Puerto Rico

The Classicist: St. Regis Bahia Beach Brings True Luxury to Puerto Rico

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Last spring we previewed the luxe private residences at the St. Regis' beautiful new Bahia Beach property in Puerto Rico. Now the accompanying exclusive resort, the prestigious brand's first Caribbean hotel, is officially open bringing world-class luxury to the island. The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico brings St. Regis' signature bespoke services to the stunning 483-acre beachfront enclave, located on a former coconut plantation nestled between the majestic El Yunque rainforest and the Espiritu Santo River. The property's ultra-luxe amenities include St. Regis' legendary Butler Service, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurant Fern, a 10,000 square foot Remède Spa, and an ocean-front golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. as well as the Caribbean's first certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary.

Designed by acclaimed architecture firm Hill Glazier in a graceful plantation style that harmoniously blends in with the glorious landscape of towering palms and tropical flowers, the resort boasts 139 luxuriously appointed guest rooms including 35 suites with private terraces offering spectacular ocean views, as well as 25 private St. Regis Estate Homes. The elegant, inviting interiors feature custom-designed furniture and spacious marble baths in addition to Pratesi linens and high-tech amenities such as high-speed wireless internet, 40-inch LCD televisions, additional TVs ingeniously integrated into the bathroom mirrors and an iPod docking station. The resort's signature Butler and Private Dining services ensure you'll never want for anything. The beachside swimming pool compound features Seagrapes, a casual bar and restaurant, private cabanas and more incredible ocean views.

Gallery: St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico

Tags: Audubon, Bahia Beach, beach, Caribbean, golf, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, library, luxury hotels, Puerto Rico, resort, restaurants, Spa, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach, suites

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A Taste of New York at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Going out to eat in New York City can be an incredible experience, except for one thing - you're smack in the middle of a great, stinking, crowded, dirty, noisy city full of obnoxious, neurotic people. Not to mention that this time of year it's freezing cold to boot. That can detract from the enjoyment if not outright ruin it on certain occasions. However at the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan, Puerto Rico you can now get an authentic NYC dining experience in an incredible beachfront setting. The luxe hotel has created a tantalizing Taste of New York Package around its two great restaurants imported directly from the Big Apple, BLT Steak and Il Mulino New York – minus the Manhattan melodrama.

BLT Steak from famed chef Laurent Tourondel mixes modern, urbane décor with an infusion of classic French bistro techniques. In the elegant, old-world atmosphere of Il Mulino New York you can linger over the vibrant flavors inspired by the cuisine of Italy's Abruzzi region. The package, with rates starting at $569 per night, includes deluxe accommodations for two in a Pool View room; a gourmet welcome amenity; daily breakfast at Mares, the casual poolside café; and daily dinner for two at BLT Steak or Il Mulino, including a complimentary sommelier's selection bottle of wine. Of course the restaurants are open to all guests of the idyllic resort, which also features the Ritz-Carlton's signature Club Level accommodation, a must for travelers who require the best of everything with convenience to match.

Gallery: Taste of New York at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

Tags: beach, BLT Steak, chef, dining, Il Mulino, Laurent Tourondel, luxury hotels, New York, New York City, Puerto Rico, Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

Brooke Shields Celebrates New St. Regis Resort

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events, Celebrity Shopping

Brooke Shields, pictured above with St. Regis Global Brand Leader Paul James, toasted the opening of the famed brand's 21st hotel, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, at a cocktail party at the legendary St. Regis New York Wednesday night. The glamorous fête also celebrated the unveiling of the St. Regis Collection by Alexis Bittar, a collection of jewelry created exclusively for St. Regis in honor of the brand's latest luxe destination. Each piece in the St. Regis Collection pays homage to St. Regis' founding patroness Caroline Astor, mother of John Jacob Astor who opened The St. Regis New York in 1904, and her famed jewels which she displayed at New York's premier social events. For the celebration, hosted by stylish socialites Olivia Chantecaille and Ren Grady, Zani Gugelmann, Mary Alice Stephenson, and Lucy Sykes and Euan Rellie, the St. Regis New York's second floor was transformed into a warm, inviting salon where guests discovered the storied hotel's enchanting rooms.

