Puerto Rico Hotels and Resorts

Did you know that, in Puerto Rico, all the casinos are in hotels? Ah, but which hotels have the best gaming? In San Juan, these five stand out.

This list of the best hotels in Puerto Rico was compiled from personal experience, multiple guest reviews and guidebook recommendations. From About.com Hotels guide Charlyn Keating Chisholm.

Puerto Rico has its share of boutique resorts, casino hotels, and charming inns, but it's also got plenty of lodging options that cater to the kids.

What, exactly, makes a hotel "boutique"? It's admittedly a broad definition, but the basic rules of thumb are small, non-chain properties that offer something unique, and usually of a certain quality standard. Boutique hotels are infused with the personality and charm of their owners. Some capture a sense of history; others are opulent and luxurious alternatives to a five-star resort; and still others are just the result of a unique vision. In Puerto Rico, you'll find examples of all of these, and more, on this list of best boutique hotels.

It's all about the ambience at the hallowed El San Juan Hotel. A blend of the glory days of the 1950s and modern luxury and amenities, this hotel has it all: a class-of-its-own casino, sexy and hip club, gorgeous pool, beachfront access, a gallery of shops and plenty of comfortable rooms.

El Yunque is not the place to find grand, full-service resorts. Rather, when people stay in El Yunque, they want to get away from the concrete and commune with nature, and the accommodations are designed to enhance that experience. From mountainside cabins to "eco-lodges," here are some of your best lodging options in and around the rainforest.

The hotels in Vieques encompass everything from budget guesthouse to architectural wonder; to help narrow your choices, here's a list of five outstanding inns and hotels that offer you something beyond the norm.

This 520-room high-rise hotel is located in the heart of Old San Juan right near the city's cruise port.

From hidden mountain retreats to sumptuous artistry in the heart of the old city, there are plenty of hotels that will appeal to the romantic in you. These properties win my vote for most love-inducing of them all.

Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa Review

The former site of RockResort's Dorado Beach Resort will become home to the Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort in December 2012. The resort area on the north shore of Puerto Rico already is home to major golf courses, a water park, hiking trails, and much more. Dorado Beach is 21.5 miles west of San Juan.

A review of the San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino on Condado Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico

The San Juan Water & Beach Club occupies an exclusive corner of Isla Verde and an exclusive reputation as one of the island's trendiest addresses.

"El Con" is part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection of hotels and resorts, the luxury brand of Hilton Worldwide. A top feature of this property is the on-site Coqui Water Park (named for Puerto Rico's Coqui tree frog.)

In general, Culebra is a cheaper destination than the rest of Puerto Rico. People come here to get away from the ritzy trappings found on the mainland, and the island's hotels, for the most part, cater to that rustic, bohemian, down-home vibe. These four will treat you well and offer you comfortable rooms at reasonable prices.

You can't miss the elegant, soft yellow facade of Hotel El Convento, one of Old San Juan’s most iconic hotels. This historic landmark was once a 17th Century Carmelite convent, but I bet the nuns who called this place home never got to live like the current guests do.

In quiet Ponce, the elegant Ponce Hilton is a welcoming retreat. Offering a plethora of sports and entertainment choices, the hotel is perfect for those who want to get away from the big city and enjoy a truly relaxing experience.

Located on the northern tip of the island, not far from the El Yunque Rain Forest, and only a short drive from all the attractions of Las Croabas and Fajardo, El Conquistador is a golf destination almost beyond compare. The vast complex is divided into five villages and the resort’s Grand Hotel.

For sheer panache, you can't beat the exclusive Chateau Cervantes in Old San Juan. This all-suite boutique hotel is a newcomer to the old city, and it offers unbeatable style, service and amenities ... at a price.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more artistic and friendly place to staty than Old San Juan's Gallery Inn. Owners Jan D'Esopo and her husband Manuco have created a calm, intimate atmosphere that's ideally suited to vacationing couples and those who love to stay in smaller, boutique properties.

Midrange resort property sits beachfront with an 18-hole golf course and a new casino, just 25 miles from San Juan.

The Condado Lagoon Villas at Caribe Hilton are a collection of 264 spacious and luxurious villas including studios, junior suites and 1-2 bedroom suites.

Set on 500 beachfront acres near the El Yunque rainforest, this resort has all the amenities you're looking for in a full-service property: beach, spa, golf (2 courses), casino, tennis, water sports, and 11 restaurants, lounges and entertainment venues.

Independent, 222-room Isla Verde hotel is trying to make its mark with service, featuring such perks as bicycle-taxi transport to and from the beach (the hotel is across the street from the beach, not beachfront), made-to-order beach lunches, a pillow menu, eco-friendly bath products, and pet-friendly guestrooms.

The luxury W hotel chain brought its first W Retreat property in North America to Vieques Island in Puerto Rico in March 2010. the 157-room upscale property features four restaurants, a spa, and an Atlantic Ocean setting.

This 814-room hotel, famed as the home of the first pina colada, sits on a private 17-acre waterfront peninsula in downtown San Juan, giving it an air of exclusivity but also putting it close to the airport, Old San Juan, and all of the downtown nightlife and attractions.

This new 503-room hotel is attached to the convention center in San Juan and features a 20,000-square-foot casino -- the largest in Puerto Rico -- as well as 35,000 square feet of meeting space, a pool and huge sun deck overlooking San Juan Bay, spa, and shopping.

Located on the West Coast of Puerto Rico, between Mayaguez and Aguadilla, the Horned Dorset is a quiet and luxurious Relais & Chateaux retreat.

One of the great historic hotels in Fajardo is set on a 300-foot cliff overlooking the ocean. The "El Con" has 983 rooms, 70,000 square feet of meeting space, a Golden Door Spa, golf, a casino, and is building a new water park for hotel guests.

This oceanfront San Juan hotel offers the convenience of a Condado location and one of Puerto Rico's nicest casinos.

This 154-room Condado resort is slated to be renovated and reopen as a Doubltree hotel in 2008.

The luxurious El San Juan is located in the beachfront Isla Verde district of San Juan on 15 lush acres yet close to major attractions in Puerto Rico's capital city. Amenities include a casino, multiple restaurants, pool, meeting space, and 382 guest rooms.

This luxury resort on Vieques Island is slated to become Puerto Rico's first W Hotel in 2007.

The former Wyndham Old San Juan is located in the city's historic district, on San Juan Bay.

Luxury resort hotel located in San Juan's Isla Verde district, convenient to the airport, Old San Juan, and the downtown business district.

Formerly the Paradisus Puerto Rico, this Sol Melia luxury resort is located on Cocoa Beach in Rio Grande.

The 570-room/62 suite Condado Plaza is close to downtown San Juan and boasts a casino, seven restaurants and lounges, and a large selection of flexible meeting space. The hotel's Lagoon Tower was recently "upscaled" and a similar renovation is planned for the rest of the property.

Profile of the W Retreat & Spa resort hotel, Vieques, Puerto Rico

Profile of The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, a luxury Puerto Rico resort