PR 2 Puerto Caro

I knew the Caribbean was expensive and that’s why I didn’t go to the Bahamas or Bermuda or any of those islands. I figured Puerto Rico would be more like the US. After all, it’s a US commonwealth country. But boy, was I wrong. I ended up spending a fortune on the island for things that weren’t really worth their money. On accommodation for instance. I had bought and read the Frommer’s Puerto Rico guide who listed a few moderate and budget hotels near the capital San Juan. Some of them got really nice reviews on the internet too, so I called them up before booking the flight. However, five of them were sold out and couldn’t help me with alternative addresses. The bizarre thing was that the prices they gave me over the phone were already 20% more expensive than the rates in the guide book (released summer 2006). The cheapest rate I could get was 75 dollars! Without tax.

I called this hotel in the centre of Condado who was famed for being a ‘house party’ at times. It was a gay owned hotel with a bar on the beach and close to a bus station taking you to Old San Juan. They asked 115 dollars for a room and I decided to be a bit decadent and go party in Puerto Rico. Upon arrival however, one of the guests came to warn me I should get to another hotel. I didn’t really trust the guy. It could have been someone working for another hotel. But I did take his advice on checking the room first. And that’s when I first thought: what the hell am I doing here?

I had just spent 15 dollar on a taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, which would not even have cost 10 euro in Brussels (no meter! fixed price! In EVERY cab!). I really didn’t want to pay 115 dollar for a room, which even in Switzerland would not even be worth 130 CHF (35 euro). The room was damp and smelly, the sheets looked as if they had been washed 1150 times, the toilet seat was about to break as I would sit on it and the shower, well, the shower produced a few leaks only. But I did take it (for the round price of 100 dollars) as I really didn’t want to spend 200 dollar for a more decent room in the San Juan Beach hotel nearby. The other hotels in the neighbourhood were sold out or asked ridiculously high prices. The Marriott for instance had a room for 390 dollar! I ended up paying 100 dollar each night for the entire trip as it was the lowest I could go for a decent room. And with decent, I really don’t mean fancy. I mean: decent. The kind of rooms you get in Germany for 25 euro.

Not only were the taxis and the accommodation outrageously expensive, the prices of food and clothes and everything else you can buy were never below US prices. Even at my favourite Subway sandwich place, the menu was more expensive than in New York. If you ever go to Puerto Rico, don’t go alone and split the costs with a travel partner (there is nothing for backpacking single travellers there) or try to stay with a local family. Even my business card didn’t do wonders. A tour guide? For a cruise line company ? (I never told them I did river cruises instead of Caribbean cruises) Fine! But you have to pay the total amount anyways.