Casa of Essence

Our host Mildred was spectacular. Her son Anthony a tremendous help. It is in the heart of Old San Juan diagonally located across from Plaza Colón (often considered one of San Juan's most significant plazas). The Bambu Room was cozy comfortable, with a bottle of bubbly waiting for us upon arrival! Everything worked in perfect order and the price was right!

Quaint is probably the first word to come to mind, but #casaofessence is more than that. It’s whimsical, a little unconventional and somewhat avant-garde. Located in the centre of Old San Juan, Casa is right at the gateway to all the stunning buildings nearby. Plus it’s a short walk to many of the old buildings, cathedrals, castles and historical sites. When you arrive of COA (Casa of Essence), there is no lobby or check in desk. You’ll need to call Crystal who is the owner of this family run business to get in as it’s contactless checkin using codes. If you haven’t already received, she’ll send you all the codes to use the building. Remember that crime continues to be an issue, albeit it has improved over the years. So to enter there is a locked gate on the street front, then an internal locked gate both of which have codes to punch in to enter. Then you can use the old elevator to take you to take you to your room. Remember, here floor 1 is what we call the ground floor in Australia. My partner had liaised several times with Crystal and she totally delivered on what we were after within the budget we had. Our room had a queen bed with the softest sheets and comfiest pillows. The air conditioning was a welcome relief from the humidity outside. An overhead fan often means you can turn off the A/C. Bathroom was well appointed, with a spacious shower and complementary toiletries. The decor is eclectic with a mix of old and new furnishings, all of which have a purpose. Little fridge and coffee machine much appreciated. Plenty of storage if you’re someone who likes to unpack at your hotel. The big screen TV which is brilliant to watch from bed, and has 100’s of channels to choose from. We were even able to log into YouTube and catch up on news. Next door is a supermarket and well stocked liquor store. Plenty of places to eat within 200m and an abundance of touristy shops for those last minute gifts. We found COA a haven to return to after visiting all the sites, but also, a snugly place to rest and chill without noisy neighbours or street noise. Good value for money. #thewanderingreviewer #casaofessence #oldsanjuan #oldsanjuanpuertorico

We rented what we were told was one queen and one twin. The queen was good but the choices for the twin were a child-sized futon or an air mattress that was flat by morning. There were no sheets for the twin either. I called but the sheets didn't come until the next day. That night we discovered roaches. I asked for a refund for one of the two nights but could not get it because I stayed the second night.

I found my stay to be clean, comfortable and relaxing. They provide an easy no contact door code check-in, but were quick to respond by text if I had a question. The room was super clean, the sheets soft and smelled great. I stayed in the Bambu room where I did not find it necessary to use the AC, as it has a great fan. In the mornings I’d crack the shutter window open a bit to the courtyard and listen to the birds while sipping coffee (there’s a machine in the room but bring your own coffee). I have to emphasize I was very impressed at how clean the room was considering all the surfaces that could collect dust but we’re not dusty. I would definitely stay there again.