With glowing candlelight and beautiful flower arrangements situated amongst rich wood tables, elegant sofas and leather club chairs gracing the rooms, the setting suggested an intimate home harkening back to the days of the private residences found in the iconic hotel during John Jacob Astor's time. Throughout the festive evening, guests enjoyed live music from Kat Edmonson as she crooned classic jazz numbers while accompanied by a five piece band, paying tribute to the St. Regis New York's jazz history; the hotel has played host to some of the finest jazz musicians since its opening over a century ago. Party-goers were also treated to a special menu of hors d'oeuvres created by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Vongerichten is the Chef of Fern, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort's highly anticipated and recently opened signature restaurant.

Tags: Alexis Bittar, Bahia Beach, Brooke Shields, celebrity, events, jazz, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Jacob Astor, Kat Edmonson, luxury hotels, Olivia Chantecaille, party, Paul James, Puerto Rico, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach

Bacardi Introduces Reserva Limitada Founder's Blend Rum

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Back in the early days of the Bacardi rum distillery, the Maestro de Ron (rum master) created a special blend just for the family of founder Don Facundo Bacardi. It remained exclusive to the family for generations, finally being released to local markets in the Caribbean – Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Aruba – to celebrate the opening of the distillery's visitor center back in 2003.

Aged in lightly-charred American white oak barrels for 10-16 years, the Reserva Limitada is now reaching the American market as the company's top-of-the-line "founder's blend". The deep reddish-gold dark rum has a nose of vanilla, oak and dried fruits.

Initial availability will be limited to just 1,000 cases (with six 750ml bottles per case), each bottle selling for a suggested price of $110.

Tags: alcohol, bacardi, bacardi founders blend, bacardi reserva limitada, maestro de ron, puerto rico, ron, rum, spirits

The Classicist: A Puerto Rican Renaissance at St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, The Classicist, Real Estate Developments

One of the Caribbean's finest residential and vacation enclaves is taking shape on 483 pristine beachfront acres in Puerto Rico, at the foot of the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. At the vanguard of what promises to be a true Puerto Rican renaissance is the stunning Bahia Beach community with a St. Regis resort and residences as its centerpiece. Located within 25 minutes driving distance of San Juan, Bahia Beach boasts a magnificent two-mile crescent of sandy beach, a challenging 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., golf and beach clubhouses, and a charming seaside village. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will operate the intimate St. Regis Resort, Bahía Beach, which will include an ultra-luxurious hotel and spa slated to open this fall. As any visitor to Bahia Beach can attest, its naturally perfect setting inspires dreams of permanent residence. Bahia Beach offers a number of ways to make the dream a reality, with a variety of homes including St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias estate homes, resort residences, golf and ocean view villas, and beachfront townhomes available in advance of the resort's official opening.

The resort will feature the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge service, a world-class Remède Spa and Fitness Center, a 120-seat Jean-Georges Vongerichten signature restaurant as well as a 90-seat St. Regis restaurant, retail shops and beachfront pool facilities. The tropical, unspoiled splendor of Bahia Beach, located on Puerto Rico's northeast coast at the foot of the El Yunque rain forest and bounded by two scenic rivers, can easily lead you to imagine a remote idyll, yet part of its appeal lies in the community's convenience and accessibility. U.S. residents don't need to bother with passports or worry about currency exchange, while the distance from New York for example is not all that much more than Miami. Once a coconut plantation, Bahía Beach is richly populated with 100-foot palms and other tropical trees, inhabited by myriad species of birds and the vivid green iguanas native to the coast. Over 65% of the property has been preserved as green areas, sanctuaries and nature trails; the Bahía Beach Resort & Golf Club is Puerto Rico's first resort community to become a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

Gallery: St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

All residences sold within Bahía Beach include social membership in the community's private club, providing members with special dining and recreational privileges and services. Upgrades to full golf club memberships are also available. The signature St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias, will offer 25 majestic estate homes introducing an unrivaled dimension of luxury and hospitality to Puerto Rico. Located on a private island within the Bahía community and designed in a tropical plantation architectural style on spacious lots, these residences are available in six different models with floor plans offering large verandas, three-car garages, infinity edge swimming pools and separate maid's quarters. Homes are sized from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and built on half acre to 1.5 acre lots with stunning ocean and golf course views. The first homes have already been delivered and one well-known major league baseball player has already taken up residence. Owners of Las Estancias will enjoy full access to St. Regis Resort amenities including the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge. Read on for details of the rest of the residences, and check out the gallery for stunning images.

