WHERE TO STAY
Casa Sol Bed and Breakfast An 18th-century colonial building with five bedrooms in old San Juan restored by owner Eddie Ramirez, who returned to the street he was born on after a 40-year career working in hospitality in New York and New Jersey. Sustainability is a focus for Eddie and his wife Margarita: doors made from salvaged wood, water from the 270-year-old cistern beneath the house, and everything powered by solar panels. Threecourse breakfasts are served in the courtyard – ‘If it’s not from Puerto Rico, it won’t be on your plate,’ Eddie promises. Doubles from £198 including breakfast. 316 Calle Sol, San Juan, 00 1 787 980 9700, casasolbnb.com Condado Vanderbilt Hotel Formerly owned by railroad magnate Frederick William Vanderbilt, this seafront hotel opened in 1919 and its Jazz Age good looks are the work of Warren and Wetmore, the designers of Grand Central Station in New York, which gives a clue as to the grand dimensions of the public spaces. Includes a spa, four swimming pools and eight drinking and dining options, including chef Juan José Cuevas’ destination restaurant 1919. Doubles from £282. 1055 Ashford Ave,
00 1 787 721 5500, condadovanderbilt.com
El Pretexto An hour’s drive south of San Juan in Cayey, this charming guesthouse is run by hands-on owner Crystal Diaz, who describes her labour-of-love as ‘Puerto Rico’s first culinary farm lodge’. Much of what Crystal cooks is produced on the land between the property’s three villas, with breakfasts and evening pop-ups from local chefs held on a wooden deck against a backdrop of mountains and the Caribbean Sea on the horizon. The perfect spot to relax, swinging in a hammock, after a day’s hiking. Doubles from £223 (two-night min). Road 715, Cayey, elpretextopr.com
O:LV Fifty Five Glamorous and glitzy, this adults-only boutique hotel is on the strip of land between the beach and the tidal Condado Lagoon, which many rooms overlook: expect to see a colony of manatees from your balcony in the morning. Rooftop bar and restaurant Arya serves alfresco breakfasts with a view of the water by day and cocktails by night, and ground-floor dining room Raya is overseen by local chef Mario Pagán. Spacious guest rooms with deep baths and powerful massage showers offer respite from the party atmosphere. Those looking for a calmer vibe may prefer sister hotel O:live around the corner. Doubles from £241. 55 Calle Barranquitas, San Juan, 00 1 787 705 8421, olvhotel.com
Trópica Beach Hotel If you’re not planning on spending too much time in your hotel, this simply furnished property is a good-value base in San Juan. Get a restful night’s sleep in one of the small but light bedrooms before the two-minute walk to the mile-long sandy beach, fringed by palm trees and street-food stands. The vibrant nightlife of Condado is an easy taxi ride away, while brunch in the hotel’s Dulcesalado is a scene in itself. Doubles from £163. 1853 McLeary Ave, 00 1 787 728 8119, tropicapr.com