Topic Wiki

Info for the jewish traveler
http://www.chabadpr.com/


Hotels   (feel free to add suggestions)
   Before booking any hotel check the Chabad website they have very good rates for the popular hotels that are close to them

   Ritz Carlton

   http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/SanJuan/Default.htm
        DDF'r Hotel Review
        http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg462832#msg462832
   St. Regis
   http://www.stregisbahiabeach.com/
       DDF'r Hotel Review
       http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg161581#msg161581
   El San Juan
   http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com/default-en.html
   Gran Melia
   http://www.melia.com/en/hotels/puerto-rico/coco-beach/gran-melia-puerto-rico-golf-resort/index.html
         DDF'r Hotel Review
         http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg927319#msg927319


Preferred Car Rental
   http://www.chabadpr.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2370163/jewish/Charlie-Car-Rental.htm


Kosher food
  Old San Juan
   Kosher in Paradise, Israeli style. With panini, falafel and more.  They can deliver to your hotel for a fee
   261 Fortaleza Street.
   787-244-3399
   Chabad (next to The Ritz and El San Juan)
   http://shop.chabadpr.com/   (please someone add info regarding this)


Things to do

   Bioluminescent Bay
   http://www.pureadventurepr.com/adventure_trips/bio_bay_lagoon_tour_excursion/
 
   El Yunque rainforest
   http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147324-d1448148-Reviews-The_El_Yunque_Rain_Forest-El_Yunque_National_Forest_Puerto_Rico.html

   ATV/Horseback Riding
   http://www.carabalirainforestpark.com/atv.php

   Casa Bacardi Distillery Tour- Rum Factory
   http://www.casabacardi.org/

   Explore Old San Juan-
   Castillo de San Cristobal- Old Forts in Old San Juan

   http://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm

   Vieques and Culebra
    2 small islands with fabulous beaches that, IMHO are more interesting than the main island. (and Vieques has its own biobay)

  Mini Boat Adventure
  http://www.kayakingpuertorico.com/pages/island_hop_snorkel.html


Trip Reports:

   http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg651144#msg651144

   http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg1063469#msg1063469

https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=7995.msg2616327#msg2616327
« Last edited by yelped on August 02, 2022, 04:21:34 PM »

Author Topic: Puerto Rico Master Thread  (Read 234113 times)

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #40 on: December 12, 2012, 12:35:49 PM »
Can anyone comment on what Kosher bread is available in the supermarkets there (San Juan or Rio Grande area)?  Any other DDFers going to be in the SJU area between 12/20 and 12/31? 

Anyone with a comment/suggestion?

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #41 on: December 12, 2012, 03:54:35 PM »
Can anyone comment on what Kosher bread is available in the supermarkets there (San Juan or Rio Grande area)?  Any other DDFers going to be in the SJU area between 12/20 and 12/31? 
Staying at the St Regis?

Theres a Ralphs and Walmart right nearby which have kosher products, not sure about bread.

You can order kosher food and get more info from chabad, http://www.chabadpuertorico.com/

Just to note, St Regis will charge to store and heat up food for you. Surprising at such an upscale hotel but thats what it is.

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #42 on: December 12, 2012, 04:12:10 PM »
Staying at the St Regis?

Just to note, St Regis will charge to store and heat up food for you. Surprising at such an upscale hotel but thats what it is.

Thanks for the reply.  Staying at Rio Mar in a rented golf Villa -- food would be too much of a hassle with three kids over 11 nights -- need the kitchen.

Doesn't surprise me at all that St. Regis charges for heating food -- same concept as WiFi being expensive in expensive hotels, and free in limited service hotels (Hampton Inn, etc.) 

We planned on hitting the Ralphs and WalMart....I'll report back on what kind of bread we find.

Chabad says we can find bagels and pita (that they see in supermarkets near them) -- but they're not the best ones to ask, as they probably don't buy that bread (I think - but if I'm wrong, suspect one of the Chabadnick DDFers will jump down my throat :)

Last time I was in Cancun, I even found some brand of brown n' serve rolls that were kosher (but staying in a Westin, so no way to bake them), in addition to bagels and pita.  Assuming there will be more to find in PR.

Offline dvol

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #43 on: December 13, 2012, 10:18:43 AM »
IIRC there was zero to no kosher breads to be found. I think we did find some kind of pita or something at the end that was kosher but I can't remember exactly. We stayed in the St. Regis and went to the Ralph's and Walmart several times. No kosher milk either, not even chalav stam.

Offline Ergel

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #44 on: December 13, 2012, 11:07:12 AM »
What do you mean no chalav stam
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline dvol

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #45 on: December 13, 2012, 12:02:16 PM »
ou-d

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #46 on: December 13, 2012, 02:06:32 PM »
All plain milk manufactured in the USA is cholov stam.
If it was supervised it wouldn't be 'stam' anymore.
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline Ergel

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Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #48 on: December 14, 2012, 10:39:52 AM »
IIRC there was zero to no kosher breads to be found. I think we did find some kind of pita or something at the end that was kosher but I can't remember exactly. We stayed in the St. Regis and went to the Ralph's and Walmart several times. No kosher milk either, not even chalav stam.

dvol - thanks for the first-hand info.  I'll report back what I'm able to find.  Amigo is supposed to be a big, decent supermarket in that area, as well as ECONO in the same shopping center as WalMart (unless that is Ralph's)

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #49 on: December 22, 2012, 06:13:36 PM »
Posting from Rio Grande, PR.  Shavua Tov...

