By
Darlene C. Donloe
Describing
paradise takes only two words – Puerto Rico!
You can stay at home or you can visit Puerto
Rico. But, be warned, once you visit Puerto Rico, you will not want to leave.
The weather, the food, the people, the ocean, the sun-kissed welcoming embrace,
the island has it all!
Puerto Rico is simply gorgeous! Whether it’s the natural or the
architectural wonders or the tropical marine climate, Puerto Rico’s beauty
doesn’t disappoint.
Take a trek through the main island of Puerto
Rico or trek through Mona, Vieques or Culebra to witness fantastic landmarks,
beaches and enough adventure to please everyone.
From diving, to caving, to snorkeling, to
kayaking, to zip-lining, there is no shortage of things to do in Puerto Rico.
Or, you could just sit in the sun and soak it all in.
San
Juan, with a population of more than three million, is the capital of Puerto
Rico. The city, Puerto Rico’s main port of entry, was founded in 1508 by Juan
Ponce de Leon. Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean, the smallest
island of the Greater Antilles. It’s an unincorporated territory of the U.S., located
in the northeastern Caribbean east of the Dominican Republic and west of both
the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The city is a
great representation of what the entire island has to offer.
Learn
about Puerto Rico’s history. Take a look at some art at the San Juan Museum of
Art and History. Learn about the most northwestern point of the islet of San
Juan, marked by a sixteenth century fort, Castillo San Felipe del Morrro. Take
a trip to Castillo San Cristobal, the largest fortification built by the
Spanish in the New World. Explore the ancient underground channel of natural
caves at Parque de las Carvernas.
You don’t need to come up with reasons to visit
Puerto Rico. However, besides its natural beauty, there are some wonderful and
convenient reasons to check it out.
Hallelujah, no passport is needed. The currency is the same as the U.S.,
you can use your cell phone without roaming charges. That’s just for
starters. Both Spanish and English
are the official languages. However, English is spoken by about one-fourth of
the population.
Tourism Motto:
Puerto Rico lo hace mejor! (Puerto Rico does it better!)
Old San Juan
HIGHLIGHTS
The one place you have to visit is Old San Juan
where you can discover Puerto Rican shopping and partake of some of the best
food on the island. Old San Juan with its cobblestone streets is the oldest
settlement with Puerto Rico and is the historic colonial section of San Juan,
Puerto Rico. There are colorful, historical buildings and old fortresses. The
architecture and beautiful vistas of the sea are spectacular.
Nestled
within Old San Juan is a quaint and unique cheese making workshop called Casa
Lila, owned by cheese maker Rosa Avalo Franceschi. Franceschi, the founder of Quesovaca Negra Inc., invites
guests into her 300 year-old home for some wine and cheese, educates them on
the history of making cheese through an informative video and then guides the
visitors through cheese trivia as well as a cheese making session. Guests, who are able to design their
own brands of cheese, are able to take their samples with them. It’s truly
hands on. Guests can season their own cheeses with whatever they want.
The
crash course workshop includes cutting the curds to separate the solids from
the whey then draining off the whey.
After collecting all the curds into a strainer, you then let the whey
drain out. While it’s draining,
which takes about 10-15 minutes, Rosa takes her guests on a tour of her home.
The view from the bedroom and the upstairs deck is spectacular.
The cheese-making workshops for tourists
(English language) are available during the week. Days and times can vary
depending on demand. It’s a two-hour workshop that costs about $50 per person.
Casa Lila is located at 422 Calle Norzagaray (the
lilac purple building next to the corner) oceanfront, across the street from
the ramp at Fort San Cristobal.
http://www.casalilapr.com/
For some great mufungo stop by VACA BRAVA where
Chef Javier Aponte Machado is serving up some scrumptious dishes. On this day, Mufungo
is being served as is pastelillo, alcapurria (cornbread) and sorullo.
The restaurant is spacious, the wait staff is
fast, friendly and courteous and there is a pleasant family atmosphere. They
have fabulous mojitos!
There
are several day trips to take in San Juan. One in particular that is rather
illuminating is the Bioluminescent Bay. This unique bay, a key
tourist destination, contains up to 720,000 single-celled bioluminescent
dinoflagellates per gallon of water. These half-plant, half-animal organisms
emit a flash of bluish light when agitated at night. The high concentration of
these creatures (Pyrodimium bahamense) can create enough light to read
a book. There are five Boluminescent Bays in the world and three of them are
located in Puerto Rico.
