"Built in 1780, this lemon-colored, 150-room property is the island’s oldest operating hotel and a community treasure staffed by locals who have worked there for decades; the original mansion entrance was preserved while newer wings add modern amenities such as an infinity pool, spa, and fitness center. The boutique shop highlights rotating local artists, painter José Maria Capricorne is well represented throughout the property, and the on-site Blues Bar and Restaurant is widely regarded as the best place on the island to hear local jazz. The Octagon house on the grounds, once a refuge for philosopher and liberator Simon Bolívar, now serves as a seaside museum honoring that history." - Laura Feinstein