San Juan: The Caribbean’s Stylish Gay Hub
It’s been decades since Joan Crawford sipped the just-invented piña colada at the Caribe Hilton hotel, but San Juan still hasn’t lost its allure for sun worshippers seeking a healthy dose of style and excitement. After all, Puerto Rico’s capital is itself an enticing cocktail of Latin American tradition, urban sophistication and sun-soaked beaches — mixed together with a decidedly international flair. And with its gay-popular beach, fine dining and nightlife, Puerto Rico’s capital is also the Caribbean’s most vibrant gay hot spot.
Originally the home of the Taíno Indians, Puerto Rico became a Spanish colony following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493, and has gone through various interpretations of U.S. commonwealth status since 1898. Since the middle of the 20th century, the capital city of San Juan has forged its role with vacationers as something like a smaller, Caribbean version of Miami, Honolulu and Rio de Janeiro — a bustling, exciting metropolis, where parties extend through the wee hours of the morning, and the young and beautiful never allow much time to pass in between beach visits. Vacationers can rub elbows with well-heeled locals in three upscale waterfront neighborhoods.
Old San Juan
The site where the Spanish first settled in the 1500s, Old San Juan — or Viejo San Juan — is a must-see. Pristinely restored Colonial-era buildings line the narrow cobblestone streets that fan out from the imposing El Morro fortress, which once protected the city from invaders.
Small boutiques and galleries offer countless shopping opportunities, while gourmands savor fusion cuisine at some of the city’s hippest restaurants — including the Dragon Fly, which blends Asian and Latin flavors, Agua Viva, where contemporary seafood dishes are the specialty, and Marmalade, which offers eclectic tasting menus created by celebrity chef Peter Schintler.
Those looking to sleep luxuriously in the heart of Old San Juan check into the 350-year-old Hotel El Convento, a gorgeously repurposed former convent. A more Bohemian ambiance is offered at Casablanca, a quirky yet stylish hotel where original artwork graces the walls.
Condado & Isla Verde
San Juan’s most walkable beachfront neighborhood, Condado is home to the largest stretch of gay beach, at the foot of Vendig Street (look for the new boutique hotel and lounge, Oceano, currently under construction). Rent a chair or umbrella and chat up fellow sunbathers for the latest tips on where to go out that night.
The Condado district is also home to some of the coolest hotels, including La Concha, a Renaissance Resort, a tropical modern architectural masterpiece with an iconic, shell-shaped restaurant called Perla that specializes in gourmet seafood creations. Every weekend, the Miami-chic lobby bar attracts a sizeable following of well-dressed locals and visitors, including gays and lesbians. Gay vacationers and locals also sip cocktails at the adjacent Ventana al Mar, an oceanfront park bounded on one side by di Parma Trattoria, an open-air Italian restaurant and bar. Just across Ashford Avenue, the neighborhood’s main thoroughfare, upscale boutiques stock the latest goods from Cartier and Gucci, while on the floors above, Roberto Treviño (who appeared on the Iron Chef America TV series) oversees mouthwateringly contemporary Asian cuisine at Budatai.
Further down the street are a few more important stops on the trend-seeking traveler’s itinerary, including the tiny open-air bar called Barlovento, the hot new upscale Puerto Rican restaurant called Casa Lola, and the Conrad Condado Plaza, where the mod lobby bar serves a fierce rum punch made with multiple flavors of Puerto Rico’s most famous spirit.
If you’re looking to stay closer to the airport but still have access to sand, sea, and sophisticated accommodations, look no further than the beach-lined tourism district called Isla Verde. Top hotel choices here include the luxurious El San Juan Resort& Casino, the mod San Juan Water & Beach Club and the traditionally elegant Ritz-Carlton, San Juan.
The Gay Scene
While the stylish bars, hotels and restaurants in the main tourism zones attract their fair share of gay locals and travelers, gay-specific nightlife is located in neighborhoods a bit removed from the beach — mostly in nearby Santurce, which is reached by taxi or car in about 10 minutes from most hotels. The current hotspot is Circo, a two-level venue that packs in an eclectic mix of night owls, especially on weekends (other nights of the week, you might find a good game of pool or a friendly karaoke competition). A long-time favorite is Krash, a dance club that tends to attract a younger crowd and places a lot of Spanish-language, reggae-and-rap reggaetón, which is wildly popular in Puerto Rico. The newest gay bar on the scene is the San Juan Eagle, a small place with an equally small dance floor and industrial decor that keeps it in line with the hyper-macho ambiance of most bars that carry the Eagle name. Even smaller is Tía María’s Liquor Store, which — in spite of its moniker — is really not a store, but one of San Juan’s longest running bars. You won’t find any original artwork on the walls or hip furnishings. In fact, you won’t find much here beyond pool tables, perhaps a karaoke machine, and so many happy patrons that they sometimes spill out onto the street. It’s a far cry from the trendy ambiance of the lobby bar at La Concha. But, after all, contrasting styles are what make San Juan the irresistible Caribbean cocktail that it is.
Image via La Concha Resort
