San Juan Marriott Resort And Stellaris Casino

“A Gem in San Juan...”

I’ve always been a fan of the Marriott Corp. ever since they hosted my engagement celebration on Valentine’s Day in Times Square back in 2015. My proposal to my wife Mary was a big media event, but what was even more fortunate for me was the pride the Marriott Marquis felt sharing our journey with… more

I’ve always been a fan of the Marriott Corp. ever since they hosted my engagement celebration on Valentine’s Day in Times Square back in 2015. My proposal to my wife Mary was a big media event, but what was even more fortunate for me was the pride the Marriott Marquis felt sharing our journey with their clients and sister properties. As a result, my relationship with this company continues strong to this day. Our recent journey took us to the impeccable and gorgeous Marriott Stellaris Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This time we were marking our 8th anniversary with the Marriott brand, and we included the kids this time. We had never had the privilege to visit Puerto Rico, but it had always been on our bucket list. Even more exciting for the kids was that this was their first time out of the country. And while I was so excited to visit the island, this hotel made all the difference. I will start with the hero in this adventure: The hotel’s General Manger, Mariano Formariz, who was recently named the property’s GM, even though he’s a well-known industry veteran. I came to realize on this trip the reason why he’s been so successful and why his property revenue is up. He has a keen sense of wisdom when it factors into how guests enjoy his property. When I reached out to him to see if he could enhance the moment for my wife’s benefit, he quite literally rolled out the red carpet for us. It’s almost impossible to count the number of pleasantries his staff sent our way, but let’s first start with how we were greeted. Olga Areizaga, his senior executive secretary, sent me a notification that my family would be picked up to and from the airport courtesy of Marriott by way of first class transportation. I can’t think of any hotel I’ve stayed at that provided this kind of welcome service, but boy, what style! Even more surprising and humbling was when we arrived outside the hotel. There, we were greeted by the entire GM’s administration team from the executive chef to the director of room operations, to the director of food and beverage Javier Escola Virumbrales and everyone in between. As we were taken into the lobby, each member of his crew seemed to line the hallways standing at full attention while welcoming us with a warm smile. We were then handed off to the wonderful Jose Gonzales Marin, the front desk manager, who immediately became my main point person for the duration of the trip. He answered all of my questions and was extremely patient. He and the rest of his staff had done so much work in preparation for our stay. They not only upgraded us to a presidential suite, but because the GM felt it still wouldn’t be sufficient enough in terms of beds for my two younger girls, he booked us an adjacent guest room at no additional charge. Can you imagine? It was quite shocking and speaks volumes about this man’s character. He clearly didn’t have to do that. From there a series of “drop-by” surprises became the norm. For example, The “At Your Service Team” headed by Maria had provided us with beach toys for my five-year-old. Housekeeping provided macaroons and other treats for my girls’ guest room. Meanwhile, in me and my wife’s room, the fridge was packed with an assortment of drinks courtesy of the food and beverage team, and since they knew she loved coffee, the room was equipped with an expresso maker, but even more impressive was they went out of their way to stock the counter shelves with premium Puerto Rico coffee… ya know, the kind the popes and kings of Spain enjoyed in the 19th century, according to manager Natalie Siera. I can’t say enough about the expansive room… wrap around balconies that featured breathtaking north side views of the Atlantic while the western side featured the white sandy shoreline of San Juan and a direct view of the hotel property 20 floors below. The rooms were well appointed and recently remodeled; they included a fuse ball table, a marble Jenga set, three separate flat screen TVs, a wine fridge, and even a separate ice box…. There were robes…slippers…his and her closets, double sinks, a Jacuzzi, and even assortment of deep sleep pillow sprays to get a good night’s rest. One notable and funny experience was how I typically like to put a few towels on the bathroom floor in front of the shower and sink area in case I’m still wet from taking a shower. Housekeeping was clearly paying attention since the next day they placed three white, fluffy bath mats in the areas that mattered to me for the duration of our stay. These little excesses of hospitality is what I believe separates Marriott from the rest of its competition. Additional welcome gifts arrived in our room including a beautiful piece of Puerto Rican art, a delicious bottle of wine, artisan chocolates, fresh fruit, and a beautiful anniversary card from the GM. But the gifts that topped them all was when the GM graciously offered my family a complimentary dinner at their new on-site, premier restaurant called Cosecha along with breakfast buffet and our very own poolside cabana to enjoy for the duration of our trip. Again…we were completely floored and extremely grateful. One of the more unexpected highlights was when the executive chef Romeo Penacino cornered off a separate area of Cosecha so that he and his staff could host our private dinner. This special area had been decorated with balloons and rose petals in time for our arrival, where we were featured to his signature dishes that he prepared exclusively for us along with a personalized menu paying tribute to our special moment. Also on hand was Natalie and a wonderful waitress named Cecilia who presented my beautiful wife with a dozen red roses and a special bottle of Champaign to mark the occasion. Having the chef there to explain each dish that he specifically designed and prepared was an art in pampering I’ve never experienced before. Even more unexpected, was the homemade cake awaiting us when we returned to our room that night. I mean… come on! Even the Ocean Club pool staff was quick to make sure we were given fresh fruit at our cabana with unlimited services that included tropical daiquiris, tapas and plenty of Fiji water… if they saw we were at the beach, they approached us there to check on us. Pool manager Christian made sure he said goodbye with some Ocean Club merch including hats and some special spa amenities. Not to be out done, Natalie made sure she said her goodbyes by gifting my wife a few more packages of that delicious Puerto Rican coffee. There are so many other moments and encounters that I know I’m forgetting, but the entire management staff under Mr. Formariz deserves to be rewarded for how they went above and beyond during our stay. I was so impressed with the property. Everything was spotless and well-manicured; the pools were refreshing and even included a waterslide. There were a few renovations underway in the main lobby area and at the pool bar, yet the hotel still felt like a five-star property even without them in service. It needs to be noted that Mr. Formariz’ careful attention to detail and kindness is something I’ve been accustomed to at Marriott. What I wasn’t expecting was how he was able to create a new kind of kindness. There is truly something special about a person who made it a point that he and his staff routinely kept tabs on us during our stay simply to make sure we were having a great time. There is no way I could have afforded the many luxuries and amenities that management provided to us. And while they made it seem normal, I had to repeatedly explain to my kids that it wasn’t. That these things only happen in the movies… that somehow mom and dad were very lucky and blessed. And again I owe it to Mr. Formariz for providing an experience we will never forget. I know he is proud of his staff, because they all work their butts off, but I eventually learned it was a labor of love in that each employee we encountered seemed genuinely happy to be working there. Again, it was Mr. Formariz’ injection of this new type of kindness that transcended Marriot’s unique spirit. It’s infectious for employees and guests alike. In fact, I found that same demeanor to be common among all Puerto Ricans. It’s the kind of intangible quality you want to bottle up and take home with you… luckily and ironically it may have been San Juan Marriott’s best gift of all. We did not want to leave and we can’t wait to come back. Mr. Formariz…. You and your staff outdid yourselves. You’ve been given a gift to create moments that few experience in their lives. As such, I will be forever grateful to you and your colleagues. God Speed. P.S. All of the above mentioned occurred just a day after Hurricane Ernesto hit the island causing widespread power outages and flooding issues across the island. Yet the way these folks carried out their duties, it was business as usual… a remarkable feat by any measure.

less