Condado Plaza Hilton
WHERE TO STAY
In Puerto Rico, there are several Hilton Hotels,
but they all have their own style and uniqueness that sets them apart from the
rest.
The CONDADO PLAZA HILTON is a sparkling property
that has something for everybody.
Perched
at the edge of Condado, tucked between Condado Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean,
The Condado Plaza Hilton, offers a range of guest room and suite
accommodations.
Highlights
include: WiFi, flatscreens and in-room movies. Ergonomic chairs with workstations
to match. Deluxe bath amenities and mini-fridges.
Some
of the 290 sq. ft. and 390 sq. ft.
rooms have ocean views and some get a view of the lagoon. There are
floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies.
There
are 509 guest room and 62 suites, San Juan’s largest 24-hour casino, eight
restaurants and lounges (Starbucks, Viaggi Grab-n-Go, Pikayo, Moon Bar, Eternal
Bar, Eight Noodle Bar, Denny’s, Café Caribe and Aqua Bar & Grill) and
complimentary WiFi in guest rooms.
Hotel
highlights include poolside massage, bicycle rentals sauna room, steam room,
one lighted tennis court, children activity center, tour desk, protected beach,
24-hour fitness center, water sports, one saltwater and three freshwater pools,
two spa tubs with Jacuzzis and a water slide and more.
Raul Bustamante is the managing director.
Originally from Columbia, he has called Puerto Rico home for quite a while.
According to Bustamate, about 80% of the hotel’s
visitors are from the U.S. They
also get a number of visitors from Columbia and from Europe.
Bustamante is quick to point out Puerto Rico’s
and his property’s appeal.
“Groups should come to Puerto Rico for many
reasons, “ says Bustamante. “You
don’t need a passport, plus the currency is the same. There are about 40-50
flights from the states, we have great food, plus English is spoken all over
the island. Add to that a wonderful cultural experience.”
The Condado Plaza Hilton, the only hotel to have
access to the lagoon, is only minutes from the Luis Munoz Marin International
Airport and a mere 2.5 miles from Old San Juan.
The Condado, which has been undergoing a
restoration for about four years, is the first hotel in Puerto Rico to have a
Denny’s restaurant in its midst.
It’s only minutes from the Convention Center and only a 45-minute drive
from the El Yunque Rain Forest.
Chef Wilo Benet
When it comes to culinary treats, the Condado
has an ace up its sleeve. Chef Wilo Benet helms the Pikayo, a San Juan
institution for more than 22 years and a favorite since it moved to the hotel
in 2009. Pikayo features Wilo’s Nu
+ Gobal Mix, a combination of new and classic dishes from Puerto Rico and
around the world. Benet’s food is exquisite!!
Benet, who was born in Columbia, S.C., but lives
in Puerto Rico, says photography was his first love, but food soon took it’s
place. Now, he mixes the two.
His book, Puerto Rico True Flavors, speaks to his feelings about food.
“I love being a chef because it’s about the
manual aspects of handling food,” said Benet, who calls Puerto Rico the
“gastronomical capitol”. “It’s about being creative and artistic.”
The food at the Condado is fantastic. Dine on
cucumber spaguettinni, bacalao croquette with acerola vinaigrette, duet of
sweet potato and longaniza stuffed chicken breat with roasted garlic sauce,
petit filet mignon in a port wine sauce, ‘mamposteao’ de gandules, or for
dessert a ‘borichua trio (candied papaya with local fresh cheese), ‘tembleque’ (coconut
custard) and ‘panelita de coco’ (candied coconut). Top it off with a Kendall
Jackson Vintner’s reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2011, a Shafer Chardonnay
Napa Valley Carneros 2008.
Meeting At Condado
It’s really easy to meet at the Condado. There are uninterrupted views of the Atlantic
Ocean and Condado Lagoon. Whether you’re hosting a small executive retreat or a large
sales conference no other resort offers such a wealth of downtime diversions
and leisure pursuits; from a secluded beach and a 24-hour casino to relaxing
cocktail lounges and gourmet fine dining at Pikayo restaurant.
