Now that the brackets are out, I want to offer those attending the Puerto Rico Tip Off as much information about the Island as possible in order to make sure you truly enjoy your visit. Feel free to PM me if you need any additional information or recommendations. Looking forward to seeing a large contingent of you!
-Tournament/Travel Dates Logistics
UConn's first game is on Thursday, November 20th at 1:30PM local time (please keep in mind that Puerto Rico does not observe daylight saving time, which means that on this date in November, Puerto Rico will be one hour ahead of Eastern Time). I strongly suggest that you arrive in San Juan on Wednesday, November 19th, at the latest in order to make sure you will get here in time for UConn's first game. If you are traveling on Thursday morning, make sure that your flight arrives in SJU on or before 11AM, so that you have enough time to, get your rental car, check in at your hotel and then get to Coliseo Roberto Clemente in time for tip-off.
The tournament ends on Sunday, November 23rd. We all expect UConn to be playing in the Championship game, which is scheduled to take place at 7:30PM. Therefore, you should not plan to return home before Monday, November 24th.
-5 San Juan Hotel Recommendations:
1. La Concha: A Renaissance Hotel (hip, recently re-built hotel in the middle of Condado area)
2. Hotel El Convento (Arguably best hotel located in Old San Juan; numerous restaurants and attractions within walking distance)
3. Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino (One of the newest hotels on the Island. Located at the Convention Center area, very close to Condado. Not much within walking distance, but centrally located if you have a car)
4. Marriott San Juan Resort & Stellaris Casino (Typical large Marriott hotel, located in Condado)
5. The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan (Technically not located in San Juan, but in Carolina, next-door to the airport. Not much within walking distance and expensive, but probably the most luxurious hotel in the Metropolitan Area)
The official tournament hotel is the Condado Plaza Hilton. It is not a bad choice, but it would certainly not be my first preference.
-5 Restaurant Recommendations:
1. Ropa Vieja Grill (Located in Condado. Cuban/Puertorrican food)
2. Cielito Lindo (Located in Condado. Best Mexican restaurant on the Island)
3. Perla (Located in La Concha Hotel in Condado. International Food. Expensive, but very nice)
4. Budatai (Located in Condado. Asian/Latin fusion)
5. Pizza e Birra (One location in Miramar, one in Old San Juan. One of the best pizzas on the Island)
-Tournament Venue
The Coliseo Roberto Clemente is an old arena with decent air conditioning. It is located right in front of Plaza Las Américas, the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean (hundreds of major stores and dozens of restaurants). The walk from the arena to the mall should take about 5 minutes. No viable public transportation to the arena from anywhere.
-Car Rental
I strongly recommend that you rent a car as public transportation here is extremely poor and taxis are very expensive. Having a car will also allow you to travel to different parts of the Island, which is a must for any visitor (do not simply stay in San Juan the whole time). All road signs are in Spanish, but it should not be difficult for you to figure what they mean even if you do not know any Spanish. The numbers on the exit signs correspond to the road kilometer where they are located (exit sign numbers are not in chronological order).
People here do not drive much differently than in the US, maybe a little slower and sloppier, although be careful with Stop (Pare) and Yield (Ceda) signs as some seem to think observing those is optional.
-Personal Security/Safety
The crime rate in Puerto Rico is higher than in most US states. But crimes usually take place in isolated areas that are nowhere near tourist areas (with the exception of Old San Juan, where you have to probably be extra careful at night). Do not do anything stupid and you should not have any problems.
-Areas to Visit and Time to Spend at Each Area
The Island is generally divided into four areas: 1. San Juan (2-4 days); 2. West Coast (Rincon, Lajas, Cabo Rojo; 2-3 days); 3. East Coast (Various resorts in this area, most notably El Conquistador, St. Regis, Coco Beach and Riomar; 2-3 days); and 4. Vieques Island and/or Culebra Island (2-3 days).
If staying for at least 7-8 days, you have plenty of time to visit all them, even if you do not stay in all the areas. If visiting only three of the areas, first decide if you want to travel to Vieques or Culebra. If not, then the decision is easy; visit the other three areas. If you want to go to Vieques or Culebra, but only want to visit three areas, leave out the west coast.
Vieques and Culebra are great options for relaxation and both have beaches recognized among the best in the world, particularly Culebra (Flamenco Beach). The East Coast is ideal for a visit to El Yunque, but the beaches are not that nice. El Yunque is only about an hour away from San Juan, so you can easily visit it on a day trip. The West Coast will provide you with a different vibe of the island, while at the same time providing the opportunity of also visiting beautiful beaches. You will get the chance to eat amazing food no matter where you go in PR.
