Accommodations and Food

Accommodations in Puerto Rico [1] run the gamut from world-class luxury resorts to rustic self-serve guesthouses, which offer little more than a bed to crash on and a help-yourself attitude when it comes to getting clean linens, ice, and other items you might need. In between are a variety of American hotel chains in all price ranges and a number of small, independent hotels and inns. There are also some unique hotels of historic significance, such as El Convento in San Juan [2], a former Carmelite convent built in 1651, and Hacienda Gripiñas [3], a former coffee plantation in Jayuya [4] located high up in the Cordillera Central [5] mountains.

Outside San Juan [6] there are accommodations designated by the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. as paradores (www.gotoparadores.com [7]), independently owned and operated country inns. There are 18 properties in all, with the largest concentration located on the western half of the island. Note, though, the designation of parador is not a recommendation, and the quality of the properties are wildly divergent between the superior and the inferior. For details, see www.gotoparadores.com [7].