La Playita — Hotel in Carolina

I can't pick a single high point for this hotel, so in no order of particular importance, here we go.

Let's start with Alberto. He ties everything together. A gentleman in every sense of the term, knowledgeable, runs a tight ship, prompt to respond to requests and needs. I'm sure there's more - he is an outstanding host.

Enter Coco. She's a timid and lovely dog that helps Alberto out around the place. Very friendly. Please say "hi" to Coco when you come. My daughter loves dogs and having Coco as a member of the welcoming party was awesome. She's very smart and it's very clear how much she loves Alberto.

The housekeeping and groundskeeping staff are all friendly and have also offered great advice on when and where to go places here in Puerto Rico to get the best out of our stay.

La Playita's unique location where it spans across a sort of tiny peninsula makes it one of the few places you can go where you'll get both a spectacular sunrise and an equally wonderful sunset view, both from common areas of the grounds. The sunrise over the far side of Playa Isla Verde is visible from the patio and the sunset over Playa Alambique from the lounge on the upper level. The courtyard of the small vintage hotel is a mini paradise of various tropical plants that attract numerous different local birds and butterflies. I even spotted some monarch larvae busily gnawing holes in the leaves of the Calotropis gigantea plant that is flowering near the parking lot. I also spotted the remains of a chrysalis from which a monarch butterfly has recently emerged. You can go to the east or west and find pleasant sandy beaches. I prefer the one to the west as the slope of the beach was more agreeable. The hotel is very quiet, despite its close proximity to the airport. The runway runs perpendicular to the direction of the hotel, so while you can hear the planes taking off and landing while out on the patios it is not disturbing.

Parking is at a premium. I did not plan to have a car so this didn't bother me at all. There are only a few spots at the hotel and the street is always full due to the close proximity of the beach. We had no trouble finding rides via ride sharing apps and a taxi from the airport was $16 for our family and our baggage. It took us far longer to get through the queue for the taxi stand than to get from the airport to the hotel.

Our room was cozy and very tidy and accommodating. Beds were comfy, bed frames aren't silent. While I don't want to gripe about anything, this could be improved. The bathroom is spacious and was equipped with plenty of towels and toiletries. The exterior doors to the rooms are EXTREMELY strong and have a special latching system to protect them from hurricanes and for added security, so you'll want to pay attention to how they operate when you are shown to your room. Air conditioning is provided by a modern mini split system with remote control. The system is dead silent and while it does have an LED display, the remote has a button to turn it off if you need a dark room to sleep comfortably. The room is equipped with a "smart" TV, but I didn't come to a hotel 1600 miles from home to watch TV, "smart" or otherwise. Wifi works great.

The location is fairly central to Viejo San Juan, where you can explore the cobblestone streets full of cool shops and the historic costal defense forts, to Piñones where you can go for some great traditional food, less than an hour from El Yunque National Forest, a few minutes drive from Condado where you can get all sorts of great food and nightlife, as mentioned it's right in the middle of two great beaches.

Don't come here expecting a workout room, a swimming pool, a blemish-free building, a huge parking lot, gigantic rooms or a full service bar and restaurant on site. What you SHOULD expect is friendly courteous accommodations by a staff that you can count on one hand, great coffee, superior ambiance, Alberto and of course, Coco.

I have enjoyed my stay here in Puerto Rico, and if God's willing, I'm coming back...

My stay here was a spur-of-the-moment decision as a friend and I were already staying in Manati and our room was prepaid. However, given unanticipated car problems coupled with the fact my friend needed to be in the south of the island early the next morning, it seemed the best solution would be for him to drop me at this hotel in Isla Verde (near the airport) where I would spend the night and he could continue on his way during the afternoon daylight hours rather than the early morning darkness. That the cost of this hotel was equivalent to the price of a shuttle from Manati to the airport cemented my decision. I got a great rate on Hotels.com and two hours later checked in to La Playita. I was warmly welcomed by new employee Gabriela and the manager. This is a small property without all the amenities of the El San Juan (which is closed for renovation) but for the price, the cleanliness, and the convenience it could not be beat. The beach was just steps away, the El San Juan still had beach chairs, and I spent a lovely afternoon and morning on lovely Isla Verde. Ironically, the TV had many more channels than either the TVs at the San Juan Hiltons and Hyatts. The other thing I really liked about this hotel was that I could open my windows and hear the coquis at night. Would I pay the rack rate of close to $200 a night? No, I would not, as there are other hotels with more amenities (pools, health club, breakfast buffets, etc.) that are less expensive, but at under $100 and for a last minute booking I would definitely return to this hotel. There really was nothing not to like. It is ideal for those on a budget, those looking for a smaller, intimate property, and those who are spending the days touring the island and who just want a clean place to sleep. The hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast, which unfortunately I did not know until after I had checked out. It is within easy walking distance to several of my local favorites and I had planned to go elsewhere for breakfast anyway so didn't really miss anything. I also had no trouble with the hotel room doors, as I'm familiar with the locking system of European doors, and I didn't mind climbing the stairs to my...

It was my birthday, and my family wanted to have a wonderful time without breaking the bank. I made my reservation based on some excellent reviews about La Playita and a friendly dog named Coco. La Playita is a lovely, secluded hotel located right on the beach.

Upon our arrival, we were met by the owner, Alberto, who greeted us along with Coco and gave us a tour. I was happy with the surroundings and the reception. We stayed there for four nights and spent most of our time exploring Puerto Rico.

The service was excellent; the staff was pleasant; my issues were with the room; since I was traveling with my family of three, I requested two beds instead of a king bed that I would generally reserve when traveling with just my wife.

The beds were old and uncomfortable, making noise at every twist and turn. I am 6.1, so my feet were hanging out. My first night was horrible. I barely slept, and to make things worse, there was a couple next door making out throughout the night; being a light sleeper, I could not sleep at all. They were banging against the wall very loudly, so I hoped my daughter was still asleep because I didn't want to answer her questions the following day.

The pillows were also uncomfortable, and my wife and I woke up with neck pain. It was so bad that we started looking for a new hotel for the remaining nights, but my wife convinced me to stay since we would not be refunded and were planning to spend most of our time out.

There was a roach in our room, which we ended up killing. We didn't mention anything to the owner since he was so welcoming and nice. We made the best of it, exploring Puerto Rico, its food, beaches, and culture.

Overall, I would recommend it to anyone, but don't put your expectations too high. Plan to have breakfast out because the complimentary breakfast consists of apples, pastries, and coffee. Coco will steal your heart, and by the time you leave, you will fall in love with Coco. We ended up taking some pictures with her.

The place is very nice, with a nice ocean view, and has the potential to become one of the most attractive, secluded hotels if the owner makes some improvements in the rooms...