Carr 101 Km 18.1, Entrada Balneario Boqueron, Boqueron, Puerto Rico | (888) 822-7560
Five-minute walk to restaurants, beach bars, and Boqueron Beach
Outdoor pool area with a bar and kiddy pool
Rooms feature TVs, air-conditioning, and mini-fridges
Free continental breakfast
Free self-parking in an off-street lot
Wi-Fi is free in the lobby
Hot water isn’t consistent plus maintenance and cleanliness issues
Old, tube televisions in some rooms
Small, dark rooms with outdated decor
No in-room Wi-Fi and free common-area Wi-Fi is unreliable
The two-pearl Western Bay Boqueron Beach Hotel has an ideal location near the center of Boqueron, just blocks from restaurants, bars, and the beach. Unfortunately, the rooms and amenities are reminiscent of lesser budget motels. The minimal common amenities on offer -- including free continental breakfast and an outdoor pool with a pool bar -- are all lackluster. Rooms are small, dark, and minimally adorned with TVs, mini-fridges, and loud air-conditioners. Maintenance complaints are fairly rampant, and cleanliness issues aren't uncommon either. The nearby Parador Boquemar offers similar amenities in a marginally nicer package and a prime location across from the beach for less.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Mediocre budget hotel in need of some TLC
We've seen plenty of budget hotels in our travels, and these days there are any of inexpensive options that manage to look pulled-together and polished. Unfortunately, while WesternBay has an awesome central location, it falls short in almost every way. The decor is bright but dated. Burnt red tile floors, occasional mosaics, and ornate stone accents add a touch of Spanish-inspired design, though it's canned and unmemorable. There's also little reason to hang around the property, as the hotel’s outdoor pool terrace constitutes its entire social scene. In high season, though, the space can be downright raucous, as vacationing American twenty-somethings flood the Boqueron area. Guests visiting during low season are instead likely to find local families quietly enjoying the pool.
Location
A few blocks from bars, local restaurants, and Boqueron Beach
Located just a five-minute walk from the beach, the hotel is ideally located for checking out the village of Boqueron. A dozen restaurants, bars, and shops are within a few blocks in either direction. It's worth picking up a rental car for exploring Puerto Rico's gorgeous western reaches. In the center of Cabo Rojo, just 15 minutes away by car, guests will find additional chain restaurants, plus a supermarket, Walgreen’s, and a full shopping center. Two of Cabo Rojo’s most famous attractions -- Playa Sucia and the Cabo Rojo lighthouse -- are within a 30-minute drive of the property. The area’s closest airport, Eugenio Maria De Hostos (MAZ), is 40 minutes north in Mayaguez. However, it offers limited flight options compared to Rafael Hernandez Airport (BQN), 75 minutes away in Aguadilla.
Rooms
Small, plain rooms with mini-fridges and TVs, but loud air-conditioners and no Wi-Fi
The decor in every room category is cheap and uninspired. The flat-box furniture, brown tile flooring, and budget wicker bed sets are all mismatched and bland. Add to this frequent maintenance problems -- including unreliable hot water -- as well as cleanliness issues, and the result is a fairly underwhelming stay.
Entry-level Single Rooms feature one queen bed and a tight floor plan that’s just large enough for one adult to move around. Double Rooms upgrade to two queen beds and a bit more floor space. Some rooms also offer narrow, private balconies without any furniture. Mini-fridges and air-conditioning are standard. All rooms offer televisions, however, some house old, tube-style sets. There is no Wi-Fi in rooms.
Bathrooms might be the most unappealing part of the rooms. All feature either a one-room or split-design, with the sink in a separate room from the toilet and shower. Walk-in shower stalls and generic bar soap are standard, and we spotted plenty of mildew in the tiling when we visited.
Features
A charmless outdoor pool area with a bar, but little else
The hotel’s outdoor pool is its biggest draw and the only real social space. The adjacent pool bar, kiddy pool, and hot tub are all nice to have, though the entire space is awash in drab tile and metal fencing, creating a cold, industrial vibe. A dozen lounge and plastic patio chairs line the pool -- the quantity seems woefully inadequate given the size of the property.
A free continental breakfast is served daily in a small hallway adjacent the lobby. Keep in mind that the selection is frequently limited to just cereal, white bread, and coffee.
Free self-parking is available in a large, off-street lot, and free Wi-Fi is available in the lobby -- it can be unreliable.