Puerto Rico’s Iconic Caribe Hilton Is Reborn Post-Maria - AFAR
"Opened in 1949 as Hilton’s first hotel outside the continental United States, this iconic beachfront resort — once a 300-room midcentury luxury destination that regularly hosted celebrities, politicians and royalty — is celebrated as the birthplace of the piña colada, a cocktail created here in 1954 by bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, who continued to make it for decades and helped the drink become Puerto Rico’s official cocktail. Severely damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017, the property has been reborn after a $150 million, 15-month restoration and expansion: it now offers 652 rooms plus 96 studios and villas, reimagined in a bright, contemporary style with only vintage signage nodding to its past. Dining options are extensive, including Caribar (the 21st incarnation of the bar that served the original piña coladas), Salitre (breakfast buffet), Lola’s (Puerto Rican fare), Mojito’s (Caribbean fusion) and pool-side outlets, while on-site amenities include three oceanfront pools, a secluded beach, tennis courts, a spa, tropical gardens, a bird sanctuary and about 65,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space just four miles east of Old San Juan. The reopening has been framed as a visible sign of Puerto Rico’s recovery and renewed tourism energy." - Michelle Baran
