Recently Renovated is a Relative Term…

I now truly understand that you can take a theme too far. It is not reserved for Mother’s at their children’s birthday parties or for wedding planners that just must have everything covered in pink for an upcoming nuptial. The Luxor has also joined their ranks in letting their decorator loose with every imaginable item related to Egypt, pyramids, pharaoh, or the Nile.

We chose the Tower rooms because they were “recently renovated” and offered additional square footage. This we figured would be important to Escape Together readers who travel in groups and would want newer rooms with a lot of space. As we traveled through the maze of the large casino hotel to our rooms we couldn’t help but notice the random pictures of Cleopatra or Egyptian kings framed on the walls. If they had been nice pictures it might have been a nice addition to the theme but they were tacky dollar store photos that were thrown into even tackier frames. This should have been our first warning of what was to come… Read more

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