Puerto Rico

Check out our video for inspiration on a Puerto Rican getaway!

Perfect Beach Retreat

The Beach House and Cafe La Plage combine to create the perfect beach club hotel and restaurant in the Isla Verde area of San Juan. On a lazy afternoon we wanted to relax by the beach and sip on Pina Coladas as we watched the sunset. As you can see from the pictures this place is perfect.

You can choose to sit in the open air restaurant or relax on one of the beachside beds or lounges. They provide the full menu of drinks and food regardless of where you choose to sit. The beds are covered in linen with a linen canopy to provide shade from the sun. It is perfect for friends or families that are visiting the beach but don’t want to relax on the sand all day. We did not try the food but did sample the Virgin Pina Colada which was pineapple perfection served in a large glass topped with a cherry. We sat for hours laughing, enjoying the scenery and reflecting on our trip. Some of our group walked the beach and others relaxed on a lounge chair in the sun.

This is the perfect spot for special events while in Puerto Rico and can work for groups of friends, families, and couples. The restaurant is part of a smaller inn that provides you with direct access to the beach and is centrally located in Isla Verde. A great choice if you want to stay away from mega resorts or big hotels.

The Beach House and Cafe La Plage
Beach Club Hotel and Restaurant
4851 Ave. Isla Verde
Carolina, PR 00979
787-268-7733 

Is the low fare worth the high cost of stress?

I found a great fare on Spirit Airlines to the Caribbean for a last minute getaway with a friend. We were traveling over the Fourth of July holiday which meant that we were extremely lucky to find a reasonable fare at all. We arrived and checked in with no hiccups or concerns for our late afternoon flight out of DCA in Washington DC. A few things that should have made us realize a bargain is not always a bargain when we booked with Spirit include… 

1. You have to prepay $5 per bag for your checked luggage. 
2. You have to pay for everything but water on your flight including soda, juice, and snacks. 
3. There were only two flights in and out each day. If that flight is delayed or cancelled you are stuck! 

Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood Airport is the hub for Spirit Airlines. The terminal at that airport where most Spirit flights arrive and depart has very few services. Try to bring food with you before arriving in Ft. Lauderdale unless you are a Nathan’s Hot Dogs fan! On our return flight we had a 5 hour layover and ended up going to another terminal to find food. 

 

1. You can really save to some fun international destinations. They often publish fares as low as $2 dollars each way. 
2. The seats are pretty big with enough legroom throughout the coach cabin. 
3. If you are carrying-on and live in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area the entire Caribbean and many other destinations will be very inexpensive for you to visit. 
4. Your luggage tends to make it with you. I am the Queen of lost/delayed luggage but have never heard or experienced problems with Spirit losing luggage. The same is not always true for the big airlines. 

But let’s not get too excited and buy our tickets just yet. 

On our return flight from the Caribbean we had a five hour layover. This caused us to have to go to baggage claim in Ft. Lauderdale, get our bags and re-check in at the ticket counter. After getting on a 6 am flight, the last thing you want to do is get back in the ticket line and go through security for the second time in one day. Note to self: remember to check more closely the arrival and departure times for ALL flights.  

At the ticket counter the kiosks were in the same place as the line for people who needed to talk/see an agent. The person providing direction to passengers was rude and not very good at providing clear instructions. People dragged their luggage through the very tiny space around the ticket counters and tried to get checked in with very little space between customers. Once checked-in, you still have to drag your luggage back to the screening machine! By the time we were checked into our flight and our luggage was being screened we had both vowed to never fly Spirit again. The stress was not worth it! 

 

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

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