Future Of The World's Airports Explored At ACI's WAGA 2015 Conference

Montreal/Panama City, 2 September 2015 – Over 600 delegates took part in day one of the main conference yesterday at this year's Airports Council International (ACI) Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA), organized under the theme "Airports: Shaping our future" and graciously hosted by Tocumen International Airport. The day began with the official opening of the conference, where attendees heard His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, President of the Republic of Panama; Joseph Fidanque III, General Manager, Tocumen International Airport; Hector Navarrete, Director of Regional Airports, ASUR and President, ACI Latin America-Caribbean; Fredrick Piccolo, President and CEO, Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and Chair, ACI World; and Jorge Quijano, Chief Executive Officer, Panama Canal Authority speak variously on airports' significant contributions to their local economies; Panama's important place in the world as the hub of the Americas; Tocumen International Airports' impressive new Terminal 2; and the importance of planning now for future challenges and opportunities. The conference opening was followed by two sessions: "A day in the life of an airport CEO in 2025," wherein panelists provided insights on the future of airports, including their strategic visions, challenges and opportunities, and "Waves of the future," which featured presentations focusing on the ways in which airports can cater to an emerging group of air travelers—the generation of passengers that will be traveling for the next three to four decades. ACI also celebrated this year's graduates of the ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP); held the ACI World General Assembly and the ACI Latin America-Caribbean Regional Assembly; and congratulated 2015 ACI scholarship recipients. "We accomplished a lot yesterday," noted Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World, "but I always say my favorite part of WAGA every year is congratulating our AMPAP graduates. In line with the theme of this year's conference, ACI, along with ICAO, its partner in the AMPAP initiative, is committed to ensuring that the airport industry has a deep talent pool from which to draw in the coming years. This year's AMPAP graduates are proof positive that our future is in good hands." "Yesterday was an excellent start to what is a comprehensive conference programme that will continue on 2 September with three more sessions dedicated to ensuring that airports build a future that is safe, secure and a sustainable," added Javier Martinez Botacio, Director General, ACI Latin America-Caribbean. "I'm particularly pleased to note that WAGA 2015 has set an attendance record for ACI events in Latin America-Caribbean. The presentations we've seen today and during the pre-conference programme make it clear that the region is on the cutting edge where airport development is concerned. "We're fortunate to have the opportunity here in beautiful Panama during this event to both learn from other regions' successes and communicate our own victories," Martinez Botacio continued. "More than anything, it is through this spirit of collaboration and mutual support that the world's airports will create a solid foundation for future growth." WAGA 2015 continues on 2 September with the second half of the main conference programme. To view photos from the event, please visit our Flickr page, updated daily with new content from WAGA 2015. Notes for editors 1. For more information about ACI Latin America-Caribbean/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, please click here. 2. Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world's airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. 3. Tocumen International Airport is a key point for air connectivity in Latin America. It is the only airport in Central America with two runways at sea level, 34 boarding gates and 6 remote positions, and the ability to move over 12 million passengers per year. Currently, from Tocumen Airport you can be connected with 83 destinations in 34 countries in the Americas and Europe, facilitating business opportunities and offering tourism attractions for a large community at the region. In 2017, the new Terminal 2 (T2), which is the masterpiece of the modernization plan of Tocumen International Airport, is scheduled to become operational. After this expansion, Tocumen will increase its capacity to 18 million passengers per year.

Broadway Theatre Cruises To Include Broadway Stars

Palm Beach Gardens, FL – August 24, 2015 – Broadway Theatre Cruises, the new and exciting theme cruise organizer – specializing in creating entertainment experiences that feature Broadway stars – today announced its inaugural cruise, Sailing with the Stars, is open for bookings. The seven-night Caribbean cruise departs November 5, 2016 onboard Celebrity Cruises’ modern luxury ship Celebrity Reflection.

 

Sailing with the Stars will provide guests, who enjoy live theatre, cabaret, music and cruising, and have booked the new package, with exclusive access to seasoned Broadway stars at intimate shows and events. The inaugural cruise is slated to feature well-known Broadway performers Lee Roy Reams, Robert Cuccioli, and Eden Espinosa, who have starred in 42^nd Street, The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde, Les Misérables, Spiderman, Wicked, and Rent, among others.

 

Broadway Theatre Cruises will also give back to charities and non-profit organizations that book the Sailing with the Stars package. As community involvement and support are rooted in the group’s company mission, a $200-per-person donation will be made for each booking that comes through individual non-profits. For example, if an organization makes 50 reservations, it will receive a $10,000 donation from Broadway Theatre Cruises. Organizations already collaborating with the Broadway-themed cruise group include Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Slow Burn Theatre Company and GableStage, and more.

 

The Broadway-inspired cruise’s exclusive events include private cabaret shows/concerts, opening- and closing-night cocktail parties, invitations to attend dinners, live interviews, and a Q & A session with the featured stars – called Celebrity Studio; a singing competition named Celebrity Idol; and a nightly piano bar performance. 

