A Waldorf Astoria resort with a plethora of activities and nearly 1,000 rooms, the sprawling El Conquistador is one of the best resorts in the Caribbean for families, perched on a bluff high above the ocean in Puerto Rico’s northeastern corner. With a +3 TripValue, it’s also one of the island’s better deals. A water taxi is required to get to the beach; but the resort offers outstanding dining variety (15 restaurants and cafes), seven swimming pools, an on-site water park with impressive high-speed slides and a lazy river (it’s one of the very best resort water parks in the Caribbean), a top-notch kids club for ages 4-12, two fitness centers, a 26,000-square-foot spa with outdoor treatments that leverage local herbs and plants, and impeccable panoramic ocean views throughout the grounds. The resort even has a private island, Palomino Island, with a nice beach, water sports and excellent horseback riding (again, a water taxi is required to get there). Bright and fairly modern, the rooms come with balconies or terraces, ceiling fans, flat-screen TVs, and spacious desk areas. Activities include scuba diving, jet skiing, snorkeling tours, kayaking, sailing, banana boat rides, paddleboard and sunset yoga classes, walking tours, deep sea fishing, excursions to El Yunque rainforest and the bioluminescent bay at Fajardo, and tennis (four clay and three hard-surface courts, with lessons). The Arthur Hills-designed golf course offers rainforest and ocean views plus elevation changes of more than 200 vertical feet. All-inclusive plans are available but not obligatory. Las Casitas Village, the sister property next door (a shuttle connects the two), is more laid-back and quiet; it comprises larger, more residential accommodations with up to three bedrooms and offers access to the same amenities and activities as the main resort.
As Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, the CDC COVID-19 testing requirement for U.S. travelers re-entering the U.S. from international destinations does not apply.