Title: Beautiful Resort, But Not Worth the Hype
We stayed at El Conquistador in Fajardo, booked through Expedia. While the views and public areas are stunning, there’s a lot travelers should know. The drive from the airport took about an hour and was smooth, but check-in was a mess—long lines, our reservation wasn’t found, and it took over an hour to get our room.
The resort is massive—more like a cruise ship on land. If you’re hoping to step out of your room onto a beach or by a pool, this isn’t it. Everything requires walking or shuttles. We stayed at the marina, which was far from the main areas. Walking to your car (unless you valet) can take 20–30 minutes.
There is no beach onsite—you’ll need to take a 20-minute ferry to Palomino Island. It wasn’t impressive, especially with the sargassum. Better beaches can be found off-resort. Also, we had no hot water during our 4-day stay. The front desk dismissed the issue and never resolved it.
Food at the resort was underwhelming; local spots were far better. Staff overall were friendly, but the front desk experience was poor. This resort is ideal if you want to stay put in a huge, scenic property—but not great for a relaxed beach vacation. I’ve stayed in better places and wouldn’t return.