Cervantes Chateau (329 Recinto Sur, 787/724-7722, fax 787/289-8909, reservations [at] cervantespr [dot] com, www.cervantespr.com [1], $225 s/d, $285 junior suite, $425 suite, $975 split-level penthouse suite, plus taxes and resort fees) is a new luxury boutique hotel near the piers in Old San Juan [2]. Tastefully but playfully decorated by clothing designer and former fashion editor at Esquire magazine Nono Maldonado, the hotel combines mid-century modern elements with Spanish colonial style. The emphasis is on luxury, apparent in the Egyptian linens, HDTV flat-screen TVs, and free wireless Internet. The fine dining restaurant, Panza, is on-site.
To get a true sense of history, spend the night in a Carmelite convent completed in 1651 by order of King Phillip IV of Spain. Hotel El Convento (100 Calle Cristo, 787/723-9020, 787/721-2877, or 800/468-2779, elconvento [at] aol [dot] com, www.elconvento.com [3], $325–445 s/d, $710–1,520 suite, plus taxes and resort fees). A recipient of many awards and accolades, the 58-room hotel encompasses a four-floor colonial structure with an enormous well-landscaped courtyard in the center. Common areas are filled with gorgeous Spanish antiques and reproductions. Rooms come with air-conditioning, cable TV, VCR, stereo, telephone, and refrigerator. Amenities include a fitness center, plunge pool, and whirlpool bath on the fourth floor, which overlooks Old San Juan [2] and the bay. It has four restaurants.
Links:
[1] http://www.cervantespr.com
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/puerto-rico/san-juan/sights/old-san-juan
[3] http://www.elconvento.com