Conquistador, there are glorious Atlantic views and our 9-year-old thought the whole complex was "awesome."

Some families might find its size a bit daunting -- how about having to traverse the entire property, take an elevator, walk down a corridor, enter a funicular, descend to the marina level, then board a private ferry for the five-minute ride to the resort's offshore beach facility? The goal is sublime, however. The tiny island of tranquility called Palomino houses a cafe, watersports gear rentals and the Coqui Kids Club.

The resort's location is also a good one despite its isolation. It is four miles from the stores and attractions of downtown Fajardo and Las Croabas, and provides easy access (via surprisingly expensive taxis) to golf, windsurfing, scuba diving, and fishing

We hear the resort has just been sold to a new luxury property owner, who will be investing in a major resort-wide renovation and a new waterplay area at the already stunning pool. It's tough to make great better, but we are pleased to hear that this classic getaway will be maintained and improved for future generations.

by Kyle McCarthy

Lauren's Helpful Tips

Families should note a few helpful tips that may smoothe your visit. For more information and bookings, contact your travel agent or the resort directly: El Conquistador Resort (866/317-8932).

In this day and age, it's a huge asset that American citizens do not need a passport to visit Puerto Rico. The El Conquistador may be on U.S. territory but it feels worlds apart from a Florida or California beach resort.

Day trips to El Yunque rain forest are within easy reach of El Conquistador.  As the only rainforest located on United States soil, this biodiverse park is a great place for picnics, hiking and exploring nature. 

The hotel has always had a dress policy: The El Conquistador requests that no shorts or T-shirts be worn in the lobby after 6pm.  This may change with the new ownership.

Please also make sure to get proper directions to the hotel if you drive on your own, or just skip the car because you can take a taxi anywhere you need to go. 

Plan to arrive during daylight hours, if possible, to facilitate finding the property.

Overall the El Conquistador provides a generous amount of diversions to keep everyone in the family content.

- Lauren Goldenberg

Travel specialist Lauren Goldenberg, fondly known as "The Family Traveler" to her clients, tends to her agency and family in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Learn more about her vacation-planning services at this link.