 

Celebrity Cruises is the cruise industry’s premium cruise brand. Onboard the line’s newest ship, Celebrity Reflection, guests can enjoy stunning décor, globally inspired dining in 12 distinct restaurants, led by a Michelin-starred chef; a half-acre of real, growing grass on the top deck; and thrilling entertainment– all complemented by über-personal service, unique experiences with Canyon Ranch Spa Club, activities created in partnership with Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning show, Top Chef; cultural deep-dives at each destination; and more.

 

For more information, and how to book, contact travel agent, Elliott Stoll of Cruise Planners, at 561-736-1704, estoll@cruiseplanners.comor visit www.rightcruise4you.com. The Broadway Theatre Cruises website is www.broadwaytheatrecruises.com

 

About Broadway Theatre Cruises:

Broadway Theatre Cruises, led by partners Alan Jacobson and Mark Keller, both longtime theatrical producers, is an entertainment company that specializes in creating entertainment experiences featuring Broadway stars on cruises, in theatres, clubs and at corporate events. Creating an overall experience where the entertainers perform and interact with patrons attending a Broadway Theatre Cruises event, the attendees are engaged in an intimate experience getting to know the talents of these stars, as well as how they got to where they are.  As part of Broadway Theatre Cruises’ mission, a program is set up to donate a portion of proceeds to non-profits and charities that engage their patrons in the events. 

 

Belize Nominated for 2015 World Travel Awards

2015 World Travel Awards

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is excited to announce the nomination of Belize to the "2015 World Travel Awards", a prestigious recognition platform of international and regional peers selected by registered members. This year's award has received, thus far, 580,000 votes!   The process is easy.  Support Belize by voting in the below nomination categories!

Belize has made the final short list for several of the major Mexico & Central America regional awards. Simply register your email address and start voting. You can only vote once in each category. Each link below will take you to the various categories to vote for Belize.

*Mexico & Central America's Leading Beach Destination

*Mexico & Central America's Leading Destination 2015 

*Mexico & Central America's Leading Nature Reserve 2015 

*Mexico & Central America's Leading Tourist Board 2015 

There are also 4 categories specifically targeting properties in Belize.

Click the link below to cast your vote for your favorite.

* Belize Country Awards 

Worldwide voting ends August 17th.

Copa Airline Is New Airline Carrier To Belize

Belize City, Belize – July 29, 2015 – Today, a press conference was held at the Best Western
Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel, announcing airline services to Belize via Copa Airlines.

Starting December 8th, 2015 Copa airlines will be offering 2 weekly flights to Belize City from Hub de la Americas Panama City, Panama. With this new addition Copa Airlines, will now expand its route to 75 cities and 31 countries in North, Central, South and the Caribbean with Belize being the 7th in Central America.

With the addition of Belize, they are now covering all of Central America, strengthening their regional leadership.

Panama City, Panama. July 29th, 2015

“For Copa Airlines it is with much joy that we announce this new destination with which we consolidate our leadership in the region, strengthen our existing routes while at the same time allowing us to offer better connectivity and world class service to all of Central America, from Hub de las Americas, in Panama. The connectivity will open enormous opportunities for tourism and commercial development for this interesting Caribbean country, as well as allowing for tourist from the same region to have the opportunity to enjoy all the tourism and commercial strengths Belize has to offer,” said Pedro Heilbron, executive president for Copa Airlines.

Flight CM 281 will leave Belize City Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:17 p.m., arriving at ‘Hub de las Americas’ at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City at 5:34 p.m. The return flight, CM 280, will leave Panama Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:29 a.m. arriving in Belize at 12:52 midday. All flights are local time and the flight time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.

For its direct flight to Belize, Copa will be operating a modern Embraer 190 aircraft with capacity for 94 passengers, 10 in Executive Class and 84 in the main cabin. This aircraft is characterized for having 2 seats in each side of the isle without a center seat, which makes it more attractive and comfortable for passengers.

From Hub de las Americas in Panama, Copa airlines offers more international flights than any other airline with another center of operations in this continent. The flight from Belize to Panama was programmed to provide convenient connection to Sao Paulo, Brazil; San Jose, Costa Rica; Bogota, Cartagena and Medellin in Colombia; Santiago de Chile, Chile; Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador; Managua, Nicaragua; Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago; Havana, Cuba; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Lima, Peru. The passengers in transit will not need to pass through immigration or wait in a customs line and their luggage will be checked until their final destination. In addition for Belizeans to have access to top 5 biggest shopping malls in Latin America, “Stop Over” two nights free of charge in Panama, easier access to Caribbean and Latin America for business and vacation.

“I must reiterate how important this partnership is, as COPA will not only supply significant potential markets for Belize, but also offer excellent and competitive linkages to the Caribbean, Central and especially to the South American market. Currently, the latter represents less than 5% of overnight tourist arrivals to Belize, with the biggest barrier being limited accessibility. As a result, and in keeping with our initiation of strategic and targeted marketing efforts in South America, this partnership could not come at a more opportune time”.----Hon. Minister Manuel Heredia

Finding Paradise Takes Only Two Words - Puerto Rico

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.

http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com or www.elsanjuanresort.com

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!)