AMIGO supermarket is owned by WalMart -- lots of packaged kosher products you would find in the US (and many Great Value products with Hashgacha), cookies, crackers, pasta, pasta sauce, etc., etc.

In the Econo supermarket (same shopping center as WalMart), there were Toufayan kosher bagels, as well as several varieties of Pita from Toufayan -- whole wheat, regular, pocketless.  There was also Kontos Pocketless Pita, as well as 'pizza crusts'

All the supermarkets also have a decent selection of Morningstar Farms and other manufacturers' vegetarian frozen products -- veggie burgers, chicken cutlets, hot dogs, sausages, etc.
 
A different kind of bagels were available in the AMIGO supermarket.  ALL the supermarkets have soft tortillas from several manufacturers with a Hechsher -- almost all the soft tortillas (and there is a huge selection of them) are kosher, imported form the US, CRC, OU, and others.

Chalav Stam is available everywhere -- if you won't drink the local brands, there is lactaid and Skim Plus with OU

I'll update more as I find more....but so far, plenty to buy here at prices pretty similar to back home (if not cheaper in certain cases).

Offline K

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #50 on: December 23, 2012, 08:01:11 AM »
Hands down, the best thing to do in PR ia BIO BAY. (http://www.kayakingpuertorico.com/pages/biobay.html)

There is not much to do besides casinos and golfing....but BIO BAY was awesome. If you dont know what it is, read up on it and try to book for a night when the moon will not be out. the darker, the better.

worth the drive if you have a rental car and its only a few minutes from the el conquistador.

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #51 on: December 23, 2012, 09:47:57 AM »
Hands down, the best thing to do in PR ia BIO BAY. (http://www.kayakingpuertorico.com/pages/biobay.html)

There is not much to do besides casinos and golfing....but BIO BAY was awesome. If you dont know what it is, read up on it and try to book for a night when the moon will not be out. the darker, the better.

worth the drive if you have a rental car and its only a few minutes from the el conquistador.

Thanks for the tip....we're already at a half moon now...heading toward mid-month and full moon so may not be the best time to go.

Offline mow

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #52 on: December 23, 2012, 11:28:12 AM »
Thanks for the tip....we're already at a half moon now...heading toward mid-month and full moon so may not be the best time to go.
still worth it it is amazing

also buy the $100 bottle of bacardi you can only get it there by the bacardi factory

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #53 on: December 23, 2012, 06:30:39 PM »
also buy the $100 bottle of bacardi you can only get it there by the bacardi factory

Regular Bacardi is literally $10.50 in the supermarket or WalMart....

Please let me know what makes the $100 bottle so special??

Offline smart brit

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #54 on: January 12, 2013, 10:53:28 PM »
Staying at the St Regis?

Theres a Ralphs and Walmart right nearby which have kosher products, not sure about bread.

You can order kosher food and get more info from chabad, http://www.chabadpuertorico.com/

Just to note, St Regis will charge to store and heat up food for you. Surprising at such an upscale hotel but thats what it is.
I spoke to the hotel and asked if i can have a microwave in the room and they said np

Offline smart brit

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #55 on: January 12, 2013, 10:56:33 PM »
Aight a $50 it is.
Did it work? What are my chances as a platinum for a upgrade?

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #56 on: January 16, 2013, 05:49:15 PM »
Did it work? What are my chances as a platinum for a upgrade?
Update!
I did get a upgrade but not the one I was looking for!
Will bln write a trip report at a later date

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #57 on: January 21, 2013, 02:04:03 AM »
I'm not very good at writing a trip report but will give it a shot.
We packed up food and left early morning to SJU where I rented a car from hertz at the airport and decided to drive down to the St regis.
As we where driving through the city of Rio grade it kinda reminded me of malga Spain anyway we finally arrived to the hotel and wow was i impressed with the staff, grounds and the cleanliness of the entire area.
I went to check in and asked for a suite upgrade and they checked and told me that the suite isn't available (to my bemusement the suite next to my room was available) So they upgraded me to the ocean view room and I asked for a microwave oven and they sent it right away. I left my luggage in the lobby and went for a walk on this beautiful 2 miles of beach that was empty (I asked later if there was a shark somewhere? As no one sat by the beach) then I went up to the room that was huge in nyc it would be a 2 bedroom apartment.
The bathroom was luxurious and spacious the bathtub was bigger than a mikva. And the beds where extremely comfortable.
The views and the hotel grounds are simply breathtaking.
But it's very pricey a can coke from the mini bar is 5$ and in the bar its even more a shot of Scotch was 16 pringles the small container was 8$
The must experience is the spa and the massages (male and female masseuse available) I would fly back just for the massage and the grounds of the spa is like a mini paradise.
All in all its a real luxurious retreat and really worth every penny
Anything I missed writing about?

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #58 on: March 12, 2013, 08:05:12 AM »
Has anyone stayed at the W in PR? How does it compare to the St. Regis?

Offline David B

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Re: Puerto Rico Master Thread
« Reply #59 on: March 12, 2013, 10:10:16 AM »
Has anyone stayed at the W in PR? How does it compare to the St. Regis?

For starters, the W is on Vieques Island, off the NE coast of PR.  So you have to take a boat from Fajardo, or a small plane from SJU to get there.  Beyond that, W is a W, and St. Regis is a St. Regis....consistent with the brands...both are resort settings