Tags: Audubon, Bahia Beach, beach, Caribbean, El Yunque, golf, golf club, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, nature sanctuary, Puerto Rico, rain forest, residences, resort, San Juan, spa, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach

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Stay Somewhere Less Ordinary: Hix Island House, Vieques

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

There are basic ingredients in a standard hotel room recipe, among these, I would rank "four walls" at or near the top of the list. But upon entering your room -- or, rather your "loft apartment" -- at Hix Island House in Vieques, Puerto Rico, you immediately notice that there's a wall that's simply not there.

This is the work of architect John Hix, who designed this very unique accommodation to blend in with the environment, taking its aesthetic cues from the many gray boulders scattered throughout the island -- and also to be easy on it. There's solar power, solar heat for the showers, and obviously no climate control, save for a fan. (The rooms are positioned to take advantage of the steady trade winds blowing over Vieques, so it's quite comfortable.)

The four buildings contain 13 lofts, and they look like they are made of gray cement -- actually, block and reinforced concrete, surfaced with plaster. The open wall is also a deck area, although in an emergency, like, say a hurricane, you could roll down a metal door to create four walls.

Gallery: Hix Island House, Vieques Puerto Rico

Deck Area, Where a Wall Would Typically Be

Lack of Four Walls Does Not Mean Lack of Privacy

Tags: puerto rico, puerto rico islanders, PuertoRico, PuertoRicoIslanders, unusual hotels, UnusualHotels, vieques

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Ritz-Carlton Introduces Club Level Experience Package

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Ritz-Carlton is now offering a luxe new Club Level Experience package at its signature properties in the Caribbean such as the alluring Ritz-Carlton San Juan (above). At the slice of paradise in Puerto Rico with its incredible ocean front pool complex the package offers guests an enhanced version of the usual top drawer Ritz-Carlton amenities with even more individualized attention - plus a complimentary night. For the rest of the winter and spring, guests booking the Club Level experience for three nights at the San Juan and other participating properties will receive the fourth night for free. Since the Club Level is only accessible with a special key card, guests will be able to experience the "hotel within a hotel" ambiance usually reserved for members, paired with complimentary light breakfast, snacks, hors d'oeuvres, drinks and deserts presented throughout the day. Club access also comes equipped with a personal concierge to assist with everything from hard-to-get restaurant reservations to arranging airline flights.

In San Juan the Club Level is situated on the 9th floor with a balcony overlooking the beautiful pool area and the beach (above). Meanwhile the Ritz-Carlton is also offering some additional special packages at its properties in the Caribbean and Mexico. The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman has introduced a Cayman Stingray Splash experience where guests can meet the famous aquatic residents of Stingray City. The package includes accommodations at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; a trip for two to Cayman's most beloved attraction and a complimentary fifth night. Rates for the Cayman Stingray Splash start at $609 per night in the high season. The The Ritz-Carton, St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands is also offering a Romance: No Planning Required package for quick getaways, valid through May 15. Starting at $594 per night with a minimum five night stay it includes Club Level access along with perks like a breakfast buffet, bottle of champagne and a sunset sailboat ride.

Tags: caribbean, Grand Cayman, GrandCayman, puerto rico, PuertoRico, ritz-carlton, Ritz-Carlton San Juan, Ritz-carltonSanJuan, San Juan, SanJuan

Ducasse's 1st Caribbean Eatery to Open at W Vieques

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Famed French chef Alain Ducasse will open his first restaurant in the Caribbean at the new W Retreat & Spa: Vieques Island this November, called "miX on the beach." At the eatery (above) Ducasse will offer a sophisticated menu, exploring "colorful Latino Caribbean flavors with an artful French twist and refreshing dishes that highlight only the finest ingredients from land and sea, expertly prepared and creatively presented." Both indoor and outdoor dining will be available with impressive ocean views on all sides. The first W Retreat & Spa in the Caribbean, the resort is located just off the Southeast coast of Puerto Rico on the peaceful 55-acre island of Vieques. In addition to miX on the beach, Ducasse's team will also manage the entire food and beverage program for the resort.

