Luxe life: Puerto Rico’s newest upscale hotels

The Olive Boutique Hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is the newest hotel in San Juan.

By Mark Chesnut

The so-called “Island of Enchantment,” Puerto Rico is clearly positioning itself to enchant luxury seekers even more, as a variety of new luxury hotel and dining options debut.

The newest Puerto Rico hotel to open in San Juan is the Olive Boutique Hotel, which opened this year in the upscale Condado district. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the elegant property exudes Mediterranean style, with original photography and handsome decor that reflects the owners’ love of that part of the world. It’s just a few minutes from the owners’ other hotel, the beachfront Hosteria del Mar, in the nearby neighborhood called Ocean Park.

Guests and locals alike are flocking to Oliva, the lovely new restaurant at Olive Boutique Hotel, for contemporary, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine; there is also an outdoor patio that can be used as an open-air private dining room. A new rooftop restaurant and bar promises to attract gourmands looking to enjoy the fresh ocean breezes.

Speaking of restaurants, the San Juan Water and Beach Club Hotel, a hip, Miami-chic property in the Isla Verde district, has unveiled a new restaurant: Zest, which serves contemporary fusion cuisine including lots of fresh seafood. The hotel’s rooftop has been refurbished and continues to be a good place for drinks and light meals as well. The Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino has also undergone upgrades in recent months, with a renovated lobby and new dining options in the works, while properties like the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort and Gran Melia Golf Resort continue to attract upscale leisure travelers as well as meetings and events outside of the city.

Even the arrival and departure experience at San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport has gotten an upgrade, if you happen to be flying JetBlue. The carrier has moved into the brand-new Terminal A this summer, which provides more space for its growing route network from Puerto Rico’s capital. This year, the airline announced that San Juan would be its sixth “focus city,” and launched new nonstops linking San Juan with Newark and West Palm Beach; service to Washington Reagan National Airport is to begin on Aug. 23.

 

Luxe life: Puerto Rico’s newest upscale hotels