Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado del Mar Beach Resort — Hotel in Dorado

I cannot even begin to express my disappointment with our stay. Let me begin by saying that we travel often and average about 10 - 12 hotel stays every year. We know that things happen and some stays are not perfect, but, the staff and management always strives to be the best and always have the best interest of their guests at heart. So many things went wrong, but, the worst was when we tried to talk to the front desk manager Nayali Martinez. She was extremely rude, unprofessional, dismissed our concerns and even called me a liar. We were part of a group booking, as my sister held her wedding that weekend at the hotel. I originally booked our room in December and got my original confirmation email for the group rate.We tried to access the reservation many times, but, the site kept saying that it could not find the reservation. I spoke to my sister at the end of April to see if she could ask the representative in charge of her event to check if we still had a reservation, because we could not access it. She got back to me to inform me, that we had a reservation under their room block and had nothing to be concerned about as our room would be waiting for us when we arrive for her wedding. I get another email on May 3rd from Hilton confirming our booking. We, once again, tried to access our reservation, but, we were still unable to do so on the Hilton page. Since we never had access to the reservation, we could not add it in the app or add our Hilton Honors number. We arrive to check in, my husband asks if we have the group rate and she confirms we do and we wait for our room to be ready. We were all assigned rooms throughout the day. We finally got our room at around 5 and we walk into our warm (a/c would not go lower than 70) ocean view room and we have other members of the group in the room next to us, as we had expected. We inquired about switching to a room with a working a/c, but, hotel was at capacity. Saturday night during the wedding, my husband starts to talk to other guests and realizes that we had not been given the group rate, it was almost midnight, so we decided to talk to the front desk when we checked out the next day to inquire why were given a different rate. He ended up talking to the manager, and calls me over to tell me that we had been given a different rate, as the manager claimed we had upgraded it on the app on May 8th, 2 days prior to check in. I proceeded to explain to Ms Martinez that we had not had access to the reservation since booking, that my sister had to go thru her event representative to confirm that we had a reserved room, booked in December, under the group rate. Ms Martinez dismisses my concern very rudely and keeps saying that I booked the upgrade on the app. I tell her, once again, that we had no access to the reservation and we could not even add it to the app. My husband even tells her, that the reservation doesn’t have our Hilton Honors number, because, we tried to add it , on multiple times, and we were unable to get access to the reservation. How could we had upgraded it on the app of we were unable to add the reservation. We were both shocked and my husband proceeds to tell her that we are her guests that she sounded very unprofessional and should not be talking to guests like she was talking to us, as were just trying to address our concerns and she kept dismissing us, Ms Martinez then tells my husband that he was calling her a crazy person, again, we were shocked and we both told her no one was calling her crazy. At this point, we knew that she was incapable of handling the situation and decided to walk away and work it out with corporate. As I have said before, we travel often and we have never, ever experienced such an incompetent manager as Ms Martinez

Although, we encountered some employees, unbecoming of the Hilton brand, we had a wonderful experience with the valet, pool, breakfast, restaurant and housekeeping employees

We flew home today, exhausted due to lack of sleep in our warm room and disheartened with our stay We will never stay at this...

Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado del Mar Beach Resort

201 Dorado Del Mar Boulevard 00646 Dorado, Puerto Rico

As a seasoned travel expert with a few decades of globetrotting experience, my recent adventure to Puerto Rico offered an exquisite blend of Caribbean charm and luxury at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado del Mar Beach Resort. Dorado, a gem of Puerto Rico, provided the perfect backdrop for a sun-soaked escape from the brisk New York City January.

Upon arrival, a minor hiccup with our reservation, caused by a glitch from Priceline, was swiftly and professionally resolved by Manager Carlos Gutierrez Lopez and front desk agent Ariana Vallejo. Their exceptional service was a testament to the resort's commitment to guest satisfaction.

The Hotel: The resort, a haven of tranquility, is situated on the picturesque Dorado coastline. Our room, boasting a balcony with breathtaking views, was well worth the additional cost. The non-private beach adjacent to the property was a serene retreat, adorned with a stunning stone cove that formed a natural pool. Here, we observed the enchanting local wildlife and savored the blissful sweet air.

Poolside: The expansive pool, complete with private nooks and a sizable hot tub, never felt overcrowded despite the hotel being fully booked. The Blue Seahorse cabana cantina served a delightful array of tropical drinks and Puerto Rican specialties, with the charismatic and hardworking Rolando E.K. Figueroa ensuring every guest felt pampered. One of the hotels gems.

Resort Amenities: Embassy Suites excels in providing a plethora of activities for those who prefer to stay on-site. Among them are tennis courts, a golf driving range, pool tables, and scenic jogging paths. The on-site casino, while not my usual preference, offered an electrifying atmosphere. A fortunate stroke of luck at the slots added a thrilling twist to our stay. A $420 win!

