The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach and Golf Resort isn’t for everyone. It’s really only for people who want a getaway filled with good food and great service with plenty of opportunity to relax on a beautiful beach, explore the wonder of a rainforest, indulge in a world-class spa or simply find a little Zen in the tropics.
My solo visit to the Wyndham Rio Mar, one of the best resorts in Puerto Rico, was just what the doctor ordered after a hectic few weeks of work and travel. I entered feeling stressed and left feeling restored.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Highlights
- 2 miles of beautiful golden sand beach
- 2 championship golf courses
- Spacious rooms
- Indulgent service
- 3 pools
- Delicious dining
- Pet-friendly rooms
- Family-friendly programming that includes an environmentalist-led tour of the El Yunque Rainforest
- More than 2,600 guest reviews on TripAdvisor give the resort an average 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Things You Need to Know
- Daily resort fee adds 22 percent to the room rate
- It is not an all-inclusive resort
- Puerto Rico is a US territory, so US citizens do not need a passport to visit the island
First Impressions
The resort is nestled on the northeastern shore of the island. It’s an interesting 45-minute Uber ride from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. The ride gave me just enough time to get a feel for Puerto Rico and appreciate that I had left behind the hustle and bustle of San Juan. That set the stage for the laid-back luxury of the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar.
As I walked into the resort. I was greeted with expansive views of the Atlantic through the floor-to-ceiling windows and knew that a stay at the Wyndham Rio Mar would feed my soul. And that was before check-in when the friendly front desk staff offered me a glass of champagne.
Sharing Space with Margaritaville
When you walk into the resort, turn right to check in to the Wyndham. Turn left to check in to its sister resort, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. The shared lobby space gives the whole place a fun, Caribbean party vibe.
While Margaritaville is a Club Wyndham timeshare property, resort guests of either resort can use any of the amenities, including the pools and restaurants. You also can charge purchases anywhere on the property to your room via the handy Disney-style wristband you get at check-in, so there’s no need to carry a wallet around the resort.
My Ocean View Guest Room
My room was spacious, with a king bed, a couch, giant TV, coffee maker and minifridge. The closet held a cushy spa robe and slippers and the bathroom was ginormous, with double sinks, tub and shower.
I spent some serene time on my small balcony watching the waves lap the shoreline. And, on one afternoon as I rested before dinner, I looked out over the lawn to see the staff setting up for a wedding on the lawn. Later, I watched the sweet ceremony of two men who, accompanied by their adoring families, pledged to love and honor one another for the rest of their lives.
The resort is currentlyin the midst of a renovation project that will upgrade all 400 guest rooms and suites. My renovated guest room had the muted earth tones with pops of color that will be in all of the rooms when the renovations are finished later this year.
In addition to ocean-view king rooms, there also are rooms with two queen beds, pet-friendly rooms and rooms with a rainforest view or a pool view.
Dining at the Resort
There are plenty of dining options at the resort, from poolside casual to fine dining chic, plus room service for those nights when you have simply had too fun in the sun to dress for dinner!
These are the restaurants I sampled:
Palio
This fine dining restaurant offers a three-course fixed price “Signature dining experience.” Or, if you’re very hungry, there’s a four-course option.
I opted for the three courses, starting with the Island Roasted Squash appetizer made with 25-year-old balsamic and pomegranate seeds. It was as delicious as it was beautiful. For my main course, I chose the Apricot Lamb Chops with a mustard glaze, pistachio crust and cauliflower puree. The tasty chops were melt-in-your mouth tender. Dessert was a light and flavorful Tiramisu.
Iguanas Cocina Puertorriqueña
This fine dining restaurant overlooking the golf course is a few minutes away via the free resort shuttle. (Don’t be fooled, as I was, into thinking it’s a quick walk based on the resort property map. Thankfully, a staff member stopped me from hoofing it over to the restaurant. It would have been a very long walk around the 500-acre resort!)
I got a table with a front-row seat for sunset over the golf course. Unfortunately, the clouds rolled in before the sun went down. But I was consoled by dinner. I took the waiter’s recommendation and ordered the pork loin stuffed with local sausage and smoked carnitas, with pigeon peas risotto as my side. It was enough for two people! But so delicious that I had to make myself stop eating before I burst.
5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar and Grill
This was my first meal at the resort, lunch on check-in day. It was a tough choice between two Puerto Rican favorites, mofongo (mashed friend plantains) with shrimp in a Creole sauce, and a Tripleta sandwich with chicken, ham, sirloin and Swiss on local bread. I chose the lighter mofongo so I could justify ordering a refreshing watermelon margarita for lunch. Hey, Jimmy Buffet would approve!
And I was especially pleased to see the restaurant serve paper straws (save those sea turtles!) and recyclable disposable eating utensils.
Roots Coastal Kitchen
This restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, is the spot for farm-to-table dishes such as grilled swordfish with coconut curry rice.
I am a sucker for fried chicken, so I went for the fried chicken with Tabasco honey sauce, listed on the menu as an “RCK Favorite.” And it was good. But it didn’t hold a candle to the crispy Brussell sprouts with apple and sunflower seeds. If you’re a Brussell sprouts fan (and I understand that not everyone is), this side is a must-order.
Outside Roots is Roots on the Go. It’s a coffee shop in the morning and a grab-and-go takeout spot to order pizzas, salads, guava barbecue spare ribs, or ice cream throughout the day.
