In a century and a half of history, it was everything from a US post office to a government diplomatic headquarters. Today, the Palacio Provincial has cemented its place as one of the hippest places to stay in Old San Juan. 

The hotel, which first opened its doors back in 2021 right out of the pandemic, has 43 rooms in a prime location on Calle de San Francisco, perfect for exploring the city’s colorful streets and exuberant nightlife. 

It’s particularly popular for its rooftop bar and eatery called Atelier, and its courtyard eatery called the Consular Restaurant Bar — a nod to the hotel’s history as the former home of Puerto Rico’s Department of State. 

And you may be familiar with its sister hotel: the celebrated El Convento, just a short stroll away in the historic city. 

Now, in a significant development, the Palacio Provincial has joined Hilton’s Curio Collection, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

It’s the only Curio Collection hotel in Puerto Rico, and Hilton’s first hotel in Old San Juan. 

It’s a “remarkable hotel that preserves the cultural legacy of Old San Juan and meets our guests in the destinations they want to travel,” says Pablo Maturana, vice president of development for Hilton in the Caribbean. 

The addition of the Palacio Provincial part of a broader expansion plan for Hilton in Puerto Rico, according to Maturana, one that would double the company’s current footprint on the island. 

The move means Hilton Honors members can book stays at the hotel with their points, too. 

Puerto Rico is in the midst of a tourism renaissance, with surging hotel occupancy and tourist arrival number that continue to set records, a trend that largely began amid the pandemic travel boom. 

It’s a movement driven by the island’s cheap, plentiful airlift, with more and more carriers continuing to launch new nonstop routes from the US mainland to San Juan. 

For more, visit the Palacio Provincial.