STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Karina · Chanel

San Juan PR

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I've never been but I have heard it was beautiful. A friend of the family just took a cruise out of San Juan last year and just raved about it. My mom lived in PR for a few years but that was a while ago. She remembers how nice it was. That's all I really know about the place. Were you going to go there or cruise out of there?

Karina · Chanel

Just looking for a little getaway in a few months.. we would probably stay in San Juan for 3 nights and Vieques for 2.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I think it would be a nice little gettaway. It is on my list of places to see.

The only thing is that you have to be careful in planning it because hurricane season is June-November and the high season (most active) is August and September because that is when the waters are the warmest and perfect for hurricanes. You don't want to be there if there is a hurricane going through. Just be careful when picking any carribean island during those months.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

I love Puerto Rico! I went last year, spending 2 nights each in Old San Juan, Vieques, and at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Spa. (The spa was the fanciest part, but I wouldn't do it again. It was just ok - a bit too Vegas for me.)

I really enjoyed staying right downtown in Old San Juan (rather than one of the big resorts outside of town) because I love sightseeing and being able to walk everywhere. The streets are so quaint and the food is fabulous. The old fort was very cool, and we flew a kite in the huge park there by the fort and the water... fun. We stayed at a small hotel... I forget the name. Darn. Also, El Convento (I think?) hotel looked very nice - we had lunch there in their courtyard one day. Our favorite restaurant was a small cafe (Cafe San Juan, I think) on a plaza not far from our hotel. They had fresh and simple Puerto Rican food and friendly service. Nothing fancy but delicious.
Vieques has the nmost beautiful and deserted beaches of anywhere I have ever been (and I've been to lots of islands). You do need to rent an SUV to get to them (seriously, a car will not be so comfortable over some of the roads to the back beaches). We stayed in a small guesthouse, but I don't think they take children... not sure.

Anyway - go go go. I can't wait to go back.

dot · Marc Jacobs

karina is it just for you and your man or the whole family? vieques isn't really for kids, but i just went over memorial day weekend and it was wonderful. i really want to go again. it's definitely not a resort-y environment.. but if you want to be almost alone on pristine beaches.. then it's for you. pm me if you want specific details. i stayed at the hacienda tamarindo which was wonderful. and of course if you go, you must do bio-bay.

i also spent time in san juan and isla verde on another trip to pr. old san juan is so cute and i stayed at the wyndham el san juan in isla verde. totally super duper resort. great pool and rooms and the beach is right there.

here is the link if you want to check it out.
wyndham el san juan

i preferred my recent to trip vieques but i think it's more of my traveling personality. let me konw if you have any specific questions...

Karina · Chanel

we'd be going alone... im really considering it now, especially now that jet blue is offering san juan flights out of newark starting in mid november!

splash · Kenneth Cole

THE SAN JUANS ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Hmm, they're very relaxed. There's an amazing ice cream shop in the main city, down near the dock. I was there early summer, so it may be different. But there were a ton of bald eagles, and I got to see a couple pods of orcas very close to shore. And sunsets were beautiful, and of course you can see the stars soo well.

ETA: Oops, I just noticed when you first posted this! Guess it's too late for this trip, but you should definitely go sometime.

-- Edited by splash at 22:26, 2005-08-12