Marbella
Roots Coastal Kitchen becomes Marbella in the mornings. (I was a little confused trying to find the restaurant on my first morning at the resort because all of the signs pointed to Roots.) The breakfast buffet is as expansive as it is delicious. I found Puerto Rican specialties such as rice and beans and continental US favorites like a made-to-order omelet station.
Things to Do at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar
The Beach
The beach is the reason to visit a beachfront island resort, right? At least it’s the reason I visit a beachfront island resort. And the mile-long beach at Wyndham does not disappoint.
Beach attendants will set up lounge chairs and umbrellas for you. Or, do what I did and splurge on one of the beach cabanas. They come with towel service and an ice bucket full of bottled water and fresh fruit. Since I was traveling solo on this visit, it made me feel safe to be tucked away in the dunes close to the resort. Still, it was just a short walk to the clear aqua waters of the warm Atlantic.
After I returned home, whenever I needed a beach fix, I would visit the resort’s website and click on “beach webcam” at the top of the page to watch the waves lap the shore as the palm trees sway in the breeze. It’s almost like being back there.
The Pools
There are three:
- A tranquil adults-only pool that includes a calming waterfall and a small hot tub
- A family-friendly swimming pool with a water slide and wading area
- A party pool with a swim-up bar on the Margaritaville side of the resort.
You’ll find plenty of loungers and poolside food and drink service. There also are poolside cabanas with towel service and a bucket of ice water and fruit. It didn’t feel quite as critical to rent a cabana in the pool area. I saw plenty of loungers in shady areas or arranged under umbrellas to give some refuge from the intense Puerto Rican sun.
Daily Activities
Check the events calendar or ask the concierge what’s happening during your stay. Chances are it will be anything from iguana feeding to free yoga and stretching classes to rum tastings at the Caicu Bar in the lobby.
Mandara Spa
No luxury resort is complete without a world-class spa. The Mandara Spa at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar offers all of the expected services, from facials to couples massages, and adds some unique options, such as oceanfront meditation.
Golfing
The resort’s ode to golf is right in the name: Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach and Golf Resort. I went for the beach, not the golf. But if golf is your idea of vacation bliss, there are two 18-hole golf courses available:
- The 6716-yard Ocean Course was designed by Tom and George Fazio. It winds through lakes and offers ocean views from every tee.
- The 6,945 River Course, designed by Greg Norman, runs along the Mameyes River with views of El Yunque’s mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.
Other things to do during your getaway at this beautiful property include playing tennis or taking lessons from a pro at the state-of-the-art tennis center, which includes four tennis courts that are lit up for nighttime play, and testing your luck at the casino.
Things to Do Near Wyndham Grand Rio Mar
While you really do not need to leave the resort during your vacation, there are two compelling reasons you should: the El Yunque Rainforest and Old San Juan. If you did not rent a car, ask the onsite tour company, GSI (Group Services Inc.), to arrange a tour or take an Uber.
El Yunque Rainforest
The magical El Yunque Rainforest is in the resort’s backyard and a definite must-do activity.
Certainly, you can rent a car or take an Uber and explore the national park on your own. But at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, there’s a better way: Visit the park with the resort’s environmentalist, Ashley Perez.
She is working with the hotel to develop a program aimed at families. But even if you happen not to have kids, ask whether one of her programs is available during your stay. She is that rare combination of a scientist: an impressive intellect wrapped in a warm personality who can deliver even the most arcane scientific facts in a clear, accessible way. And it’s hard not to catch her enthusiasm for the wonders of the rainforest!
Old San Juan
The historic heart of Puerto Rico, Old San Juan is filled with neighborhood restaurants and shops. The El Morro fort dominates the waterfront. Take a day trip from the resort or allot time on your arrival or departure day to visit the fort before heading to the resort. Old San Juan is only 15 minutes from the airport.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Visit on a Sunday if your schedule allows. That’s the day to see thousands of locals flying kites on the expansive lawn of the fort. It’s a magical sight.
Resort Fee
Yes, Wyndham charges a daily resort fee. It was 22 percent of the room rate when I visited in summer 2024. The resort fee covers:
- Welcome drink
- Free wi-fi throughout the resort
- Fitness center
- In-room Puerto Rican coffee and tea
- Newspapers
- Luggage storage for early arrivals or late departures
- Access to the Business Center
- Computers for printing plane boarding passes
- Daily resort activities
- 2 bottles of water per day delivered to your room (although the water in Puerto Rico is safe to drink)
- Toll-free and local phone calls
- Daily live music in the lobby
- Towels, lounge chairs and umbrellas at the beach and around the pools
- Beach attendants
- $20 Entertainment Match Play coupon for the casino
- Use of the golf course driving range, chipping and putting green
- Children ages 5 and under eat free
- Resort-wide shuttle service
- In-room safe
In addition, if you drive to the resort, there’s a daily parking fee — $15 for self-parking or $20 for valet parking.
Getting There
It was a 4.5-hour flight from my home in Chicago and, because I’m a US citizen and Puerto Rico is a US territory, I didn’t need to wait in a customs line to enter the island.
The Wyndham Grand Río Mar Rainforest Golf & Beach Resort is located at 6000 Río Mar Boulevard, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico a quick 30-minute drive from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan.
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