Fairfield by Marriott Luquillo Beach — Hotel in Puerto Rico

For our first family vacation in December since 2019, we wanted to go to someplace warm, and southern California, New Orleans, and Florida were just not going to be warm enough, so we decided to return to Puerto Rico (80+ degrees year round) after having first visited the island ten years ago.  Last time, we stayed in Manati (west of San Juan) and drove to sites and activities in Utuado, Arecibo, and San Juan.  This time, we wanted to chill more with a lot less driving around.  The Fairfield by Marriott Luquillo Beach provided for a restful, pleasant, and relaxing stay.  This is a newer hotel (maybe a little more than a year old), so every part of the facility is in good condition.  Our room was clean upon check-in and spacious for our family of four.  The room had a large flat-screen TV and plenty of outlets for charging electronics.  The beds were comfortable, and the bathroom sink counter had ample space.  Since we had more than two people in the room, more closet space and/or hanging hooks would have been helpful for hanging up towels and wet clothes, but we made do.  During our stay, our room, our floor, and the entire hotel was quiet.  We used the available hair dryer and mini-fridge, and there was also a small microwave, iron, and ironing board available in the room.  Since it wasn't too much more expensive, we splurged for the Rainforest View, which is something we normally don't do, but it was fun to see the sun and rainforest and mountains in the background as you look out the window any time of the day, but especially in the mornings.  The air conditioner in our room worked perfectly, keeping the temperature steady, never too cold.  Parking cost $17 per night, but there were plenty of available spaces, and it's a secure parking lot with a rising arm gate and attendant who can assist with questions or issues -- note that the hotel's parking entrance is shared with a casino right next door.  The fitness room is small and simple, with hand weights, medicine balls, two ellipticals with arms, one recumbent bicycle, and one or two treadmills, but no tv's on the exercise machines.  There is also a water-bottle refill station inside the fitness room.  The pool is nicely sized and clean with plenty of chairs, but beware of black birds if you try to eat outside near the pool, as we saw some patrons being stalked hungrily by the birds.  Breakfast is included for free; the selection is not wide, but the quality is good.  Items that were available during our stay included:  orange juice; apple juice; milk; coffee; tea; scrambled eggs; diced potatoes; pork bacon; turkey bacon; pork sausage links; breakfast/smoked sausage; bagels; bread; cookies (assorted flavors, e.g., chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia walnut; some crunchy, some soft and chewy); pastry/danish (apple, cheese); blueberry muffin; cream cheese; I can't believe spread; strawberry preserves; grape jelly; plain yogurt; granola; slivered almonds; cantaloupe; watermelon; honeydew melon; oatmeal (creamy texture, slightly sweet flavor); cinnamon; cereal (froot loops, frosted flakes).  Breakfast ends quite early (9:00 a.m. sharp), but that didn't bother me since I went during the first hour (6:30-7:30 a.m.); I let the rest of the family deal with the crowds since I enjoy savoring my breakfast in peace.  Included in the mandatory daily destination fee is a $25 food and beverage credit that can be deducted from your final bill for lunchtime meals enjoyed between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.; the sandwiches and sides we had were delicious.  Bicycles were available and one laundry service per stay is included, but we did not take the time to try these out.  As indicated earlier, the location of this hotel was one of the main reasons we chose to stay here.  An easy walk to Luquillo Beach takes just a few minutes, and you can pick up chairs, an umbrella, and towels before you go, as desired.  One can walk to the nearby Luquillo kiosks (food stalls), but it's also a short drive that you might prefer since there is no sidewalk for the shortest-distance walk along the street.  (Extra:  Kiosk #57 had a gentleman grilling up pinchos -- i.e., shish kebobs -- that were delicious and SO NOT expensive; choose from chicken and pork.)  Besides enjoying the ocean views at Luquillo Beach, our other must-do was to visit the El Yunque Rainforest.  From the hotel, it's an easy short drive to the entrance of the rainforest, then some nail-biting driving on curve-winding super-narrow roads until you're ready to park and hike to your heart's content.  It's also an easy drive from the hotel to the cities of Luquillo and Fajardo, the latter of which is bigger and has more conveniences (stores, restaurants, fast-food options, etc.; hint: Little Caesar's worked for us on Christmas Day.).  You can also make the straight-forward drive to visit San Juan, but that is a little farther away.  We did not fit that trip into our schedule until the last day after we checked out of the hotel, but note that if you drive into Old San Juan, you probably will run into at least a little bit of traffic, as we did before deciding that we shouldn't risk getting stuck in traffic right before heading to the airport for our departing flight.  The La Isla Restaurant staff provided excellent service (breakfast and lunch, for us), and the front desk service was outstanding as well (shout out to Janeilys (sp?), who handled our check-in and check-out; she was nice and friendly, knowledgeable and professional).  We dealt with rain showers, off and on, throughout our stay (except for the last day when we had to check out, of course!), but since it was 40-60 degrees colder at home than the 80+ degrees in Puerto Rico, who's going to complain about getting a little wet?!  The Fairfield by Marriott Luquillo Beach was in great condition, the staff was outstanding, the location was convenient to where we wanted to go, the room was comfortable, the breakfasts and lunches were delicious, and the hotel rates were...

