Rio Mar Resort and Spa, a Wyndham Grand Resort, Rio Grande

Ok...here we go...my husband and I stayed her on our first, second honeymoon(11th anniv)...and we just loved it...the service is SUPERB! Here are our tips: Rent a car...u'll be sorry if you don't. They charge ridiculous amounts for transp.! and self park....half the time the parking lot arm is broken...but we did valet a couple of days. All phone calls are long distance...even if you do not have to dial a "1" I called the front desk and asked if local calls were free...she said yes...i proceeded to give her the number and she said...oy yes...that's local...well it wasn't...to the tune of 75 bucks on my bill! they took it off..but it took a minute...also, check your bill often...they also charged us $1200, 2 days in a row! CHECK YOUR BILL-(and they charged us for parking twice after we left!) DO NOT schedule activities thru the resort...they charge you like 3 times the amount if you go on your own. We went through the rain forest for FREE and they hotel was charging like 50 bucks a person! We went horseback riding through the rain forest at Hacienda Caribali for $30 pp. (right across the street from the hotel)...the hotel was offering the same thing for $93pp! We went snorkeling and snuba for $79pp...hotel was 180pp! DO NOT eat at the hotel..super expensive and not that great...we ate there one night and were dissapointed. We were told about these "kiosks" down the street..when you get to the light at 3 make a left and go to the second traffic light and make a left, they are numbered 1-61...it's like a mini food mall of restaurants..VERY good eats! #2 is our FAV- La Parrilla(we ate there twice)!YUM-O! #9 is good also, and if you are looking for like a sports bar like spot...#60 is for you.The Lobby Bar is a happening spot at night, they have live music...and is REAL lively late at night.We drove out to old san juan one day to sight see and shop(bout 20-30 min drive)...great day! This place is perfectly placed...it not too far away from everything, and far enough away from all the noise. We had a fabulous time. We enjoyed our room...well, our second room...we are timeshare owners with Wyndham and if you think you're going to get the "vip" treatment, think again, this resort is NOT a timeshare resort, we didn't know that...nevertheless, when we checked in...i had reserved a room with a king bed and an ocean view...well what we got was a REALLY nice king room with NO balcony and 2 windows that didn't open on the 2nd floor right outside the kids pool....NOT happening! we were moved the next day to the 7th floor ocean view. The room was smaller....but the view was worth it. We never closed our balcony door the whole time we were there...even while sleeping, the weather was great. I know the forcasts say it rains alot, but it may rain for like 5 min in the morning and that's it...it rained once at night while we were there...but overall...perfect weather. Oh...be sure and visit Don Q in old san juan...free rum...no really...all u can drink! it's supposed to be a tasting...but u can taste all day! we didn't got to bacardi...cause we can get that at home. Overall...the resort is absolutely beautiful and the Puertoriccan people are sooo nice...everyone was so pleasant and welcoming and willing to tell you where to go to eat and play. Also, Noel at the towel hut is extremely helpful...and friendly! will wrap you up for about 20 minutes..but well worth it! also, the little spot outside the casino has the BEST cheesecake i have ever had in my life! and i can tell you this because i'm not there anymore...but it goes fast! i actually had to share one night...yes...i got cheesecake everynight....i was on vacation...right?? hope this helps when visiting! oh....sign up for their wyndham rewards online and you get all kinds of free stuff...like room upgrades and fruit. We had a ball! Perfect Location for the Perfect Vacation! We will definitely be back. They are building a timeshare resort! Now that will be awesome!

I was stung the first night and I think the bugs came in the room thru the window! Don't let your rooms and windows open specially at night.... I was bitten all over my body, legs , arms and I couldn't even enjoy the new year's eve as I was itching all over...... They are nasty bugs and I wouldn't go back.... The resrot is isolated and no place to go exept the casino and the expensive restaurants..... It rained most of the time. I was there 12/26/08-1/5/09...not the best time I guess! Couldn't go to San Juan as it's far away costs $75 one way! Over all don't bother!

