The photos below were taken in room 404 of the Excelsior Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Tuesday, July 12, 2005.

The Excelsior Hotel in San Juan Puerto Rico is continually recommended as a business class hotel. Reviews written by people who've stayed there were useless because they were so conflicting. Why no one has taken the very simple step of snapping a few shots so people can just see for themselves, I don't know. But, here they are.

My own assessment is that if you're a Cruise Ship person - meaning you want that level of accomodation, then - hell no - you're not going to be happy here.

If you're a traveler who expects what you pay for, then you'll be happy here. It's basic, but clean and OK. It has the "niceties" you expect from a more upscale hotel, but it's a bit worn around the edges. The carpet needs to be replaced. It could stand some updating.

But the bed was firm and clean. The bathroom was clean. The air-conditioning was cold and the water hot. The walls were paper thin and that would have been a problem if I'd had noisy neighbors but I was fortunate.

And, to top it off, if you're planning to stay there for a vacation, you can walk a very easy block and a half and you're at a bus stop. For a quarter on the A5 or fifty cents on the Express Bus 1, you can go to Old San Juan and be there in about 5 minutes.

There has been much mention of the construction noise. Yes, there's construction. Yes, construction makes noise. I'm not sure what you would expect the hotel to do about it. I was there two mornings - one morning construction started about 9 and the noisy part ended about 11. The next morning there was no construction noise as they were doing other things.

The staff is excellent! Very helpful.

Augusto's restaurant, on premises, and supposedly one of the best on the island, has excellent food but - like most such places for me - is overpriced and pretentious. I guess I just don't like paying to have my ass kissed. I'd rather pay 2/3 as much and have "normal" - not "ass kissing included" service.

I didn't go to the pool so can't speak about that.

The location seems wonderful to me and location is what I'm generally after. I left here and went to the Westin Rio Mar near the rain forest for a convention. It is very upscale, 27 acres with private beach, more than twice the price, and I felt like a prisoner - nowhere to eat except on their site, a taxi ride to San Juan was about $60 and took an hour. So, it all boils down to what kind of travel you like. But don't think you're getting a resort experience for $80 a night. Please. Get real.

But, at least you can see for yourself what the Excelsior looks like. Click on any of these photos for a larger view.

For more see www.patsyterrell.com.