This is the worst Marriott property I have ever stayed in, and fairly expensive at over $300/night. There was 1 person staffing the restaurant/bar the whole stay, so there was always a long long wait. They have about 100 rooms in the hotel each of which gets a $25 credit at the bar/restaurant between 11:30 am and 4:30 pm, so it took over 30 min to order and another 30 min to pay. Insufficient staff for cleaning meant our room was only cleaned once in 4 nights because they seem to have a very limited time window in which they will clean your room. he staff may start on highest floor and work down to lower levels, so maybe upper levels get cleaned earlier? The first 3 days we returned to our room before 3 pm (having left at 9 am each day) but the staff had not yet arrived to clean our room on the 2nd floor and we hung our "do not disturb sign". The day we finally got it cleaned, we saw the cleaning staff in the hallway when we arrived back at 3 pm, so we left our room at 3:30 and did not hang the do not disturb sign so they cleaned it then. We probably should have asked what time they were going to clean the rooms on the 2nd floor earlier in our stay. ||Most disappointing was the unprofessional attitude of front desk and managers. | When was the last time you went to a Marriott and someone did not care about how your stay was? You too can experience that at this Fairfield! The manager's response to our issues was dismissive at best. When we checked out and expressed our frustration with staffing levels, the front desk employee said there is low unemployment in PR so they can not hire enough staff. Interestingly, the manager's follow up email claims they had enough staff during our stay. Does that mean the front desk clerk's and my observations about low staffing was not correct? I wonder where all that staff was.||You will find noisy AC units, which can not be turned to lower fan speeds. The AC is always just blasting cold air or it is off. When the thermostat kicks in the AC is so loud it wakes you up. The glass wall for the shower is not caulked to the tile wall so a huge puddle forms on the floor and you have to use all your towels to mop it up (a problem when your towels are not replaced daily!). The parking gates are tricky (and parking costs $17 a day!), but the manager claims the parking is not run by their property directly so "we regret any issues you experienced during your stay." The manager claims no one else complained about it, so it must be my problem. Funny, the front desk worker knew exactly what we were talking about when we told her about our parking issue, and she gave us a new card, but this manager thinks it is my problem....I do not know if this is the same manager who felt it was necessary to speak with the bartender twice in one hour on an evening when the bar/restaurant was really busy but did not do anything to help the bartender, like bus tables or take orders or deliver food. Clearly the bar/restaurant was not his...

My stay at Fairfield Inn Luquillo Beach had its highs and lows. Upon arrival, check-in was very busy, and the initial welcome wasn’t great. However, once I reached the front desk, Jeremias completely turned things around. Despite the long line and pressure, he remained warm, patient, and professional. He took his time checking us in, explained everything clearly, and made sure we felt valued. In today’s world, customer service like his is rare—he is precise, kind, and a true leader. The hotel has a gem in him!||Another standout was Alexander, who works the night shift. I’m an early riser, waking up around 5:30–6:00 AM to head to the beach for sunrise, and every morning, I asked him for towels. Not only was he always kind and smiling, but he also answered my countless questions about beaches and tours. He genuinely cares about guests, and both Alexander and Jeremias deserve a raise and promotions.||The Pros:|✔️ Location: Just a 2-minute walk to the beach. Super convenient!|✔️ Great Pool: A nice spot to relax.|✔️ Free Breakfast: Served 6:30 AM – 9:00 AM (but get there early).|✔️ Amenities: Laundry, gym, and pool.||The Cons:|❌ Short-staffed: The hotel gets busy and can feel chaotic, almost like a flea market.|❌ Bar Service Issues: The bar is severely understaffed, often running out of food. You could be standing there for 30 minutes with no acknowledgment because one person is handling drinks, food orders, and deliveries to the pool.|❌ Breakfast Runs Out: If you arrive after 8:30 AM, don’t be surprised if there’s no food left.|❌ Pool Area Maintenance: When the pool gets busy, wet towels pile up since no one is actively cleaning them up.|❌ Inconsistent Front Desk Service: Besides Alexander and Jeremias, customer service is hit-or-miss. Some front desk staff seem uninterested, or don’t acknowledge guests waiting in line.|❌ Beach Chair Confusion: Asking for beach chairs was frustrating—at 7 AM, it’s “too early”, at 5 PM, it’s “too late”, yet people are returning them at 7 PM. There needs to be clearer policies and better communication among staff.|❌ Musty Carpet & Smell: The carpet has a noticeable musty odor, which could be an issue for those with allergies. Luckily, I had some spray with me.|❌ No Real View: Don’t expect scenic views—this is more of a budget hotel with fluctuating prices based on the season.||Final Thoughts:|This hotel has so much potential, but they need to work on staffing, consistency, and maintenance to create a smoother guest experience. Jeremias and Alexander were the bright spots in my stay, providing truly excellent service. If management focuses on improving these key areas, this could be a great hotel choice for Luquillo Beach travelers.||⭐️⭐️⭐️☆...