San Juan Off The Beaten Path Tips by Jefie Top 5 Page for this destination

The site of the Dupont Plaza fire

I've been debating whether or not I should write this tip but as it might be of interest to some people, I thought I'd post it anyways. The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino was originally built in 1964 and in the 1970s, it became known as the very luxurious Dupont Plaza Hotel. On New Year's Eve 1986, three employees who were involved in a labour dispute set fire to the hotel, hoping that the news would keep tourists away and cause trouble to the owners. However, the fire caught quickly and soon spread to the hotel's lobby and casino. Most of the spectacular rescue operation was caught on tape and televised later on. Unfortunately, 97 people died in the fire that is still described today as one of Puerto Rico's most tragic events.

The building was completely restored from 1990 to 1995, when it reopened as the San Juan Marriott Resort. It has regained all of its former glory and today it is still one of the most popular and prestigious hotels in the Condado area.

Phone: 787-722-7000

Website: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/fact-sheet/travel/sjupr-san-juan-marriott-resort-and-stellaris-casino

Fort San Geronimo

Built in the 17th century, Fort San Geronimo was originally part of San Juan's line of defense, along with El Morro and Castillo San Cristobal. It is located at the entrance of the Condado Lagoon, next to the Caribe Hilton Hotel and in front of the Condado Plaza. It was attacked several times, including during one decisive battle against the British troops of Admiral Henry Harvey and Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1797. The little fort was heavily damaged during the 2-week battle but it proved to be so instrumental in defeating the British troops that it was quickly repaired by the Spanish forces. Today, Fort San Geronimo is owned by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, but it is at present too damaged to be visited. Different projects are currently on the table to restore and secure the building to make it accessible to the public.

Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera

The Luis Muñoz Rivera park is located in an area called "Punta de Tierra", stretching between the Condado area and Old San Juan. Created in 1929, it is the oldest urban park in all of Puerto Rico. It was named in honour of Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician Luis Muñoz Rivera (the father of Luis Muñoz Marin), who is to this day remembered for the important role he played in securing political autonomy for Puerto Rico. Since on most days we chose to walk from our hotel located in the Condado area to the historic district, it was very pleasant to walk under the shade of the park's big leafy trees. It was fairly quiet on weekdays, except for when they were hosting an event at the park's huge pavilion. I wouldn't say it's necessarily worth going out of your way to see the park, but if you happen to be walking in the area it's definitely worth checking it out.