Puerto Rico maintains its strong appeal to the group market with a host of openings and renovations at the island’s major convention and incentive properties. According to the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, 20 hotel projects are currently underway and available rooms will total 15,000 by the end of the year.
Perhaps the biggest news for the luxury market is the December 2012 opening of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Resort and Spa. Situated on 1,400 acres and built on the footprint of the RockResort property opened more than 50 years ago by Laurance Rockefeller, the new hotel will feature 100 rooms and 14 one-bedroom suites, as well as four championship golf courses, a five-acre spa, and a beach club. The original plantation hacienda, which has been renovated to reflect its 1920s heritage, offers a five-bedroom waterfront venue for private events.
Also in Dorado, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts is set to open a 500-room property on the site of the former Hyatt Regency Cerromar in 2013.
Another addition to Puerto Rico’s luxury collection is the recently opened 139-suite St. Regis Bahia Beach, which features 5,000 square feet of meeting space and a Remede Spa, as well as a Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship golf course and a Jean-Georges restaurant.
Meetings and incentive heavyweight San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino revamped its lobby and bar, pumping $2.2 million into the space to create a design that transitions from a quiet, relaxed space during the day to a vibrant destination in the evenings. Among other decor changes is the addition of a 22-foot-by-9-foot teak wall, hand carved to resemble coral. The hotel recently underwent a $35-million room revamp and spent $2-million upgrading its poolside dining areas.
The El Conquistador is bulking up its offerings for attendees who bring their families along. The hotel now offers a ScoutAbout scavenger hunt, which is designed to teach children about the island—like how the coqui frog got its name. El Conquistador also offers over 100,000 square feet of meeting space including the newly renovated grand Atlantic Ballroom and conference center.
Caribe Hilton in San Juan has completed phase one of a more than $8-million rooms renovation. Changes include new carpeting, linen, lighting, and upgraded internet, as well as renovated bathrooms and the addition of sofabeds to king rooms. The full renovation, which includes all 305 main building guest rooms and meeting space, will wrap up later this year.
The 299-suite Embassy Suites San Juan – Hotel & Casino in Isla Verde has unveiled the El Patio Latin Bar Cafe, the Oasis Lounge, and an upgraded casino, which now offers a high-limit area and two new table games—progressive black jack and progressive three-card poker. The hotel offers complimentary breakfast and afternoon receptions to guests, and is situated near the El Yunque Rainforest and Luquillo Beach.
The 107-room Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar opened in the former Four Points with 6,000 square feet of meeting space, a business center, a fitness center, a casino, a restaurant, and a wine bar. It joins fellow Wyndham property the Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa – A Wyndham Grand Resort, which offers 600 rooms, 72 suites, a 48,000-sqaure-foot oceanfront conference center, and 24 meeting rooms.
The 450-room Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, which has 15,000 square feet of event space, has opened to groups following a comprehensive renovation. Guest rooms will open soon, at which time amenities will include a fitness center, butler and concierge service, a staffed business center, and four dining outlets.
El San Juan recently opened the new Tequila and Rum Bar at the Gold Bar and the Chico Lounge. Located in the resort’s lobby, the Tequila and Rum Bar features live salsa music and dancing on Wednesday and Saturday nights, themed events on Friday nights, and live jazz every Sunday, as well as signature cocktails and appetizers. Chico Lounge is open from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. daily and until 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The space is also available for private events.
Luxe-lovers should also look to the 157-room W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island, which opened in 2010 and comes complete with its own airport welcome lounge. The property has 3,500 square feet of meeting space, infinity pools, tennis facilities, a fitness center and spa, and the Alain Ducasse restaurant MiX on the Beach.
Getting to and from Puerto Rico has become even easier as JetBlue—the largest carrier serving the island—has introduced flights from Hartford, CT; Tampa, FL; and Jacksonville, FL. JetBlue averages 35 flights a day from Puerto Rico; AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines have also increased capacity.
On the island, groups can take advantage of more than 1.3 million square feet of meeting and event space, including space at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, which is the largest and touted as the most technologically advanced facility in the Caribbean and Latin America.