If you’ve been to San Juan, Puerto Rico, you know it’s a vibrant, culturally fascinating, entertaining urban Caribbean destination, whether you’re watching a concert at Distrito T-Mobile, dining your way through eateries like Marmalade or Mario Pagan or exploring the history of the Piña Colada at Barrachina.
And while Puerto Rico’s tourism industry has been sizzling since the pandemic, San Juan itself has a bit of a void in one segment: the luxury market. There are just a handful of luxury hotels in the capital, and few are particularly notable.
That’s about to change, however, thanks to what was a 1950s-era office building on San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Avenida Ponce de Leon — and is about to become Puerto Rico’s most exciting new luxury hotel.
It’s called Verano San Juan, and the new hotel is planning a spring 2025 debut, a spokesperson for the property told Caribbean Journal.
The hotel has already signed on to become the first-ever Leading Hotels of the World member in Puerto Rico. It’s a collection that’s, in our opinion, is one of the most reliable indicators of quality in the travel industry — a sign that a hotel has a deep commitment to delivering a luxury product. Some examples of LHW members in the Caribbean? Sandy Lane in Barbados, Tortuga Bay in Punta Cana. You get the picture.
So what will the transformed Santurce-area property be all about?
Verano will have a total of 40 rooms and suites, ranging from standard units to signature executive suites, many with striking views of the nearby vistas of Condado and Miramar. The interiors will feature custom appointments from both Puerto Rico and, more broadly, Spain and Peru.
What about amenities? The hotel will feature an eatery called City House Rooftop (with a primo sunset bar). The property will also have a special “Club House,” a membership-based facility with special events, coffee sommeliers and other unique touches.
It’s “more than a hotel,” said John Sears, who is the managing director of the Verano collection.
Re-imagining the old office building, which was undertaken by Bloc Design, into a sparkling new boutique hotel has been a nearly three year process, Sears said.
It’s sure to be a significant addition to an already strong hotel landscape in Puerto Rico’s capital — which has been performing very well since the pandemic but still has the aforementioned void in the luxury market, one that Verano (and the soon-to-reopen Ritz-Carlton, San Juan) should help fill.
What about cost?
Prices for the spring debut start at $400 per night, the hotel confirmed.
You can learn more at Verano San Juan.