We got a package with Priceline that included airline tickets and room at Rio Mar. We felt that $700 per person for 7 nights wasn't bad. We usually stayed at a guesthouse in Ocean Park, now unfortunately closed, and are now forced to look for other options. From reading the reviews by others I was a little worried wether we were going to enjoy our vacation or not. Well, we did! The property is gorgeous. Pricey? yes it is. Can you get around that? yes, of course. If you have all the money in the world or no worries on how much to spend, go for it enjoy it, you might even stay somewhere nicer. But for those of us who are not rich and only get the maybe-once-a-year vacation we need to watch out for a few things. Ok here we go based on our experience. Rent a car and use the self park option. It was $15 a day when we were there,$20 for valet. Luckily what could have been a $105+ charge came to only $30+ because all week the mechanic arms on the lot were broken. Carry your own luggage when you get to the hotel. Do everything yourself unless your ready to pay for the service. We got a fridge in our room for one charge of $25. Drinks at Tikki Bar were $10+, a little much but food was good (not excellent). Early the next day we drove to the nearest supermarket and bought snacks, breakfast items and drinks. Noticed many people that brought their own drinks to pool and beach. Tikki bar however does have a daily special drink for $6+. For dinner we drove to nearby places. If there's one thing that there's plenty off in PR is places to eat so don't worry. Plus anything local would be most likely very affordable. Except for those who bluntly take advantage of having a resort like Rio Mar nearby and spike up their prices like Richies just up the road. Beautiful view and excellent service and food but still way too pricey. Just a short drive from the resort along the main road (Rte. 3) you'll find many options. We had dinner at Metropol, Pollo Tropical. When we visited Old San Juan we went to El Jibarito on Calle Sol. In Condado we ate at Cielito Lindo and at Casita Blanca in Santurce. At the bottom of the hill just before the traffic light to the left there's a small bakery that offers delicious breakfast. We went there twice and spend no more than $15 both days for both of us. The first time we had two sandwiches, corn meal, coffees, orange juice and the local paper, all this under $15, we couldn't believe it. The room was nice, with a great view of El Yunque that we really enjoyed. We were on the 5th floor which was nice. I recommend the higher floors. We thought the room was very clean, nice space, loved being able to sit outside on the porch every morning for breakfast or to have a drink and a snack during the day. Only problem with the room surfaced five days later towards the end of our stay when we found out that our room was part of a suite and that the mysterious door behind the fridge could connect us with the room next to us. Once there was someone staying on the next room we could hear everything plus the guy seemed to have a some sort of problem and would cough and hack all night it was truly annoying. So I recommend making sure that you request a room that's not part of a suite, I'll certainly will if we ever go back. Over all we just wanted to relax. And relax we did. Our routine for the week we were there was to sleep late, eat breakfast (never from the resort), spend a couple of hours at the beach, then jump into the pool ( the pools are great and there's an adult only pool free of kids, great!) for a while and then in the afternoon do anything else if we felt like it like drive somewhere or visit relatives and such. Then dinner (never at the resort) and back to the resort. Couple of times we took a late night dip in the pool or the hot tub nearby or just watch TV and relax before going to bed. Watch out for all the hidden charges, check your folio frequently for errors. Enjoy!

We didn't want to pay $100/night for an upgrade to an ocean view, but we got a mountain view where we could see El Yunque. It was absolutely beautiful, and there was no extra fee for that one. The rooms were nice, and most of the people were friendly and eager to help. We did get the occasional person with an "attitude", like the guy that checked us in, but that was rare. The pool area was great and never a shortage of lounge chairs. The beach access was awesome, with workers eager to set you up with an umbrella and lounge chair for no extra fee. Puerto Rico was more beautiful than we expected. The landscaping on the hotel grounds was beautiful and lush. I wish we could've stayed longer. On a bad note...the only thing we didn't like was Don Pepes, the restaurant down the road that the hotel recommended. (but NOT affiliated with the Rio Mar) Prices were as high as on the resort (very high), for a little hole in the wall place with HORRIBLE service. The "manager" was a total $#@. We ordered nachos that took forever, and when they came out, they were stale and we were told there was no guacamole. (why they didn't tell us before is beyond me because I wouldn't even want nachos w/out guac). When I noticed the sour cream, I figured that could make up for the guac and asked for extra. We also asked for extra salsa since we had 2 orders of nachos and 2 orders of quesadillas. When I got the bill, I was shocked to see they charged us for every extra salsa and sour cream. I tried to say that they should've warned us when we asked, but the waitress/manager gave us major attitude. I couldn't believe how rude she was about it. It totally ruined one of my nights in Puerto Rico. If you're smart, you WON'T ever give this place any business. Definitely not worth the price and the service really sucks! And the food we ordered was so not worth it! Eat at the resort if you want to pay those prices. They are much more pleasant and have a much better atmosphere.

