A contemporary high-rise resort between Old San Juan and Condado, the Caribe Hilton reopened in 2019 after suffering damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. It attracts a mix of families, couples, and singles. The manmade beach is small and can be crowded (this factor has a negative effect on the Overall Beach Resort Rating); but the property offers chic guest rooms that were recently renovated, an upscale multi-level pool area with an excellent swim-up bar and ocean views, a great kids club, a state-of-the-art fitness center with high floor-to-ceiling windows that render plenty of natural light, a Starbucks, an ice cream bar, and six very impressive on-site restaurants – including Morton’s The Steakhouse and Lola’s, which serves authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. There’s also a great breakfast buffet. The on-site bar “Caribar” was the birthplace of the Piña Colada in 1954; it still serves a quality one today, in addition to a newer version – The Clear Colada. There’s also an old fort on-site that once guarded the entrance to San Juan Bay. Rooms come with comfortable beds, modern amenities, large flat-screen TVs, and outstanding ocean views. Activities include tennis (three quality courts), piña colada tastings, water aerobics, outdoor yoga classes, grass volleyball, scuba diving, snorkeling, and guided reef tours. Activities for kids include sandcastle building, hula hoop contests, and fish feeding, among much more. The 8,500-square-foot spa uses natural ingredients such as coconut and aloe cucumber and has a hydrotherapy room, sauna and steam rooms, and treatments for kids and teens.
As Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, the CDC COVID-19 testing requirement for U.S. travelers re-entering the U.S. from international destinations does not apply.