El San Juan Hotel & Casino (San Juan;
tel. 800/468-2818 in the U.S. or 787/791-1000): If you want Vegas-style shows,
gambling, nightlife, great restaurants, and the most famous beach in Puerto Rico, El San
Juan is at your disposal. It has the most glamorous lobby in the Caribbean and is set on
12 acres of Isla Verde, a strip of beach connected to the Condado. Options include a suite
in the main tower with a whirlpool or your own private casita with a sunken Roman bath.
The best deal is a package, costing from $459 per night for 5 nights. A lot of freebies
are thrown in, including champagne and tropical fruit, daily tennis, one dinner,
continental breakfast, and two massages.
Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort (Dorado; tel. 800/233-1234
in the U.S. or 787/796-1234): This resort offers a more tranquil atmosphere than the
nearby Hyatt Regency Cerromar, yet guests can use all the facilities and attractions of
the neighboring hotel. You can book one of the elegantly furnished upper-level rooms in
the Oceanview Houses and enjoy romantic vistas of two crescent-shaped beaches. There's
casino and disco action, plus a spa, a health club, jogging trails, and 14 tennis courts.
Packages in low season begin at $2,135 for two for the week, including one breakfast,
champagne, T-shirts, $25 in casino chips, two massages, one dinner with wine, and
transfers to and from the airport. In high season the tab rises by $1,000 a week per
honeymooning couple, but breakfast and dinner are included.
Ponce Hilton and Casino (Ponce; tel. 800/HILTONS in
the U.S. or 787/259-7676): A first-class act at Puerto Rico's "second city" on
the south coast, this sprawling resort is set in an 80-acre garden. On-site amenities
include a casino and disco, plus a whirlpool, tennis courts, and a fitness room. The two
restaurants serve the best food on the south coast. Five suites are ideal for honeymoons.
The first night costs $219, including a bottle of champagne, truffles, chocolates, and
fresh strawberries as a gift. The package includes breakfast daily, plus $25 in casino
chips. You also receive a coupon granting 50% off on your next visit. Each additional
night is only $170.
Horned Dorset Primavera (Rincón; tel. 800/633-1857
in the U.S. or 787/823-4030): The most romantic place for a honeymoon on the island,
unless you stay in a private villa somewhere, this small, tranquil estate lies on the Mona
Passage in western Puerto Rico, a pocket of posh where privacy is almost guaranteed.
Accommodations are luxurious in the Spanish neocolonial style. The property opens onto a
long secluded beach of white sand. There are no phones, TVs, or radios in the rooms to
interfere with the soft sounds of pillow talk. This is a retreat for adults only, with no
facilities for children. Seven-night packages, including a bottle of champagne, breakfast,
dinner, and airport transfers, range from $3,000 to $3,850 per couple, depending on the
season.
Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Country Club (Las
Croabas; tel. 800/468-5228 in the U.S. or 787/863-1000): If you're looking for good
food and diversions rather than a tranquil retreat, El Conquistador is the best big-time
resort on the island. Atop a 300-foot bluff in eastern Puerto Rico, it has virtually
everything for outdoor play, including golf and tennis, but when you want seclusion you
can post the privado sign and the world is yours. It offers a $475 per night honeymoon
package (based on 3 nights and 4 days), with many specials such as champagne, a golf
clinic, a half-day snorkeling trip, nonmotorized water sports, and even transfers to and
from the airport. If you stay a full week, the cost of this package is reduced to $405 per
night.
Doral Palmas del Mar Resort (Humacao; tel. 800/725-6273
in the U.S. or 787/852-6000): This luxury resort complex sits on 2,750 acres of a former
coconut plantation on Puerto Rico's southeast coast. Only an hour's drive from San Juan,
this sheltered spot is like another world, with its Mediterranean villas, cobblestone
plazas, condos, and Spanish-style fountains. You get some of the best golf on the island
here, along with 20 tennis courts, a spa and health club, and miles of hiking and jogging
trails. The Palmas Inn suites are best for honeymooners, unless you want to rent a private
villa. Honeymoon packages, many of them configured for 7 nights and 8 days, cost for two
people from $1,148 to $1,237 for a double room, to $1,590 for a suite. Included in the
package are such frills as daily breakfasts, one lunch, one dinner, and baskets of fruit
and bottles of champagne. Whereas this particular arrangement is offered only between
April and December, other cost-conscious packages are available during high season
(December to April) as well, on slightly different terms.