Tags: Alain Ducasse, AlainDucasse, beach, Caribbean, celebrity chef, CelebrityChef, chef, Puerto Rico, PuertoRico, resort, spa, Vieques, W hotel, W Retreat Spa, WHotel, WRetreatSpa

A Ritz-y Wedding

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Where you could get married this summer ....

Want the kind of wedding that your friends and family will always remember? A destination wedding can feel like a risky option in this economy, but you'll be surprised -- a vacation may be just what everyone needs. The Ritz-Carlton is making destination weddings even more enticing this summer by offering the Reconnect Package at many of their hotels, including their sunny Caribbean & Mexico locations!

The package is more than just a high-priced luxury wedding tied up in a bow. Actually, a lot of the services are free! The Reconnect package includes:

Ceremony Location (such as the above)
Wedding Specialist
Wedding Concierge
Minister
Signature Bouquet
Signature Boutonniere
Signature Location Décor

Also, expect a $100 daily resort credit and a free three-night stay on your first anniversary! Sound to good to be true? It's not, you just need 25 friends and family members to book rooms.

What's more, your wedding guests will enjoy a $100 daily resort credit for use at restaurants, the spa, and for recreation activities such as the Culinary Center at The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, where guests can explore cooking, wine, and Mexican tequilas, the award-winning White Witch Golf Course at The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica, Silver Rain, a La Prairie Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, BLT Steak at The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino, and sailing on the Lady Lynsey at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas.

Want to see what it will look like? Here are some exclusive Luxist photographs of the wedding setup at the Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa and Casino -- at sunset, no less.

Gallery: Luxury Weddings at The Ritz-Carlton

Yes, that runner is made of green flowers.

Tags: destination weddings, DestinationWeddings, puerto rico, ritz-carlton, san juan, weddings

The Ritz-Carlton San Juan

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

If you happen to be heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the hotel options are dizzying. There's an endless stream of accommodations in every price range, but if you're looking for effortless, relaxing luxury, complete with a pristine beach and a prime location, I highly recommend the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Spa, & Casino (above).

The Ritz-Carlton is located right on Isla Verde beach (pale, fine sand and completely cleaned out for swimming), two miles from the airport and six miles from Old San Juan. I actually had the pleasure of staying at this resort in its inaugural year (my parents say it was under construction but all I remember is the hot tub and the big door to the beach, which look the same -- the tub and the door, that is; the beach was rocky back then), as well as earlier this month.

There's an extra luxurious way to stay which may actually end up saving you money: Stay on the Club Level. Not only do you get access to the exclusive 9th floor -- accessible only by key -- and a gorgeous, two-bathroom suite, but there's a Club Lounge up there where you can have expedited check-in and check-out service, a super-attentive concierge and, best of all, free food and drinks all day long. Now, I don't recommend trying to make a luxury meal of the (lovely) buffet, but when you want a light lunch or a quick snack? The Club Lounge offers elegant, tasteful dishes -- including local desserts -- as well as wine, champagne, and pretty much anything you want if you just ask (this includes the endless morning coffee working people like me require). Considering what snacking (and drinking) can cost you at a many-star hotel, paying extra for the Club Level may actually work to your advantage -- and at the very least it eliminates the calculator from the frugal mind which is constantly adding up the daily costs of your vacation.

The hotel offers a full-service, well-regarded Spa and Casino, as well as some top notch restaurants, including a BLT Steak and Il Mulino. There is also a Tiffany & Co. and a Little Switzerland, for the shopping-inclined, and like I said, Old San Jua n, with all its fabulous food and drink options, is just a six mile cab ride away. The real amenity of this hotel, though? Ritz-Carlton service. When you head down to the beach and drag the chairs all over the place, an RC employee will probably approach you -- and ask if he can drill a hole in the sand for you and plant an umbrella. Seriously.

For more beautiful photos of a beautiful property, click below.