There is 41,000 sq. ft. of meeting space,
accommodating up to 1,100 guests, professional event managers and caterers, 18
flexible conference/meeting rooms, with versatile floor plans and natural
daylight. The business center is available 24 hours. There are outdoor
waterfront venues, 24-Hour business center, providing PC and MAC computers, WiFi
access, fax machines, and photocopiers, in–house audiovisual support by PSAV,
personalized group web page, to publish details about your meeting agenda.
There are meeting rooms on several floors
including the Ocean Tower Lobby Level, Ocean Tower mezzanine Level, Lagoon
Tower Lobby Level and the Lagoon Tower Mezzanine Level.
thecondadoplaza.hilton.com
condadoplaza.com
Caribe Hilton
The CARIBE
HILTON is a large, but welcoming property managed by Pablo Torres. It
was the first facility ever operated by Hilton Hotels outside of the
continental United States.
The hotel,
the recipient of Green Key for its sustainable efforts, is located just minutes
from the heart of historic Old San Juan and 15 minutes from Luis Munoz
International Airport. The hotel, a
AAA Four Diamond award-winner sits beachfront on an exclusive peninsula, made
up of 17 acres of lush tropical gardens. The resort is located between Old San
Juan and contemporary Condado.
It’s situated five minutes from San Juan
Convention Center.
The
birthplace of the Pina Colada, the resort is the city’s largest hotel with 917
guestrooms, including suites and the Condado Lagoon Villas, which feature ocean
or garden views. There are 264 spacious villas at Condado Lagoon Villas –part
of the Caribe Hilton complex.
The
property is lush, but it also features a secluded beach, swimming pools,
whirlpools, beachside hammocks, a children’s club and a full service Olas Spa.
There is also a bird sanctuary.
There are
nine restaurants and lounges, including Morton’s Steakhouse, the first outdoor
Starbucks and the unique Lemongrass Pan Asian Latino. To start your day, have breakfast at the Atlantico Pool Bar
& Grill.
Meeting at
the Caribe Hilton
Meeting at
the Caribe Hilton is effortless. The property offers executive floor room, a
business center and several meeting spaces. It offers 24 meeting and banquet
spaces for up to 3,000 guests.
Executive Chef Mario Ferro
Eating at
the Caribe Hilton
Executive Chef Mario Ferro is one of the most respected chefs on the island and in the
world. His food is indescribable. However, yum does come to mind. The taste,
texture and presentation of his food puts a smile on your face. Enjoy dining on the beach at La Islita,
an envious tropical ambiance. The
staff at the Caribe Hilton seems to know what you need and what you want before
you do. Kudos to the Caribe Hilton!
Executive Chef Mario Ferro's scrumptious dinner
El San Juan Resort & Casino
EL SAN JUAN
RESORT & CASINO, A Hilton Hotel
General
Manager Olivier Maumaire knows how to treat his guests. The property is happily the place to go
and to be seen. Once you step inside it’s more than evident why hotel guests
and locals alike come to the El San Juan Resort & Casino to party. At night and especially on the weekends
the lobby is packed with revelers.
Back in the day, big time
performers performed there including the Supremes and Sammy Davis Jr. More recent visitors include
Ricky Martin, J-Lo and Marc Antony.
The hotel, a
lush 15-acre oasis features a spa, a secluded Hammock Garden, decadent Fantasy
Pool with private cabanas, pool concierges and live DJs.
The 386 beachfront
property rooms are contemporary, with clean lines and a modern feel.
The Casita
rooms are 351 sq. ft., have comfortable king beds, include WiFi internet
access, LCD Flat screen TVs, I Home Station and more.
The Main
Tower rooms and the Main Tower deluxe rooms (located on the hotel’s higher
floors with an expanded sitting area) are both 351 sq. ft., have either a king
bed or two double beds and the same amenities as the Casita rooms.
The Garden
Lanai rooms, which have stunning views of tropical gardens and pools, have 448
sq. ft., king bed or two double beds, a private balcony, walk-in closets, plus
the aforementioned amenities.
The Ocean
Villa, with views of Isla Verde beach and the Atlantic Ocean, has between
525-645 sq. ft., Jacuzzi, double sinks, high-speed internet, entertainment
center, mini refrigerator, wet bar, sofa bed, oversized balcony with ocean
views,
When your
stomach starts to growl, there are 10 award-winning restaurants from which to
choose.
