El Conquistador Resort with water park - Puerto Rico

El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa: background

This Caribbean beach resort (non-all-inclusive!) has 500 acres, private island, waterpark, and kids club.

Location is in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, about 50 minutes drive from the airport. Puerto Rico is east of the Dominican Republic; historic "Old San Juan" -- walled city-- is a major tourist draw. US citizens can travel to Puerto Rico without a passport.

"El Con" is an "LXR Resort": that's Luxury Resorts & Hotels, with properties mainly in the Caribbean and Florida. This resort (re)opened in 2008 with a $120 renovation, and a new water park named for Puerto Rico's Coqui tree frog.

As this photo shows, the El Con has a Marina level, and an upper level, at the top of a 300-foot bluff; the two levels are connected by a funicular. Also, the Las Olas ocean-view rooms are built into the side of the bluff; guests take the funicular either up or down.

Coqui Water Park:

• 2.4 acres, location by the sea
• speed slide, tube slide, kids slide, lazy river, jungle river with fog, large main pool, kids pool, large pool deck, dining area
• guests pay for entrance (approx. $20/adult, $15/child*)
• web site has a couple of virtual rides

Palomino Island:
This 100-acre private island, for resort guests, has lovely beach, scuba and fishing excursions, and activities such as waverunning, windsurfing, sailing, horse-riding. For beach-lounger types, waiters come around and serve your drinks; there's a cafe and bar too.

Guests reach the island on high-speed catamarans, an 8-minute ride.

Other features:
Guests find a premier golf course, a 26000 sq. ft. Golden Door Spa; casino, private marina; eight outdoor pools. Watersports include snorkeling and scuba diving.

Possible outings include El Yunque Rainforest and Luquillo Beach, Rio Camuy Cave Park and Aercibo Observatory, walking tours of Old San Juan.

For Families:

• kids club for ages (cost approx $45/child for 1/2 day, $75 full day*)
• activities such as "Family Olympics" , parent/child 9-hole golf tournaments
• families after luxury can stay in Las Casitas Village in secluded villas with up to three bedrooms, stocked kitchen, and butler service round-the-clock. (Butlers trained by the The Guild of Professional English Butlers, no less.)

Keep in mind about the El Conquistador:

• this property is big, so expect to do a lot of walking
• remember, this is not an all-inclusive Caribbean resort!
• pool noodles, balls, towels, etc. are complimentary
• many guests comment on the high price of food, and of bottled water in the guestrooms. (Some guests with rented cars do their own provisioning).
• though it's possible to walk some distance to local restaurants, basically the resort is located on its own
• US visitors to Puerto Rico don't need passports

Find out more about:

• continue to PHOTOS
• see the El Conquistador site
• check visitors' comments at a site like TripAdvisor

This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person.

* Always check resort sites for updates.