Ciqala Luxury Suites

I booked Ciqala Inn & Suites with my father after seeing the beautiful photos and amenities listed online. The hotel advertised itself as a luxury suite in a safe residential area of San Juan, with free breakfast, laundry service, a rooftop pool, and modern rooms. We were excited for our stay — but the reality was very different. Hard to Find + Not Handicap Accessible The entrance is tucked away and partially hidden by trees. We passed it three times before finding it. The only way to the lobby is up a staircase, which is not handicap friendly. While checking in, my father also noticed a firearm under the counter — surprising for a hotel advertised as being in a “safe neighborhood.” Room & Hallway Condition Our room looked nothing like the listing photos. It was bare, undecorated, and had tile floors with no rugs. The hallways had cracked and broken tiles, and the smell of strong cleaner was overwhelming enough to give me a headache. Sofa Bed Issues The sofa bed was unusable. The mattress tipped backward, then folded over on top of me when I tried to sleep horizontally. I ended up folding it back into a couch and sleeping on it that way. Breakfast Not as Advertised The “free breakfast” was one egg ordered through a phone link. Even though our reservation was for two people, the system only allowed ordering for one. Every topping — cheese, onions, avocado, even an extra egg — cost extra. This was nothing like the full breakfasts shown in the listing photos. Laundry Problems The “laundry service” was a single washer and dryer for the entire hotel. The washer ate my father’s money three times, and the dryer malfunctioned twice. We lost an entire day dealing with it. Staff eventually washed his clothes for him, but they came back damp and some whites were tinted green. Rooftop: Nice View, Misleading Pool The rooftop view of San Juan was beautiful, but the “pool” was really a small hot tub next to a row of AC units. You can get great photos if you angle the camera upward. Friendly Staff The staff were kind and tried to help, especially with the laundry issues. They seemed genuinely surprised when we told them we were leaving early. We Left Two Days Early Between the misleading listing, the condition of the facilities, the breakfast situation, and the laundry problems, we left two days before our reservation ended, even though it meant losing money. Final Thoughts I understand that standards vary across countries, and I don’t expect everything to match mainland U.S. norms. The issue here was not Puerto Rico — it was that the listing overstated the hotel’s quality and amenities. I hope Ciqala updates its photos and descriptions so travelers can make an informed decision.