The American Culinary Federation (ACF),
the nation’s premier organization of professional chefs, recently awarded El
San Juan Resort & Casino, A Hilton Hotel with its annual Achievement of
Excellence distinction. The accolade recognizes foodservice establishments that
exemplify a commitment to excellence. Ensuring that dining is an exciting
component of the El San Juan Resort & Casino experience, the Puerto Rico
resort offers an impressive list of 10 restaurants to satisfy every taste,
including the newly opened Meat Market.
“To achieve excellence you must have
passion,” said Ana Parga, executive chef at El San Juan Resort & Casino.
“At El San Juan, we have a passion for cooking and serving the best product so
our guests take home a lasting impression.”
Parga knows
her way around a kitchen. A sampling of her lunch menu includes the best
chilled passion fruit gazpacho around, petite citric salad with tossed walnuts,
fire roasted tomato crostini with goat cheese, broccoli, toasted couscous and a
grilled Mahi-Mahi Filet with a light pineapple and coconut sauce that melts in
your mouth. Finish off your meal with an artisan mango tart with Spanish Nougat
ice cream. Now that’s good eatin’.
The Meat
Market is a charming, trendy and exceptional restaurant. It’s said the clever
name is a sexy playful take on the traditional steakhouse dining experience.
The menu includes some of the choicest cuts of meat as well as fresh seafood
and locally sourced produce. The
staff is attentive and exceptional. The Crudo Bar is the
place for fresh, made-to-order sharing plate like Tiraditos and fresh Ceviches,
while The Chic Bar serves up signature cocktails concocted by our very own
master mixologist.
Besides 15 bars, other restaurants
include: Brother Jimmys BBQ, Yamato, La Terraza, KOCO, Aquaire, La Piccola
Fontana, and Galeria Trattoria and Encanto Beach Club & Grill. The hotel
also offers in-room dining.
There is no
shortage of activities. Visit The Rose Club, the Shopping Arcade, the 16,500
sq. ft. casino, Edouard de Paris Day Spa, Club Brava and Ultra Lounge, or just
party in the ornate Lobby where you can hear live music.
Not to be outdone, The Lobby has three
distinctive bars - Blue, Silver and Gold. There is also a Chico Lounge. All offer live music every evening. The mixed modern and traditional lobby
has its original looks from when it opened in the early 1960s.
A great activity is a Mojito Making
Lesson. Guest learn about the exciting ways to make Mojitos while enjoying some
relaxation at one of the poolside cabanas.
Guests can also enjoy the resort’s Encanto
Beach Club which debuted a newly refreshed fantasy pool area. Guests can also
lounge on 24 canopied, double sided daybeds, three private tiki-hut cabanas,
spacious sundecks, hammocks and more. The adjacent Isla Verde Beach offers jet
skiing, parasailing and a variety of water sports (not included).
Meetings at El San Juan Resort &
Casino
The
Resort has 35,000 sq. ft. of flexible space located throughout the property for
meetings and conferences. The ballroom has 11,000 sq. ft. There are 14 different breakout rooms.
Garden At The EL Conquistador Resort
The
EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT is set atop a 300-ft. bluff on
the eastern tip of Puerto Rico.
It’s
luxurious, plush and family friendly. The staff, especially Director of
Marketing & Communications Lydia Feliciano, makes your stay enjoyable and
the ambiance and gorgeous views make you want to stay forever.
The
AAA Four Diamond resort, 500 acres, overlooks the converging waters of the
Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Many
celebrities have stayed and/or performed on the property including Sheryl Crow,
The Beach Boys and Seal.
Guestrooms
are varied. There is a two bedroom ocean view suite, partial ocean view rooms,
one bedroom ocean view suites, las olas ocean view rooms, las brisas ocean
view, la vista ocean view room, la marina ocean view rooms, garden rooms and
full ocean view rooms.
Las Casitas Village
Guestrooms
and suites are divided into five villages, including Las Casitas Village, a
separate luxury resort which features one, two and three-bedroom style villas,
not to mention a 24-hour resort butler service. Elite accommodations are
offered in this secluded enclave. Ideal for executive-level gatherings.
El
Conquistador boasts 23 restaurants, bars and lounges from gourmet to
casual. The Chops Steakhouse,
managed by Dermot Connolly, is a crowd favorite.