Dining: The resort is conveniently located near three exceptional restaurants, each offering unique culinary experiences. La Rambas, reminiscent of a Barcelona wine and tapas bar, stood out with its authentic fare and exceptional service by wine steward Justin. The New York Steakhouse provided a sophisticated dining experience with a diverse menu and wine selection. Though we did not visit Orient House, its reputation for entertaining hibachi-style cooking and diverse Asian cuisine was highly recommended.

Calypso Bar: The hotel's own restaurant offered a charming setting with delicious food, an option for either room service or dining by a tranquil koi pond.

Exploring Dorado and Beyond: The region boasts a plethora of local eateries, and the resort staff are invaluable in recommending authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. For explorers like us, options like Uber or car rental are available, with Uber being my preference for engaging with locals.

Local Adventures: A day trip to Old San Juan, suggested by the hotel staff, was a highlight. We opted for a 15 minute Uber ride to the ferry in Cataño, offering scenic views and a glimpse into the lively local culture by the coast. Beautiful local restaurants, music and bars in Cataño to explore as we wait for the ferry. Off to Pier 2 to board the Ferry ⛴ for a 12 minute picturesque ride to Old San Juan. It was breath taking. The historic streets of Old San Juan, lined with colorful buildings, cobblestone streets, 16th century monuments, and rich with history, were an explorer's dream. A visit to Barrachina, the birthplace of the pina colada, was a delightful indulgence in this culturally rich area.

In conclusion, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado del Mar Beach Resort in Puerto Rico is a destination that offers both relaxation and adventure. Whether seeking a peaceful beach retreat or an exploration of local culture and cuisine, this resort and its surroundings cater to all. My comprehensive reviews of each restaurant and detailed experiences will be available shortly, providing links and further insights into this...

My wife and I stayed here for our honeymoon. We booked the oceanfront suite, and expected a nice room with a relatively quiet and romantic atmosphere from the hotel since it was away from the more touristy areas.

The pool area was pretty standard, and the view of the ocean wasn't too bad. They've installed a breakwater to allow for safer swimming - but it does take away from the view. The small beach itself was overrun with washed up seaweed, and the sand was very rough. The on-site casino is permanently closed.

Our room was very small for a suite, and was in desperate need of renovation. Rusted light fixtures, deteriorated caulking, ancient doors and furniture. Outlets in the bathroom were so worn out that they barely held any electronics in them without the plug falling out of the wall - a HUGE safety hazard. Water pressure in the shower was laughable. Air conditioning struggled to keep the room at a tolerable temperature, and several of the fan settings didn't work at all. There were no designated areas for luggage, so we had to use the living room area to store everything. We never once used it for anything else, as there wasn't enough room. Bear in mind that this was their largest and most expensive room.

There are three elevators, all of which are painfully slow and only one goes down to the basement level where the gym and laundry facilities are located. There are doors on the basement level that lead outside to the pool, but they are locked so you are stuck waiting (sometimes 10 minutes or more) for the elevator. The stairs do not go to the basement, meaning if a fire broke out in the hotel you'd be stuck down there waiting for the elevator to escape. Terrifying.

The entire time we were there, there was only ever one person working at the front desk. We waited in line for about half an hour to check in. Any time we called down to room service, no one would answer the phone. We had to call the front desk to complain, and then we'd eventually get a call back from room service. The food was mediocre at best, and the sausage pizza we ordered was made using breakfast sausage links that I fear may have been from the buffet earlier that morning. Housekeeping only came once every three days. Vending machines were not regularly stocked, and they only offered beverages. There are no snack vending machines anywhere in the hotel. The on-site "market" sells limited snacks, coffee, and some other goods but is only open five days out of the week for only 5 hours per day. Any snacks outside those limited hours required a trip to Walgreens, which was not within reasonable walking distance of the hotel (Google Maps puts it at a 45-minute round trip on foot).

The on-site massage "parlor" was a joke. The "relaxing music" during the massage was played from a YouTube video on the masseuse's cell-phone (which popped up an ad in the middle of the massage, scaring the hell out of us). The remainder of the massage was done in silence which was extremely awkward.

At no point did I see any kind of security in the hotel, and no one enforced any quiet hours. It was like a frat house. Completely overrun by high-school and college-aged kids with few parents in sight. Loud private events blasting music almost every night well into the early morning hours, complete with drunk kids riding up and down the elevators and causing a ruckus. While the pool area was supposed to be closed at 11, we regularly heard people out there at all hours of the night being extremely loud. Kids would knock on our door after midnight and then run into the elevator before the doors closed. It was total anarchy, and no one from the hotel did anything about it.

I'd be upset about our stay regardless of the circumstances surrounding our vacation, but this was our honeymoon and we spent a lot of money to stay here. It's something we can't...