How can U.S. residents experience the Caribbean without worrying about exchanging money or bringing a passport? Why, with a trip to Puerto Rico, that is how. This island is a commonwealth of the United States, and it has long been a popular vacation destination. The commonwealth consists of three islands, the main island and two much smaller ones, all three of which have a selection of cheap hotels in Puerto Rico, although it is the main island which will have the largest number of choices as well as most of the big chain hotels.
San Juan is Puerto Rico’s capital city and the largest city on the main island, and it is a great place to base yourself for a visit. Unfortunately, it does not have a huge selection of really budget places to stay – you will find some of the cheap hotels in Puerto Rico are here, but not hostels. The island of Vieques has some budget accommodation options, as do some of the other towns in the main island. While many towns may have one or two chain hotels, San Juan will have most of the chain options.
While Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth, and English is one of the languages spoken here, Spanish is certainly the dominant language, so you will probably need a phrasebook if you do not speak any Spanish. You will not need much in the way of language skills, however, to just lie on the many Puerto Rican beaches or enjoy the water sports the island has to offer. Outdoorsy types will also want to explore the rain forest, which is great for hiking and checking out the local wildlife.
A few of the cheap hotels in Puerto Rico that are worth considering are At Wind Chimes Inn (in San Juan, short block from beach, WiFi available, some rooms with kitchenettes, on-site bar/restaurant), Hosteria del Mar (in San Juan, 5 miles from historic center, ocean front location, free breakfast, WiFi available, beach towels available), Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino (in San Juan, overlooking ocean, 5 minutes to historic center, on-site restaurant/bar, swimming pool, fitness center, on-site casino), Amapola Inn (on Vieques Island, beachfront, 5 guesthouse rooms & 3 studio apartments, on-site restaurant), and Bananas Guesthouse (on Vieques Island, beachfront, 7 rooms, beach towels available, free morning coffee, on-site restaurant/bar).