If staying here for five days or less, Vieques and Culebra will probably not be an option, but you will still be able to take a day trip to either the East Coast or the West Coast.
-Tournament/Travel Dates Logistics
UConn's first game is on Thursday, November 20th at 1:30PM local time (please keep in mind that Puerto Rico does not observe daylight saving time, which means that on this date in November, Puerto Rico will be one hour ahead of Eastern Time). I strongly suggest that you arrive in San Juan on Wednesday, November 19th, at the latest in order to make sure you will get here in time for UConn's first game. If you are traveling on Thursday morning, make sure that your flight arrives in SJU on or before 11AM, so that you have enough time to, get your rental car, check in at your hotel and then get to Coliseo Roberto Clemente in time for tip-off.
The tournament ends on Sunday, November 23rd. We all expect UConn to be playing in the Championship game, which is scheduled to take place at 7:30PM. Therefore, you should not plan to return home before Monday, November 24th.
-5 San Juan Hotel Recommendations:
1. La Concha: A Renaissance Hotel (hip, recently re-built hotel in the middle of Condado area)
2. Hotel El Convento (Arguably best hotel located in Old San Juan; numerous restaurants and attractions within walking distance)
3. Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino (One of the newest hotels on the Island. Located at the Convention Center area, very close to Condado. Not much within walking distance, but centrally located if you have a car)
4. Marriott San Juan Resort & Stellaris Casino (Typical large Marriott hotel, located in Condado)
5. The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan (Technically not located in San Juan, but in Carolina, next-door to the airport. Not much within walking distance and expensive, but probably the most luxurious hotel in the Metropolitan Area)
The official tournament hotel is the Condado Plaza Hilton. It is not a bad choice, but it would certainly not be my first preference.
-5 Restaurant Recommendations:
1. Ropa Vieja Grill (Located in Condado. Cuban/Puertorrican food)
2. Cielito Lindo (Located in Condado. Best Mexican restaurant on the Island)
3. Perla (Located in La Concha Hotel in Condado. International Food. Expensive, but very nice)
4. Budatai (Located in Condado. Asian/Latin fusion)
5. Pizza e Birra (One location in Miramar, one in Old San Juan. One of the best pizzas on the Island)
-Tournament Venue
The Coliseo Roberto Clemente is an old arena with decent air conditioning. It is located right in front of Plaza Las Américas, the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean (hundreds of major stores and dozens of restaurants). The walk from the arena to the mall should take about 5 minutes. No viable public transportation to the arena from anywhere.
-Car Rental
I strongly recommend that you rent a car as public transportation here is extremely poor and taxis are very expensive. Having a car will also allow you to travel to different parts of the Island, which is a must for any visitor (do not simply stay in San Juan the whole time). All road signs are in Spanish, but it should not be difficult for you to figure what they mean even if you do not know any Spanish. The numbers on the exit signs correspond to the road kilometer where they are located (exit sign numbers are not in chronological order).
People here do not drive much differently than in the US, maybe a little slower and sloppier, although be careful with Stop (Pare) and Yield (Ceda) signs as some seem to think observing those is optional.
-Personal Security/Safety
The crime rate in Puerto Rico is higher than in most US states. But crimes usually take place in isolated areas that are nowhere near tourist areas (with the exception of Old San Juan, where you have to probably be extra careful at night). Do not do anything stupid and you should not have any problems.
-Areas to Visit and Time to Spend at Each Area
The Island is generally divided into four areas: 1. San Juan (2-4 days); 2. West Coast (Rincon, Lajas, Cabo Rojo; 2-3 days); 3. East Coast (Various resorts in this area, most notably El Conquistador, St. Regis, Coco Beach and Riomar; 2-3 days); and 4. Vieques Island and/or Culebra Island (2-3 days).
If staying for at least 7-8 days, you have plenty of time to visit all them, even if you do not stay in all the areas. If visiting only three of the areas, first decide if you want to travel to Vieques or Culebra. If not, then the decision is easy; visit the other three areas. If you want to go to Vieques or Culebra, but only want to visit three areas, leave out the west coast.
Vieques and Culebra are great options for relaxation and both have beaches recognized among the best in the world, particularly Culebra (Flamenco Beach). The East Coast is ideal for a visit to El Yunque, but the beaches are not that nice. El Yunque is only about an hour away from San Juan, so you can easily visit it on a day trip. The West Coast will provide you with a different vibe of the island, while at the same time providing the opportunity of also visiting beautiful beaches. You will get the chance to eat amazing food no matter where you go in PR.
If staying here for five days or less, Vieques and Culebra will probably not be an option, but you will still be able to take a day trip to either the East Coast or the West Coast.
