Thanks in no small part to Bad Bunny’s No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí summer concert residency in San Juan, a new spotlight is falling on travel to Puerto Rico. While this no-passport-required destination for U.S. travelers has seen steadily growing visitor numbers in recent years, experts and leaders in the hospitality space say this moment feels different here, a sign that this is no passing trend.
At Caribe Hilton, stretched across one of the most sought-after sections of San Juan coast, the spotlight is nothing new. “Trending Since 1949” is one of the slogans at this celeb-favorite spot that has hosted some of the most recognizable names in movies, television, and even politics over its 75 years of history.
Sparking the expansion of globe-conquering brands, world-famous beverages and even the transformation of the island into the travel powerhouse it is today, Caribe Hilton feels uniquely positioned to bask in the glow of the island’s spotlight, and the perfect spot from which to enjoy it.
The Stories of the Caribe Hilton
With 75 years of history there are plenty of stories to be told of the Caribe Hilton, but perhaps none cements its status as a cultural icon more than its claims to fame as the original home of the piña colada.
The now world-famous cocktail was first crafted behind Caribe Hilton’s beloved Caribar in 1954 by bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero. Asked to create a beverage that captured the essence of Puerto Rico, he concocted the original recipe using the island’s bumper crop of pineapple and coconut. The beverage became an instant success, and today, Caribe Hilton’s Caribar serves over 55,000 piña coladas a year, says the property’s Marketing Director, Ana del Amo.
However, Caribe Hilton’s trendsetter status stretches far beyond a beverage. In fact, the property was purposed and planned as a spark to ignite Puerto Rico’s now burgeoning tourism industry. In the aftermath of World War II, Hilton was selected by the government of Puerto Rico as the ideal brand to launch a new local luxury tourism industry.
So Caribe Hilton came to life, transforming the island in the process. It was the first important commission for island-born architectural firm Toro Ferrer, whose tropical modernist style came to represent a new generation of architecture unique to and born from the island itself. In it were the roots of a multi billion-dollar travel and hospitality industry that has helped shape Puerto Rico into the place it is today.
Birth of a Brand
Caribe Hilton was also the first Hilton property located outside of the continental United States, and helped launch the global expansion of what is now one of the most recognizable brands in hospitality.
Today, Hilton has 24 distinct hotel brands within its portfolio of properties that span over 8,000 locations worldwide. Just this year it has debuted hotels as distinct as Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique, the first Waldorf Astoria in Costa Rica, and Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, its first all-inclusive Curio Collection by Hilton property. It is also premiering properties in destinations as far flung as South Africa, Estonia, Ghana, and Morocco.
With the debut of such a landmark property came celebrities in droves, cementing the hotel’s own brand of iconic Caribbean charm right from the start. Famously, Elizabeth Taylor celebrated her honeymoon after her marriage to Conrad Hilton Jr. at the Caribe Hilton. Other famous guests like Rita Moreno and Sophia Loren could often be found lounging poolside.
Today, Caribe Hilton hasn’t lost any of its star-powered appeal, touting visits from more recent guests like President Barack Obama during his first term in office. Maintaining key elements of its original design, including its perfectly hand-lettered logo, vast open-air lobby and expanses of pool deck primed for guests sipping piña coladas, it still cultivates its cool air of celebrity, now for a more modern age.
From Good to Great
Caribe Hilton has weathered what is now the better part of a century of change, and still finds ways to remain one of the most sought-after places to stay on the island. What started as one beachfront building in 1949 has now grown to three wings with 652 rooms and suites, spread across 17 seaside acres with plenty of pool and beach space to spread out.
After a top-to-toe $100 million renovation and two years of closure in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the hotel was made nearly new. Clean, fresh lines and a calming Caribbean color palette give rooms a markedly modern feel. Even still, the property preserves its tropical, midcentury modern inspiration in a way that feels fated never to go out of style.
Of course, some things never change. The Caribar is somehow even better than ever, with an exceedingly impressive new island-inspired menu and exclusive summer cocktails—Bad Bunny-themed, of course—keeping it on the cutting edge.
75 Years in the Making
As Caribe Hilton marks its 75th anniversary, there are many more stories still to be made. A “museum” space dedicated to the hotel’s iconic past is in the making, starting with the history of the property’s 18th-century San Gerónimo fort to its more modern lore, featuring celebrities, renovations, cocktail culture and all. In October, an anniversary party will crown the celebrations.
With all eyes on the island, Caribe Hilton included, during what seems poised to be a pivotal moment for Puerto Rico’s booming tourism industry, time seems fated. Though its has been a banner year, its still just one of many for a property that has shaped the island and been shaped by it, all at once.