By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of Puerto Rico’s most iconic hotels is set to complete a significant transformation project.

San Juan’s legendary Caribe Hilton will debut a more than $100 million dollar makeover on May 15.

The hotel is among the most famous places to stay in San Juan, from its myriad appearances in major motion pictures to its legacy as one of the purported birthplaces of the Pina Colada cocktail.

The “top-to-bottom” project includes guest room and suite renovations, “reimagined” food and beverage concepts, a new fitness center, a spa and a modernization of the property’s 65,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

“The opening of Caribe Hilton in 1949 was a genesis of tourism that introduced travelers to the island of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean,” said Danny Hughes, Executive Vice President and President for the Americas at Hilton. “The revitalization of this emblematic property is a continuation of that genesis, inspiring much anticipation and pride among the Hilton family, locals, guests and all who have an enduring affinity for this cherished San Juan hotel.”  

Park Hotels and Resorts, which owns the Caribe Hilton, tapped Virginia-based P3 Design Collective to lead the redesign, with a look the company said was “influenced by the vibrant culture, lively colors and rich history of San Juan.”

“We are thrilled to re-introduce the iconic Caribe Hilton to guests and locals alike,” said Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Park Hotels & Resorts. “We have worked tirelessly to restore, reimagine and enhance the hotel, and we are confident that the finished product is worthy of the hotel’s legendary history.”

When it completes the project, the Caribe Hilton will become the second historic San Juan hotel to complete a large-scale transformation project, following the recent relaunch of the iconic El San Juan.

That property is also a Hilton, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.

The new-look Palmeras restaurant at the Caribe Hilton.

“We are as determined as ever to reimagine the guest experience at Caribe Hilton and are eager to introduce Puerto Rico’s new Icon of Hospitality,” said Pablo Torres, general manager, Caribe Hilton. “We have had the pleasure of creating milestone memories for our local and international guests for nearly 70 years, and now we are ready to welcome travelers and our island family to create new ones.”

For more, visit the Caribe Hilton.

— CJ