A few hours at SJU

Friends of ours from Boston plan to visit St Barth for the first time in February. Due to work constraints they will fly out of Boston in the evening and arrive at SJU at 1:22 am. They have a 6:45 am flight from SJU to SBH that morning. Is anyone aware of a place where they could hang out for a few hours? They are reluctant to get a hotel room for what would likely be a 3 hour visit.

I believe the airport hotel rooms are pretty modestly priced. Compared to the cost of a Saint-Barth vacation negligible.

I checked and the Priority Pass closes at 8:00 PM. By the time they collect bags, find a taxi (which could be problematic at 2AM) and get back, it would be time to check in! I think they would be better off waiting in the terminal. Warning - expect no services at that time! Last thought - TW might allow them to crash in their lounge, but the elevator would need to be unlocked for them. Worth a chat with TW to see if that could be arranged,

Thanks John. I did call TW and crashing in their lounge is not a possibility. Your timetable assumes the plane lands around the scheduled time which might not be the case when leaving from Boston in February.

We did just that in 2019. Took an 8 pm flight out of EWR (due to work commitments), met up with our friends who were flying in from Charleston at SJU, and sucked it up in the terminal until the early TW flight left. Not a preferred mode of travel, but we did pay for an extra night at our villa to ensure that we could go straight there from the airport in SBH upon arrival in the morning. Worked out pretty well once we got there. It’s a trade-off, not necessarily for everyone, but it did work for us that year. Kiosks are open in SJU and you can get food and beverages if you wish. We, too, Felt that a hotel room was an unnecessary expense in the situation. Just relax and unwind when you get to Saint Barths!

I recommend getting a room at the hotel in the airport. I don’t remember the prices, but they’re fairly inexpensive, considering that your friends are headed to SBH . . . and, personally, I value a comfortable bed, even if only 3 hours of sleep, & a clean bathroom with fresh towels. (At the hotel, however, be sure to tell them that you want a renovated room . . . which generally means a newer bed & on a higher floor.). I’ll add that I know that it would be an extravagance to do what I’m suggesting . . . but as one who has come to “a certain age,” I try to make my travel as easy & safe as possible . . . and for me, three hours in a clean hotel room, conveniently located in the terminal, is preferable to hanging out in dirty, uncomfortable chairs, with few food / beverage kiosks open, bathrooms of uncertain cleanliness, & an environment that risks exposure to ambient Covid.

+1

The San Juan airport hotel is in the terminal and a good place to rest your weary eyes for a nice sleep. And they have a nice little breakfast room where they will make you an omelet. The hotel has a Tradewind discount.

Thank you everyone for your responses. Boston is tough, only two non-stop flights a day. Our friends decided to leave early the next morning and their "loss" will be a few hours on the island.