Gallery: The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa, and Casino

Plug your iPod or iPhone right into your alarm clock

Tags: hotels, puerto rico, PuertoRico, ritz-carlton, san juan

Tropical Getaways, from Cond� Nast Traveler

by Paul Rogers (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The snowstorm that buried cities up and down the Eastern Seaboard this week served as a blunt reminder that winter has yet to exhale its last breath. For those suffering from sunshine deficiency, now may be the time to squeeze in a trip to someplace warm, and Condé Nast Traveler has come up with a host of affordable destinations.

The March issue of the magazine features a guide to 28 hotels and resorts in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean that offer idyllic settings at reasonable rates. Most of them can be reached by direct flight and don't require a rental car.

Here's a sampling of the correspondents' choices: Tres Sirenas Inn (pictured above; doubles, $175), an intimate beachfront B&B in Rincón, a surfing town on the west coast of Puerto Rico; hammock-equipped Ranguana Lodge (cabins, $80–$88) in "the sleepy Creole fishing village" of Placiencia, Belize; and, in the hip town of Tulum, Mexico, two hours south of Cancún, a "boho-chic" collection of thatched huts and stone villas called Amansala (doubles, $175–$225).

Tags: Amansala, Belize, conde nast traveler, CondeNastTraveler, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ranguala Lodge, RangualaLodge, Rincon, Tres Sirenas, TresSirenas, Tulum

Condado Plaza Unveils $65 Million Makeover

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

All phases of the three-year, $65 million renovation have finally been completed at the Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino in San Juan. Owner LXR Luxury Resorts brought in New York-based architect David Rockwell, whose firm is best known for its work on Nobu, the W New York and the upcoming JetBlue Terminal at JFK airport, to do a 20,000-sq.-ft. multipurpose lobby redesign. Manhattan meets Latin in the vibrant revamp, which includes two bars and a banquet hall.

Rockwell also designed a branch of New York meat-eaters mecca Strip House for the project, with a mixture of silk, velvet and leather plus vintage burlesque photos on the walls. Designer Leo A. Daly redid all 570 guest rooms in an equally colorful and stylish fashion. The resort features three freshwater and saltwater swimming pools, a stretch of private beach and a 24-hour casino.

Gallery: Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino

Tags: Condado Plaza, CondadoPlaza, David Rockwell, DavidRockwell, Nobu, Puerto Rico, PuertoRico, San Juan, SanJuan, Strip House, StripHouse

Cocqui Water Park Opens at the El Conquistador

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

I never used to think of water parks as particularly luxurious but that's been changing lately with parks springing up everywhere from Bahrain to Slovakia. Check out the Coqui Water Park in the Marina Village of the El Conquistador Resort in Las Croabas, Puerto Rico. The new park is part of the property's $120 million renovation and is the first water park ever to sit along the Caribbean Sea and overlook the Atlantic Ocean. It includes an 8,000-square-foot lazy river, 253-foot double inner tube slide, high-speed, 40-foot vertical drop, and 26-foot serpentine flume body slide. There is also a 25,554-square-foot sunbathing deck, 9,000-square-foot infinity edge pool,kids' pool area with a Coqui kids slide. The resort also includes a 26,000-square-foot Golden Door Spa. Packages at the lavish El Conquistador Resort include a full Caribbean buffet breakfast daily, water park passes and airport transportation and prices vary greatly depending on the season with rooms in the summer starting in the $240 range and zooming up to over $1000 per night for the larger suites.

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Tags: coqui water park, el conquistador, golden door spa, puerto rico, PuertoRico, water park

Punta del Viento, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's estate is the type of place I more often come across as a vacation rental. Punta del Viento is located on the island of Culebra which is part of Puerto Rico. The five bedroom home sits tucked up onto a hill with amazing views of the sea and the British Virgin Islands in the distance. The home also has a nearby mooring area with access for yachts and there is a boat house. The amenity of this house that makes the heart leap is the infinity pool which looks out onto the ocean. Other details include a guest house, home theater and an outdoor kitchen area. The home is listed at $8 million. After the jump, the pursuit of the endless vacation.

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Tags: culebra, estate of the day, puerto rico, real estate

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