Rivas said the project generated 325 jobs during the construction phase, and there are about 65 employees currently on staff. The 151-room hotel, located one block from the beach, features 33 suites with kitchenettes in the north tower, adjoining rooms available in the south tower, a cocktail lounge, and a restaurant that serves complimentary breakfast. “One of the good things about having suites on the north tower is that those rooms are double the size of any regular room that our competitors have,” Rivas said.
Hotel amenities include free WiFi, an outdoor pool, a spa, an exercise facility, and a 24-hour business center. “We’re definitely taking some of the market from the Marriott,” said Rivas, referring to the beachfront San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino up the street. Rivas says the Best Western charges approximately $100 to $139 a night, whereas the Marriott typically costs about $240. Based on Medallia hotel satisfaction scores, guests feel the hotel provides good value for their money.
The Condado Palm is also taking market share from its IHE sister property, La Concha, which hosts more than 70 weddings a year. If wedding guests can’t afford the $390 nightly rate, the staff refers them to the Best Western, which is only a five-minute walk away.
So far the hotel has been attracting mostly business and leisure travelers, with about 10 percent groups. High season is November through May, while a more local market stays in June and July. At the time of our visit, Rivas said the hotel restaurant was getting 321 covers for breakfast on Saturdays. “I wanted to buy rollerblades at Walgreens to keep up,” Rivas said. In August and September the staff will have to get creative about bringing groups and business travelers in, he said. The average room stay is three nights.
