By Alexander Britell

While Puerto Rico has quietly become a haven for high-end hotels in recent years, one property has remained perhaps its signature luxury resort: the St. Regis Bahia Beach.

And while many resorts have already reopened their doors since last year’s Hurricane Maria, the St. Regis has been quietly been transforming itself, completing a $60 million renovation.

And now it’s officially open again.

The changes have touched every guest room and suite, along with the St. Regis Bar, its flagship eatery, Paros, and the Casa Grande main house at the resort.

The 139 refurbished units have what the hotel is calling a “light, modern and organic aesthetic,” with design focused around the surrounding environment.

The Robert Trent Jones Jr golf course.

The transformation also includes upgrades to the St. Regis’ spa, its pool and esplanade, and its oceanfront Robert Trent Jones Jr golf course.

The resort tapped Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado for the renovation, together with San Francisco’s Hersch Bedner Associates.

The St. Regis, which is also planning an $85 million ultra-luxury residential development, is set on 483 acres between Puerto Rico’s legendary El Yunque National Forest and the Espiritu Santo River State Preserve.

And its triumphant return means both of the island’s halo resorts (including Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlon Reserve) are now open and accepting guests.

It’s part of what will be a busy December for Puerto Rico’s luxury market, with the highly-anticipated relaunch of the iconic El San Juan hotel in Isla Verde and the debut of hotelier Loisse Herger’s ultra-luxe OLV:55 hotel in Condado.

For more, visit the St. Regis Bahia Beach.

— CJ