Rincon Beach Resort — Hotel in Puerto Rico

Overall, this place is great! But like any other resort, it definitely has its flaws. For full disclosure, here is our travel info and all our pros and cons:

*I was on a game show and won this vacation (airfare and 6 night stay at Rincon Beach Resort). So we only had to pay for food for this trip. *My husband and I travel very frequently, mostly all in the US, first time to PR. *We're in our 30s, love great food, ocean views and relaxation (preferably kid-free), not big on crazy night-life/party scene, not picky or high maintenance people by any means.

*NOTE!! - The beach is basically non-existent. There are still old pre-Maria photos online, not accurate. There is roughly a 15' stretch of sand within a tree area full of weeds. I wouldn't even call it a beach. There are great beaches nearby, though!

*Rent a car!!! You can't get anywhere on this side of the island without one. Uber is not in this area. I cannot stress this enough. We almost didn't and are glad we did.

Room: -We originally were put in a "villa" located in a building of the property near the main road. Almost zero view of the ocean. The room was beautifully decorated but you can tell they did the "landlord special" with the kitchen. Cabinets were sloppily painted on the outside and the insides were stinky and some even had mold. The room itself smelled wet and musty. After two nights of asking (with them insisting that was their "best" room and shocked we didn't like it) they moved us to a room upfront, full balcony with 180° ocean views (Room 308). It was MARVELOUS. Clean, breathtaking view of the ocean, smelled clean. Only real flaw was water leaked through the ceiling lights in the bathroom from floor above us (we had 2 solid days if heavy rain), but the bathroom is huge and we didn't care.

Restaurants: -The main restaurant, Brasas, is absolutely delicious. Clean, amazing food, friendly and attentive staff. Not a very big menu at all, but was great. We ate there every morning for breakfast and about 5 times for lunch or dinner. -The poolside restaurant is not open when they say it is. We were there 6 nights, 7 days... it was open once. The poolside bar, same thing. It opened on Saturday (about 2 hours late). Otherwise you could get food sometimes up on the small bar in the lobby and have it brought to you but that was also not always an option, either. -Advice: Rincon is not in a very commercialized area. Stop at a grocery store on your way, stock up on food and drinks for your room in case restaurant isn't open when they say, which seems to be the case a lot here. There are close-by restaurants only a few minutes away by car but they also have weird hours as well.

Staff: -For the most part, the staff was friendly. Wilson (front desk attendant) was super helpful and nice. Everyone else was just ok. Pool bartender was super nice and helpful, as well.

Pool: -Could use more daily cleaning and maintenance. Definitely a good power washing more often but overall was refreshing and nice. Hot tub, same thing. -Some chairs were broken, missing cushions, etc. But overall fine.

General: This resort could be a 5-star, phenomenal resort if it was taken care of better. The location is perfect, the rooms aren't bad (most), the layout is gorgeous. But it needs better maintenance and more regulated bar and restaurant hours. If they fixed this, this honestly could be one of the nicest places in PR. Until they fix stuff up, it's nice but not amazing. Would we go back? Yes. We like the smaller, quieter vacation spots like this one. But we definitely would know what rooms to ask for and we would grocery shop...

We stayed in the Junior Suite and I cannot deny the beauty of the ocean view. The view and a pool is all this hotel had to offer during our stay. As I read through some of the other recent reviews it appears to me by the copy and paste response to most reviews the hotel is not taking reviews seriously. The luxury jacuzzi tub they advertised was not clean. There was visible sludge/grime on inside walls of the tub. The shower has a shelf for sitting or putting your toiletries. That did not seem clean either upon running my hand over it in a dusting motion with the shower running I could feel dirt and who knows what else rubbing away. I am glad that I did not stay in the Honeymoon suite as the jacuzzi tub area from the photos is clearly located outside with half windows providing no privacy as I could see the guests from the pool below. Check in is at 4pm or after and the pool side bar and grill are set to close at 5pm. With this late of a check in time they do not allow you to partake in these amenities unless you are potentially staying for multiple days. The pool side bar and grill were closed for the entirety of my stay including the next day until I checked out at 12. Bar and restaurant hours are posted in the images provided. (Bar 4pm-11pm Restaurant 5:30pm-10pm) We decided let’s go to the beach and pool then we can get dinner and drinks. The beach walkway is full of debris and is unkept. Where I know the hotel cannot control the upkeep within the water I feel the need to let people know the area is extremely rocky and did not appear safe for swimming. The pool seemed clean and kept and was not too crowded. We swam in the evening to enjoy the sunset and night scenery. I wish they would have turned off the very bright spotlights that pointed down to the pool. It had nice bright blue lights that are diminished by the spotlight. These light are on all night long and take away from the beauty. We finished with the beach and pool by 8:30pm went to the very apparent empty bar to find a sign that stated please go to the restaurant for drinks. (No problem short staffed everywhere) head to the restaurant to find they are closed as well. Upon asking the check in person he stated we had to go to the restaurant. We informed him the sign says closed and door is locked. He tried calling and got no answer and agreed oh they closed cause it’s slow. Then recommended if we wanted to get a drink we could drive up the road to a local bar. This is very disappointing considering they specifically state you are not to bring outside beverage or coolers so we were not allowed to provide our own beverages. Where there is always the assumption to drink responsibly I find promoting drinking and driving in addition to having all amenities closed really crappy for the cost of the stay.

If these changes of operational hours is expected or due to “off-season” then it should be noted as a disclaimer. Where this would not have detoured or plan to stay it would have allowed us the opportunity to...

I really hope people who are thinking of booking here read the reviews. High expectations will be your downfall. The resort was beautiful, the rooms are clean, the food is good and so are the drinks. The staff is very polite and friendly. It was magical to be in the pool and still see and hear the ocean. We had a Deluxe Queen Ocean View. Beautiful view from the 4th floor. AC worked great. Bathroom is brand new.

Downsides are if you have stayed in resorts in other places and are expecting an attitude of service you will be disappointed. The swim up bar is never staffed. Staff do not walk around the pool area to ask if you need anything. You cannot get room service. There is a pool side grill/bar open from 11-4pm but you have to get out the pool, go to the counter to order and they will bring it to you. But they won’t follow up or come ask if you need anything else etc.

Also it was our honeymoon which we mentioned when we booked and I inquired if there was any additions or upgrades available and was told no. I don’t expect people to now down for newlyweds but I know other resorts would at least give a free drink or tell you about any special packages. This place had none.

The place is pretty clean but there’s a lot of wildlife here. Which we loved but birds poop nonstop in the pool and on the loungers. Staff clean the loungers in the morning but the poop in the pool and anything that happens after the morning stays all day. It’s not cleaned throughout the day. By afternoon there’s tons of poop in the pool and the loungers. There was also cat or dog poop in the courtyard for three days or more (we left before it got picked up). We told three different staff people at the front desk at different shifts and it never got picked up.

The only amenities are the restaurant, the pool, kids playground and the gym. No spa, no business center, no shuttles or concierge…really think of it as a nice hotel on the coast. The beach is nonexistent. They have a patch of sand borrowed from the jungle but they don’t maintain it. It is full of trash and mosquitoes from a ditch that doesn’t drain (which can stink).

We would come back. We were happy with what we got. But if we had paid more or expected a beach or service we would have been disappointed. I don’t know what makes this place a resort; it’s better to think of it like a holiday inn that’s on the ocean without the free breakfast. It could be really nice with a little more effort which is sad.

Oh also they allow anyone to come and pay a day fee to use the pool so during the day the pool can get crowded with locals or you can stay down the street and pay a fee to come use the...