I stayed in room 404 of the Excelsior on Tuesday, July 12 and Wednesday, July 13, 2005.

The Excelsior Hotel in San Juan Puerto Rico is continually recommended as a business class hotel. Reviews written by people who've stayed there were useless because they were so conflicting. Why no one has taken the very simple step of taking a few snap shots so people can just for themselves, I don't know. But, here they are. I have posted more on my personal site http://www.patsyterrell.com/excelsior/index.htm.

My own assessment is that if you're a Cruise Ship person - meaning you want that level of accomodation, then hell no you're not going to be happy here.

If you're a traveler who expects what you pay for, then you'll be happy here. It's basic, but clean and OK. It has the "niceties" you expect from a more upscale hotel, but it's a bit worn around the edges. The carpet needs to be replaced. It could stand some updating.

But the bed was firm and clean. The bathroom was clean. The air-conditioning was cold and the water hot. The walls were paper thin and that would have been a problem if I'd had noisy neighbors but I was fortunate.

And, to top it off, if you're planning to stay there for a vacation, you can walk a very easy block and a half and you're at a bus stop. For a quarter on the A5 or fifty cents on the Express Bus 1, you can go to Old San Juan and be there in about 5 minutes.

There has been much mention of the construction noise. Yes, there's construction. Yes, construction makes noise. I'm not sure what you would expect the hotel to do about it. I was there two mornings - one morning construction started about 9 and the noisy part ended about 11. The next morning there was no construction noise as they were doing other things.

The staff is excellent! Very helpful.

Augusto's restaurant, on premises, and supposedly one of the best on the island, has excellent food but - like most such places for me - overpriced and pretentious. I guess I just don't like paying to have my --- kissed. I'd rather pay 2/3 as much and have "normal" - not "--- kissing included" service.

I didn't go to the pool so can't speak about that.

The location seems wonderful to me and location is what I'm generally after. I left here and went to the Westin Rio Mar near the rain forest for a convention. It is very upscale, 27 acres with private beach, more than twice the price, and I felt like a prisoner - nowhere to eat except on their site, a taxi ride to the town of San Juan was about $60 and took an hour. So, it all boils down to what kind of travel you like. But don't think you're getting a resort experience for $80 a night. Please. Get real.

But, at least you can see for yourself what the Excelsior looks like and make your own decision.

Good if all you want is a room to sleep in. Clean. Maids very helpful and courteous. Front desk people very friendly and helpful, but you may have to wait a while to speak with them. Hotel is (still) under construction. There is no parking lot. I parked my rental car (a Hyundai Brio) on a street around the corner for a week and had no problems. Bus stop near hotel goes straight to Old San Juan. Not many places to eat early or late in the day - only one 24 hour bar several blocks away. Is near some daytime eateries - Subway, Chinese, Pizza.

after reading all the negative reviews, I was afraid it's gonna be a real dump. However, given most of our time will be spent driving out of san juan, the location of this hotel seems to make sense compared to something in OSJ or condado and the price seems much lower to comparable places. We took a risk and we found the place sufficient for our need. rooms are clean, lobby is barren but the clean, white fluorescent lighting seems refreshing compared to other yellowish moody woody lobbies. A/C is quiet and cold. The hotel is surely nothing fancy but we don't care for that. the construction thing going on next door is not an issue at all. best thing of all is its proximity to highways going out to other parts of PR and you don't have to fight the traffic thru OSJ or condado every day and night. If I go back to SJ, I will not hesitate to stay there again. I would have give it a 3-star but given the many bad reviews here which I don't think really reflect the state the hotel is in, I am giving a 4 to counterbalance a little bit.

My husband and I had to make an emergency trip to the island to attend a death in the family. We stayed at the Excelsior from June 2 until today, June 6.

My husband recently had eye surgery and needed medication that the local Walgreens did not have. The only place where my husband felt he could get help was at the Veterans Hospital, since he has a service connected problem. We did not know how to get there, and one night one of the valets escorted us to the hospital front door. We will be forever grateful to these people for being compassionate enough to assist us in our time of need.

As for the awful reviews some people gave, I would suggest that anyone who wants the services of a resort, should go to one and play the casinos, gorge on food and drink, be pampered, and pay the outrageous prices these fancy 5 star hotels charge. Our room was clean, the staff was friendly and the location is excellent with easy access to the major roads. The construction taking place is for a multistory apartment complex, and that takes a little time. I would recommend this hotel to anyone that does not mind a place that's not a luxury hotel. BTW, The food at the restaurant is very good, although a little pricey. The place was packed the night we went there. It looked like a place that some of the local people who have cash to spend hang out.