I just returned from a four-day trip to Puerto Rico, and let me tell you: It was much too short. I don’t know how people on cruise excursions are satisfied with stopping in San Juan for only one day. Whether your interest is shopping, entertainment, outdoor adventure, great food or merely lounging on the beach—San Juan is an ideal jumping-off point for visiting the island.

My crew stayed at the beachfront San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in Condado Beach. Its central location makes the hotel a great choice for easy access to dining, shopping, nightlife and the historical area of Old San Juan. If you don’t want to venture too far afield, try your luck in the Stellaris Casino, relax at the Ocean Club Spa, chill out by the two outdoor pools or lounge on the beach, and try different tastes at the variety of hotel restaurants. The tropically decorated 525 guestrooms (including a handful of suites) are comfortably appointed, and oceanfront rooms offer a beautiful sight of the turquoise water below.

Photo: San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

My favorite things about the hotel: the airy guestrooms, yummy mojitos at the lobby lounge and the YouTube Concierge. With the free service, the YouTube Concierge offers guests a chance to star in a 30-second video postcard, which is then uploaded to YouTube for you to share with friends and family back home. Take a look at the video we shot poolside on our last day.

Photo: San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

While I did enjoy the food offered at the hotel, I would have loved it if the restaurants offered a greater opportunity to sample some traditional Puerto Rican cuisine. Wireless Internet is available in the rooms, however there are some times during the day where the connection is a bit sluggish—perhaps due to a large amount of guests online at the same time.

For a great culinary adventure, take a short walk from the hotel to Budatai, owned by Roberto Treviño. Chef Treviño is a competitor in this season’s The Next Iron Chef. Just about everything I tasted from the menu was a favorite, however two of the best were the pork dumplings with shaved truffles and el churrasco con ho fun.

Next week, I’ll post about my Puerto Rico outdoor adventures.

Disclosure: My trip was sponsored by the San Juan Marriot Resort & Stellaris Casino, however the opinions are my own, and there was no promise of type of coverage.