After
dinner, enjoy drinks, dancing and live music in the family friendly Ultra
Lounge.
Dinner
is also served at Stingray Café, located at the seaside of La Marina Village,
where you can dine on Caribbean-infused dishes and seafood.
Banquet
director Jorge E. Ruiz keeps his staff of 100 on par as they deliver
scrumptious delights. Chef Neck Calderon, who has been on the staff for 18
years, is just of the staff members creating gastronomic little ditties.
Activities
on the property include the 2.4 acre Coqui Water Park, a state-of-the-art
aquatic playground. Enjoy the Torre de Yocahu, a tower from which three
high-speed water slides flow, including El Gigante Dormido (The Sleeping
Giant), that has a 40-foot drop. There is also an 8,500 sq. ft. infinity edge
pool and a rope bridge. For a fabulous daytrip, take the ferry to Palomino
Island, the resort’s private island featuring water sports and white, sandy
beaches. Once there, have lunch at
Iguana’s Café, an open-air restaurant featuring chicken, seafood, burgers,
snacks and drinks.
For
a different kind of relaxation, make an appointment at the Waldorf Astoria Spa
or play a round of golf at the Arthur Hills 18-hole, par-72 golf course.
Take
a leisurely Art Walk around the grounds of the resort and Las Casitas Village
to admire a number of great works of art.
The
26,000 sq. ft. Spa, featuring two double rooms, 15 dry rooms, five wet rooms,
five facials rooms, a full service Edouard de Paris salon and retail boutique,
is a three-story sea front facing facility. The spa is kept clean and the therapists are friendly,
professional and well-versed in the art of pampering. Sharlene, one of the massage therapists,
is exceptional.
El Conquistador Convention Center
Meeting
at El Conquistador is not a problem. There resort is home to the largest
meeting space in the Caribbean with more than 100,000 sq. ft. of flexible
indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. There is a state-of-the-art Atlantic Conference
Center at El Conquistador Resort – the most expansive and cutting-edge center
of its kind in the Caribbean. The Grand Atlantic Ballroom has 21,090-sq. ft.
The Grand Caribbean Ballroom has 19,982 sq ft. There are 16 breakout rooms.
HOW TO GET
THERE
There are
numerous trips from the U.S. to Puerto Rico. Arrive at the Luis Munoz Marin
International Airport
Time Zone:
Atlantic Standard Time (AST), which is one hour later (+1) than Eastern
Standard Time (EST) and four hours earlier (-4) than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Puerto Rico does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
Tourism Motto:
Puerto Rico lo hace mejor! (Puerto Rico does it better!)
Puerto Vallarta
mahogany bars in the kitchen. A highlight of the revamped suites is new art, paintings and textiles, from leading Mexican artists. At Casa Velas, luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, premium liquor and wine, 24-hour suite service, use of the fitness center facilities, WIFI, taxes, and gratuities are included in the nightly rate. This fall, room rates start at $190 per person per night based on double occupancy. For more information please call 1-888-407-4869 or visit 
Casa Velas is a luxury all-inclusive Boutique hotel and ocean club for adults only, reminiscent of a Spanish hacienda, and nestled on the greens of Marina Vallarta’s 18-hole golf course. The hotel features a private ocean club and is just minutes from the beach. It has received the AAA Four Diamond Award for hospitality seven times and has been in the top two in TripAdvisor for Puerto Vallarta since 2010. Located just five minutes from Puerto Vallarta Airport and only 15 from the popular downtown area, art galleries and “El Malecon” (the boardwalk), the hotel features 80 spacious suites, some with private pools and Jacuzzis. Spa Casa Velas encompasses treatment rooms for singles and couples, a hydrotherapy area, a garden-view fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art exercise equipment, and a beauty salon. A novel service is a handbag bar where guests can enjoy use of a “loaner” designer handbag at no extra charge. Emiliano, the AAA Four Diamond rated a la carte fine dining restaurant, is in the hands of one of the area’s leading chefs serving Mexican and international cuisine. Guests can also enjoy dining privileges at the sister resort, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, with three gourmet specialty options. Casa Velas is operated by Eduardo Vela Ruiz, majority owner, founder and president of Velas Resorts, with brother Juan Vela by his side, vice president of Velas Resorts.
