I do not even know where to begin, this was the best vacation my wife and I have ever been on. The whole staff was exceptional from the minute we walked on site after we were personally greeted by the manager Felipe. Jose and Melvin were the best, room service was great and the maid cleaned our room perfectly everyday. I am wondering if some of the negative reviews I read prior to going were written for the wrong resort. I must say the resort is beautiful as well as very well kept. Everyday the landscapers were hard at work keeping the resort in top notch condition. As you may have read swimming in the ocean off the beach can be done, but is not the best, consider this if swimming in the ocean is important to you, for me I prefer the pool so it was not an issue for me. As far as the people complaining about the prices being too expensive, come on folks you are on a beautiful resort, you get what you pay for, and if you think it is too expensive then maybe you should consider staying in a hotel and not on a resort. Getting around is requires a little work and research, Jose and Melvin were very helpful with this; I would recommend speaking with them prior to making any plans outside the resort. Things you must do are visit old San Juan, plan for a full day if you want to see everything, and rent a car for the day. I also say you must go to El Yunque rainforest, it is close by and a must do.

My wife and I stayed here from 29 Jun - 5 Jul. First of all, as I have learned from many reviews off Trip Advisor, don't believe everything you read. The only thing I have read consistently with any accuracy is the need to get a rental car.

Let's break it down. Rooms were spacious and well kept. The first night we arrived the maid never came by, but it was minor to us. We had plenty of towels and only slept in our bed for a night. I gave them the benefit of doubt and never complained, and to there credit we never had that problem again. They called us daily to see when we would like housekeeping to come by. Yes, the room had a bit of a musty smell, but it wasn't due to the lack of cleanliness. A candle fixed that. We even had an extra fridge in our suite so we were able to keep our own supplies readily cold in our room for consumption.

Property was awesome. We were in villa 924 with ocean view and yes, it was a bit of a walk to the main resort and pool, but that was how we liked it. We enjoyed our daily walk to and from the pool/resort. The scenery was amazing so we enjoyed taking in all of it during the walk.There was never a time that as we walked to and from our room, a staffer with a golf cart stop to offer a ride.

Never ate in any of the restaraunts since we had a rental and wanted to experience Puerto Rican food while in Puerto Rico rather than Japanese or Italian. We ate daily at the pool grill for lunch and it was decently priced. C'mon folks, a $9 Cheeseburger with fries is the norm. If you want a value meal, then stay close to a McDonald's. Same goes for the drinks. I don't know where some of the reviewers normally go, but where I am from and where I have been $5-$10 for a drink is norm. Bartenders took care of us and never skimped on alcohol content.

Try to stay during the week if possible. Service is different when the volume increases, but that's to expect anywhere. One thing I was frustrated by was the parking situation on the weekend. There was so many guests and so many people visiting guests, parking was non-existent beginning on Thursday and no one in the hotel seemed to care whether you found a spot or not. We ended parking on the other side of the resort. A small discrepany, but definitely something that needs attention. That Friday we had a problem at the pool grill too. The servers didn't have a grip (nor cared) on who had what tables so several families waited for some time to even get to order a drink. A couple next to us called management and to their credit the grill was swarmed with management and additional staffers within minutes. They personally stopped by our tables, took orders, and comp'd drinks and food for the inconvenience. Every resort working on that scale is likely to have problems. It's how they react and attempt to wrong the rights it is what counts!

There it is. Don't let such a great place/deal be overlooked because some people expect way too much even though they got a great deal. We thoroughly enjoyed it and because a few good reviews, we were prepared and it made our vacation so much better.

We had a wonderful stay at this resort. If you want a complete vacation to visit the island, rent a car.

Accomodations:
Everything was clean and well cared for. The beds were extremely comfortable (fluffy and huge). AC and cable TV, Free safe for valuables. Balcony with nice views of the resort landscape (not brick walls of adjacent buildings). Free coffee; (buy bottled water and beverages for minifridge).

Pool:
Great! Warm waters. Can sunbathe on "island platforms" within the pool or nearby Coco Beach. Watch for the friendly hermit crabs that children like to collect.

Food:
We had been worried about eating at the hotel because of the other reviews, but the resort is located just off Route 3 with malls, supermarkets, a pharmacy, fast food places, and a deli nearby.
For breakfast, there's also a stand called Gran Melia Cafe that sells juices, coffee, and sandwiches. We opted for Coco-Sweet Bakery & Deli (located by the highway exit for the resort).
The resort food was delicious also; we had the churrasco with yucca fries and salad ($14) at the Wet pool grill. They give an ample portion, so my husband and I shared and ordered a side, as well. (No refills for beverages).
One night, we ordered the pizza from room service ($16 + $3 service charge). We loved the way they made the crust and extra cheese.
For a typical Puerto Rican meal, the vacation concierge recommended Richie's Cafe, located at the Rio Mar hotel area a few minutes away. (Try the mofongo and guava pastelitos with "mayo-ketchup"). The place has wood sculptures and opens up to overlook the cityscape (very romantic).
If you want quick and convenient, there are many stops along the highway as well as the food court at Belz Factory Outlet Mall, which has a variety of familiar and local options, as well as a movie theater.

Entertainment:
There are events each night and activities during the day. We caught a lobby show of a Flamenco dancer and singer to the tune of Bambolero (very festive).

Day Trips:
Belz mall, Plaza Carolina, El Yunque Rainforest, Luquillo Beach, and Old San Juan, which are all accessible through Route 3

Worship:
Several Christian churches (Jesus thank You for the whole trip!)... along Route 3.

We were very pleased.

I have traveled twice to what is now called the Gran Melia. The first time, it was a Paradisus which is run by the same company. I loved it on both occassions! At the time, it was an all-inclusive and I couldn't have asked for better food, service, and drinks! Condido, who bartends at the pool bar, makes the best drinks and is very attentive! He really wants the guests to have a great time. The restuarants were very romantic. Since this time, my boyfriend and I have traveled to other SolMelia resorts and still love Puerto Rico the best! The cons for this resort is the lack of beach (it is very rocky) and the distance to everything else in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has many wonderful beaches and places to visit. If you don't rent a car, it is very, very expensive by cab.