A View of Bahia

When you are preparing to travel to an unfamilar destination you often try to research or find information to give you a realistic view of your destination. For those of you heading to Bahia in Brazil look at Robin Garcia’s blog entry “Oh Bahia!” in the In the Know Traveler Blog. After reading the article you should have a sense of what makes a trip to Bahia, the area that is central to Afro-Brazilian culture, so exciting. Have you traveled to Bahia or anywhere in Brazil? Share your view of your travels in the comments!

Dinner by the Sea

If you are in San Juan, Puerto Rico and looking for a place to stay or eat, why not visit Hosteria del Mar in Ocean Park. This beach inn and restaurant provide the perfect relaxing retreat from the busier tourist areas. The restaurant is open air allowing you to feel the breeze from the ocean that is a few feet away. The restaurant provides a mix of Vegetarian and Puerto Rican Cuisine and ranges between $15 -40 per entree.

The drinks were not stand out but the pasta and vegetarian dishes were excellent. The serving size for the food is not consistent as you can receive two spring rolls for $15 or a huge platter of tempura fried vegetables, shrimp and calamari for the same price.  For dessert, complete your meal with the fruit sorbet served in a fruit shell. The mango is light and refreshing and perfect on a warm Caribbean night.

Before or after your meal you can jump back into the ocean as you are steps from Ocean Park. This beach is a favorite of locals and tourists.

Hosteria Del Mar is located at No. 1 Tapia Street. Ocean Park, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00911

787-727-3302

Relaxing Girls Escape in Puerto Rico

For a birthday celebration we traveled to San Juan for a few days of relaxation and fun in the Caribbean. We stayed at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan and scheduled a day at the Olas spa on the property.

The hotel is situated between Old San Juan and Isla Verde/Condado making it a perfect place for individuals wanting to see many tourist areas on the island. The Caribe Hilton is one of the older resorts in San Juan but our rooms did not reflect the age of the property. The room had been recently renovated and had flat screen televisions and updated modern furniture. The bathroom was the real treat as it is very large by most hotel standards and has a rainfall shower and double vanity. The view was excellent as we could see the ocean and most of the property from our room in the tower section of the resort. 

We arrived very late (almost 2 am) but because of flight drama (see the post on Spirit Airlines for more about that) we were starving! Luckily the resort provides room service 24 hours a day. We ordered a pizza to share for $16. It was excellent with our choice of toppings and just the perfect size for a late night meal.

Besides the room service the property has several restaurants with a variety of cuisine’s and a Starbuck’s for people who must feed their coffee addiction even on vacation. The Starbuck’s is reasonably priced with cheaper prices then I have seen in many American big cities. 

The first morning we woke early for our day at the spa which consisted of an hour massage, hour facial, pedicure, manicure and a spa lunch. The package is called the Spa Goddesses and we definitely felt heavenly after our treatments. Our services were provided by Tina, Martha and Harry who made sure that we were comfortable and took great care of us. We started the day with a dip in the whirlpool Jacuzzi which is set at a mild temperature to accommodate the warm climate of San Juan. You can sit out there for hours and not feel to warm because of the temperature of the water. We then went for our massages in a room that overlooked the ocean. With the relaxing music and atmosphere in the massage room it is easy to quickly release all the tensions you brought with you on the trip. By the time I started the facial, I was so relaxed that I fell asleep. We then went to have a session of manicures and pedicures where we chatted with Martha and Tina about men, vacations, friendships, and weddings. It was the perfect girls chat fest! The polish choices were a little limited though we each found a polish that we loved. The lunch provided consisted of fruit juice, a turkey wrap and Caesar salad. It was perfect healthy meal for our spa day. At the spa, besides your treatments you also have access to the health club, whirlpool, sauna and steam room. The room for waiting between treatments is a quiet and serene retreat with chilled fruits, cool water, and light music playing. I recommend the spa as an OUTSTANDING addition to a Caribbean getaway for friends or individuals traveling to San Juan even if you end up not staying at the Caribe Hilton. 

The hotel restaurant Palmeras is just okay. I did not find the perfect mojito there (see my post on mojitos for where you can find the perfect mojito in San Juan) and the salad bar is limited in its choices for the price. The special that night was the Caribbean Lobster dinner which was excellent and can be served three ways, steamed, grilled, and thermidor. It is served with corn and roasted potatoes. My friends enjoyed the other special of a cilantro and lemon seasoned rotisserie chicken breast also served with corn and potatoes and the Baby Back ribs. The atmosphere is typical hotel restaurant though you do get a view of the pool from the restaurant. 

I HIGHLY recommend the Caribe Hilton for folks looking for a great hotel in San Juan. I especially recommend it for a tropical girls spa retreat and couple’s escape. 

Caribe Hilton
Los Rosales Street San Geronimo Grounds
San Juan Puerto Rico 

http://hiltoncaribbean.com/sanjuan/  

In Search of the Perfect Mojito

Anyone that reads my restaurant reviews knows I am a BIG Mojito fan and it is usually my drink of choice while traveling. On this particular trip to San Juan Puerto Rico, I have tried a Mojito at every dinner in search of the best San Juan has to offer. The hotel lounges and restaurants I visited were quite disappointing. They often did not use enough mint or lime or in some cases used some odd tasting Mojito mix instead of fresh lime juice to make the Mojito. I was beginning to believe that I was destined to have horrible Mojitos this entire trip until a friend suggested a Cuban restaurant in Condado called Yerba Buena. We decided to head there for dinner one Friday night in a last attempt to find me a great Mojito. Leave it to the Cuban restaurant to get it right!

With a diverse menu of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine mixed with Cuban dishes the restaurant provided a great dinner. The appetizers are generous though the main courses are a little smaller than expected. The salmon in a passion fruit glaze served with rice and beans was excellent. Unfortunately they were out of the desserts we were interested in trying and we ended up just settling for cappuccinos to end our meal.

Guests can accompany the live band with maracas that are placed on every table. The music makes you want to get up and dance and the atmosphere is light and fun. From the smiling faces seen at every table we could easily tell that we weren’t the only people having a great time.

The restaurant is perfect for any group traveling and the tables outside include chairs that slide/swing making you feel like you are sitting on a porch during a get together with friends and family. For groups of more than 4, I would call ahead to make sure that you have a table. It is not the largest restaurant but it has a great atmosphere that reminds you why you go on vacation. For Mojito fans you will get a great meal to go with that perfect Mojito!

Yerba Buena
Ave. Ashford #1350
Condado, Puerto Rico 00907
787-721-5700
www.yerbabuenapr.com

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