First of all I need to explain that we are not picky travelers. We have camped and stayed in many basic accomodations throughout the world. We prefer locally owned lodging that provide a sense of the culture we are visiting.

We stayed one night at the Casa Candela, April 2, 2008 It was a bad experience. We stayed there based on the previous post ings and the personal reference of a friend. Both indicated that Teresa was the manager and while not a fancy place, it was clean and comfortable - which is what we look for. Unfortunately, Teresa has been replaced by Jim.

First we had trouble getting into the place. The door was locked and no one was there. We were very leary at this point because there wasn''t any type of sign that indicated that the place was Casa Candela. It took several phone calls and messages to reach either Pablo, the owner, or Jim , the manager. In the mean time we were left standing on the side walk with our bags unsure if we should look for other lodging. Pablo finally called back. He arrived about 15 mionutes later and indicated that Jim was out of town and he (Pablo) didn't know that someone was expected. The place was charming and a good type of funky with lots of original art. We had a room with a private bath. Unfortunately, the bathroom WAS NOT CLEAN. The shower had hair and the cover from a disposalbe razor on the shower floor. The wash basin was dirty and the mirror was covered in spots of toothpaste. Fortunately, the sheets were clean and the bed comfortable. I was awakened throughout the night by doors opening and closing (slamming) at all hours. I could only wonder about the night traffic??

Also, the roof deck was trashy and had several broken bottles on it.

I suggest you get a copy of the Tourism Board’s Que Pasa magazine when you land at the International Aiport. It has a listing a Tourism certified lodging. We spent the rest of our week on Puerto Rico in Paradors that were listed in the magazine. The prices were reasonable and the places always clean and comfortable.

First it's important to realize that there aren't many cheap (<$100) rooms in San Juan and esp in Old San Juan. So for price this is a great deal. Found this property on Craigslist. Ended up paying $50/night for shared bathroom. Know that the property itself is a charming building with some funky art that makes for afun environment.

I had the "penthouse" for myself which was adjacent to shared rooftop which used slightly by other guests. Room was basic with a futon-type bed. Not the cleanest, but was fair value for the price. I travel a fair bit and have stayed in the best and the worst and can handle a lot so this property wasn't that bad to me. But hot water was limited and there weren't really any ammenties to speak of.

Property is located on Calle San Sebastian which is sort of the the Bourbon Street of Old San Juan. However, despite that the property was not loud. That may not be entirely true of the the 2nd floor but I can't say.

This property is probably ideal for a 20something who is looking for well-located basic affordable accomodation.

I thought this place was interesting and what a wholesome OSJ experience! The accommodations were not awesome, but Pablo and Jorge were so helpful (and so much fun) that I couldn’t think of saying our stay was neutral/average. We arrived at 5am, so the room we booked was not ready, and we had paid for one of the nicest upper floor rooms. They offered to switch us later in the day, but we decided to just stay in the original room. The bed was comfortable. NO hot water at all, but wasn’t an issue, it is hot there. Otherwise, the rooms were clean and airy (kind of felt like you were sleeping outside actually). The bars Pablo runs are all a blast (Don Pablo, La Candela, Rhomba) and they are all within walking distance of the house, so is everything else. Not just anyone could stay here, there are no luxuries. We will stay there when we return though. At the end of our trip we stayed in an apartment on the other side of OSJ where the cruise ships dock. The apartment was much nicer, however, it didn’t feel the same, we couldn’t get to things as easily and were scared to walk from San Sebastian to the apartment at night (not that it is a scary place, we are just two cautious girls). Know where you are staying – not a hotel, but a guest house in the middle of OSJ – but save some money, meet some great people and stay here.

My boyfriend and I planned a trip to Puerto Rico during Thanksgiving 2007. Before I researched everywhere for a good hostel due to our budget but everything looked pretty bad, expensive and with terrible reviews. It took me a while to find the perfect place to stay. Until I came across “Casa candela”. Off course I looked it up for reviews and surprisingly all of them were pretty good. It was perfect for what a was looking for a bohemian and cool place were we can relax, feel safe and right in heart of Old San Juan, i contacted Pablo the owner and was expecting to give him my credit card info to hold a room, but all he said was “don’t worry I have it ready for you” and it was just like that simple. We arrived on a Wednesday around 8PM and stayed 2 nights in the 50 dollar rooms which were very clean and nice. On Friday morning we left to Isla Culebra to camp in flamenco beach also very recommended and got back on Sunday to stay one more night in the 90 dollar rooms with balcony which has a great view.
I recommend this place for friends, young couples that are relaxed and want to explore Puerto Rico....

If you are a salsa lover RUMBA the downstairs club/bar it’s the best place....

Thank You Pablo
Christian y Lorena