San Juan Style, Condado Plaza Hilton

 

Karl Wallenda of The Great Wallendas met his untimely death 36 years ago while attempting his final high-wire stunt. Halfway between the two towers of the Condado Plaza Hilton hotel in San Juan, he lost his balance due to several misconnected anchor cables. Even at the age of 73, Mr. Wallenda insisted on not using a net — he fell 121 feet onto the pavement below.

Haunted by the fall for many years, Nik Wallenda — a seventh-generation performer in the Great Wallendas — decided to finish what his great-grandfather started. On June 4, 2011, he brought closure and honor to his family by realizing the dream. But Mr. Wallenda was not alone; he was accompanied by his mother, Delilah! Crossing the Condado Plaza Hilton towers in opposite directions, they met in the middle of the tightrope, exchanged smiles and safely reached the other side.

Today, this historic site is part of the ScoutAbout program — “10 points of discovery” that are hidden around the hotel grounds. Families are encouraged to participate in a tour of the sign posts, similar to a scavenger hunt, while learning about history and nature. Hilton Worldwide hotels introduced this concept two years ago to several of its resorts in Florida and Puerto Rico.

The five-acre oceanfront hotel is carved into one of the most picturesque settings in the Caribbean. Imagine this: radiant sunsets of violet and burnt orange; stunning balcony views of stand-up paddle-boarders dotting an emerald green sea; and luminous night vistas of Dos Hermanos Bridge and San Juan.

The 572 rooms and suites are redolent of South Beach, Miami — bold reds and oranges accent dark brown background colors. The Ocean Tower spotlights the 17th-century San Gerónimo Fort and the barrier reefs that form the Condado Lagoon, while the Lagoon Tower affords breathtaking basin views.

Signature restaurant, Pikayo — a San Juan favorite for more than 22 years — moved to the hotel in 2009, bringing with it celebrated chef Wilo Benet. New and traditional Puerto Rican and international dishes feature fresh interpretations of steak and seafood.  The petit duck magret with sautéed crimini mushrooms and raspberry-vinegar gastrique is sublime. So are the New Zealand lamb chops with rosemary demi-glace, pencil asparagus and red-bliss garlic mashed.

We ate breakfast every morning at Café Caribe, a quintessential family oriented restaurant with an ice-cream parlor, bar and outstanding ocean views. The shrimp dishes lured us back twice for lunch. After devouring a jumbo shrimp cocktail, we shared the jumbo shrimp ajillo, sautéed in a scampi sauce with rice and beans.

Late-night noodle bars are popular after a night on the town. On the second floor of the hotel sits the Eight Noodle Bar where on weekend nights party animals double downed on Chinese and Japanese specialties until 2:00 a.m.

If liquid cuisine is your thing, the Eternal Lobby Lounge has your back with three separate bars. The 360-degree Moon Bar is adjacent to the pink-illuminated check-in desk — the futuristic theme will surely catch your eye. This white, circular bar is surrounded by orange couches shaped like crescent moons.

During our stay, we witnessed various business groups checking in and out. Three ballrooms and 18 conference rooms comprise the 54,000 square feet of meeting space.

A well-lit clay tennis court, four outdoor swimming pools — one saltwater and three fresh water — and onsite water sports indulged the sports minded. Guests who kayaked, paddle-boarded and snorkeled in the spacious lagoon got a chance to see the live-in manatees. We had no such luck — right place, wrong time.

Located only five minutes away, the historic cobblestone streets of Old San Juan beckoned us. La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico is only one of 12 park areas in the US with a World Heritage Site designation. Many locals were flying kites amid Fort San Felipe del Morro, pastel houses, sentry boxes (garitas) and cannons.

Since we had already explored El Yunque rain forest on a previous trip, we were eager for a new adventure. We took the 156-mile road trip along scenic route Highway 2 to Ponce. The flaming red, orange and yellow tropical flamboyant trees along the way were dazzling. We craved a dip in the water. Sandcastles, picnic baskets and the pastel-blue Caribbean Sea — Santa Beach on the southern coast was the prototypical family hot spot. Being outsiders, the locals wondered who we were. Ponce’s La Guancha Boardwalk was the high point of our outing. Flocks of pelicans in different shapes and colors were mingling with throngs of curious onlookers. One of the large birds had oversized, human ears which resembled a Halloween costume!

Location and price make the Condado Plaza Hilton the perfect place to stay when visiting the Isle of Enchantment.

* All photos courtesy of Richard C. Murray / RCM IMAGES, INC