Wonderful service, attentive staff in the restaurants. While a bit pricey the restaurants did offer decent meals. But a bit of local food on the menu would be appreciated. The beach was terrific, and the pools were great. Would absolutely go back. Yes it is not located near anything, but that is why we chose it. A great place to just unwind and enjoy the sound of wave on the beach.

My husband and I stayed at this resort for our honeymoon last August (2007). Overall, we loved it. It is gorgeous and beatifically landscaped. The location is ideal for a getaway. The pool was absolutely wonderful. The beach is just footsteps away and gorgeous. The restaurants are quite pricey but decent. We did not enjoy Marbella's at all but loved Shima's. Obviously, this is not the place to stay if you are on a budget. Everything is quite pricey, from the restaurants to the tours but worth it. We splurged and had fun.

very nice golf course, excellent overall service. great steaks at hotels main restaurant. very nice beach and pool. casino was nice too. very close to el Junque and Fajardo/Luquillo beaches.

Went for a conference arrived late notifed hotel we would be late and they gave up our room. When we arrived they made us walk around the resort for 3 hours (we had just traveled for 7 hours) while they found a room for us. The room overlooked the laundry building which we heard the loud humming all night. Asked 4 days in a row to be moved to a different room, every time we asked we were told sure and they would call us when one was available. We are still waiting for that call! Food was very expensive for what you got. We paid 63.00 for a buffet breakfast of nothing fancy. Most of the staff was very friendly, except at the front desk. The beach was closed for 3 days which is not there fault but they could have cut the prices of there excursions since there was nothing else to do. Just a trip to see the rainforest would have cost around 150.00 for 2 people. All I can say is at least the beds were quite comfortable.

For years we've been enjoying the Rio Mar Resort seasonally. Our favorite time of the year is February, although we also love the ocean during the summer. We are very dissapointed at Wyndham's new administration of the resort. They have spent millions refurbishing and remodeling the casino and some areas at the hotel, but have spent little else at the resort. The golf courses are very badly kept compared with the previous administration. The tennis center, once renowned, receives no upkeep and the roads leading to it are filled with potholes. I heard Wyndham is planning on building over 800 time-share units at the resort. To do that, they will significantly alter and shorten the golf courses and will eliminate the entire tennis center! Management at the hotel and a 7th floor "presentation" of the Wyndham Vacation Club Ownership confirmed these plans to us. We were so dissapointed! The resort is not only loosing it's charm already, but it is on the way of practical extinction as we know it and towards a very unattractive concept. The food has not improved and is even pricier now. Parking is still scarce (has always been a problem) and also expensive. The ammenities in general are less than before while prices are not to par with offerings. Also, they are building huge beachfront projects that have already taken away most of the views to the ocean and the natural landscape is rapidly dissapearing. What a pity!

The hotel is old and in need of updating. The plumbing is terrible and we listened to pipes rattling so loud you would think they were going to burst. No exaggeration. When I called the front desk they lied and said they were trying to repair an ice maker. After my next 5 calls they admitted that they had plumbing problems and could move me to a parlor and set up temporary beds. You've got to be kidding. The concierge was terrible. We booked a day shuttle into Old San Juan. We were told that we would have a few hours to shop and have lunch. Well after getting there we were only allowed 1 hour to shop and have lunch. So we skipped trying to gulp down food and hit a couple of stores. Then we were returned to the Hotel an hour earlier than was on the schedule! When I complained to the concierge he (Angel) said oh well. I talked to others from the hotel and they had similar experiences. This place had the potential with a quiet out of the way location, but it doesn't cut it. Stay away from this property if you want to have a good time. I could go on and on about more problems but I think I have said enough. I actually will add that the wait staff at the Marbella restaurant was polite.