I stayed at Casa Candela over Spring Break. Pablo was very accomodating for holding the reservation without my credit card info and was incredibly friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Staying in Old San Juan was a real treat and I plan to visit Casa Candela again. I only suggest that fellow visitors bring a pair of shower shoes and a portable DVD player for down time. Also, stop by Han Cream (yes that is the correct spelling) for great Chinese food and La Bombonera for excellent Puerto Rican fare. I had a great time in Puerto Rico and will visit again and again.

why this property is so great and why it wouldn't work for everyone.

first a little about us: myself-25 male, 2 others-24 female.
enjoy going out for drinks, trying local restaurants, and bars or clubs in the evening. we're used to staying at hostels or hotels, being budget conscious, but well researched.

immediately prior to our trip, i spent 3 nights looking for the perfect budget hotel. I went on the trip with myself, girlfriend and another friend. After much debate over where and how much we should spend on a hotel, I finally made the decision and contacted Pablo, the owner, to book the room at 10pm the night prior to departure.
we booked through email, and he said we would have nothing to worry about when we got there. We were not nervous because of all the other reviews we read about this place, assured us that there would be nothing to worry about booking by email. We called when we arrived and he had teresa meet us out front.

we opted to rent a car, which had its pros and cons of it's own. limited parking anywhere in san juan and difficulty driving through narrow roads. We booked through Dollar rental car, but looking back on it we should have rented from Charlie rentals. They are open 24 hours a day with cheap rates.

Back to Casa Candela. Finding the place was difficult but amazingly enough we found it rather quickly. (side note: Dollar rental car maps are horrible, find a GOOD map immediately after arrival) Even though it is a little difficult to find, once you've been there once you'll know for the rest of the trip. Ask taxi to take you to BARU restaurant/bar/lounge in Old San Juan, and Casa Candela is right next door.

The room:
Large room with private shower and balcony, with queen size bed and a/c. Well priced, call them for pricing or email them for pricing. Teresa, is the manager on duty if Pablo is unavailable. She greeted us and answer any questions on what to do and where to stay away from. Pablo greeted us later in the evening after we returned from dinner. The room was cheap, BEST location for people like us, and safest areas we've found after countless hours of research.
(side note #2: anywhere you stay in Puerto Rico, be sure to purchase a mosquito repellant incents from Pueblo market or Walgreens.)
downsides: low water pressure from around 8pm-3am, due to the cruises ships refilling their tanks at the harbor. Three flights of stairs, not suitable for elder travelers. parking is difficult, but there is a nearby parking garage in case you can't find streetside parking,don't expect it to be a holiday inn express, beach access. If you're looking to walk out of your hotel and get to the beach, this is not your place.

upsides: location, location, location. walking distance to everywhere you need to go in old san juan. restaurants and bars right outside the front doorstep. short walk to el morro fortress.
ambiance. the look and feel of living in the middle of old san juan was worth every penny. cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, boutique stores, and chic restaurants.
spacious room, great views, nice artwork. Some rooms are considerably smaller than the one we were staying in, but the upgrade is worth it. Roof top access to see the views and or have a few drinks. No tv or phone, which is an upside, makes you get out and about among all san juan has to offer. Price was unbeatable.

recommended restaurants:
Baru, is a tapas bar with a great ambiance. Pricey, but a good place to splurge on.
La Bombanero, cheap food, great cafe con leche and pastries. Good for breakfast and lunch. 80 year old restaurant, with an 80 year old espresso machine.

recommended places to go:
culebra- is a ferry ride from Fahardo. with some of the most untainted beaches in Puerto Rico. We didn't make it there, but we wish we could've. our biggest regret.

bacardi factory - free drinks, cheap rum for purchase afterwards. 5 liters max per person to bring back to the states. free tour.

seafarers inn - best internet cafe, nice restrooms, awesome views of old san juan. designed for ship crew members to go and relax after they port for the evening.

el yunque - 45 mins - 1 hr 15 mins by rental car. two nice waterfalls to view. la coco and mina waterfall. nice hiking.

luquillo - nice beaches not too crowded!

shopping - many boutique shops, if you're looking for a mall type. go to plaza de americas (i can't really remember the name).

I hope this review is helpful for everyone.

Overall Casa Candela was exactly what we were looking for.

Puerto Rico and Old San Juan are fantastic and I have been there countless times, so when I saw a review for this place I thought it would be nice to check it out. Pablo, the owner, is a nice guy and helpful, the location of the place are ideal, there is nice art work throughout the building and the building has a lot of potential, however those were the only positives.

If you do not know old san juan, it may be a little difficult to find the place since there is not a clear sign posted for the bar on the ground floor or the actual place. To add confusion, there is a bar down the road with a similar name (candelas).

I stayed because of location and all I wanted was a clean comfortable room to sleep in at night but I was sad to say that the room that I stayed was not comfortable and the shower, the sink and toilet were literally all in the room (so the other person would see you when you did your business unless the other person left the room). Forget about using the common bathrooms (I am not a prima donna I have no problem staying in at chain inn which are very clean.)

When the bar on the ground floor is open, forget about showering since the building probably does not have a pump to maintain the water pressure in the bathrooms on the third floor. If you do not know that in advance it can be frustrating after a long day of walking in the Puerto Rican sun. When the bar is open, the music can be easily heard on the third floor so if you are a light sleeper it can be a problem (after exploring the old city it was not a problem for us though)

At present, this place is more appropriate for a person who prefers to stay at a youth hostel and their ultimate concern is saving money for beer.

I am so happy that I came to Trip Advisor for tips from others.
My friend and I came to celebrate our birthdays at the beginning of this month. We found the place delightful! Pablo, the owner was delightful and had so many reccomends. He was great.
The place is located on a strip of bars and clubs exploding with wonderful music and beautiful people. I would definitly reccomend this place to singles and couples. We will be going back.. and this is where we will stay..