Acacia Boutique Hotel

The entrance to this authentic Spanish-style building stands apart from the nearly identical high-rise condos that populate the residential area. An Acacia sign is arched over the doorway, and guests are let in through a buzzer. The narrow lobby has red and black leather furnishings where a few guests may be using Wi-Fi or looking at a map, with natural light pouring in from skylights above. The decor is a mishmash of styles (hippie, traditional, and contemporary) with large potted plants, a stone wall, a small interior garden enclosed in glass, and a bright, almost neon, nature scene behind the front desk.

Beyond the front desk, a pretty white Spanish staircase with terra-cotta tiles lead to one of the two sections of rooms. These tiles are a common theme throughout the hotel, and they, along with stone tiles in the large outdoor hot tub, are made up of what would have been thrown away from various construction projects, including the Puerto Rico Convention Center. Other eco-friendly (but unobtrusive) practices include the sustainable heating/cooling system used in the restaurant, which staff members can explain in person. To get into the restaurant -- open for breakfast and dinner -- guests will pass a large stone Buddha statue. The interiors have hand-carved wood from a local artisan, red chairs, and off-white banquettes. The dinner menu of seafood and New American dishes along with a decent wine list will likely appeal to couples.

Another staircase next to the lobby leads to the other section of rooms and the rooftop deck. At night, the front desk closes (guest services and late check-ins occur at a sister property down the block), and there is a security guard on-site to help keep watch. There are no strict closing hours for the hot tub or roof, and with so few rooms on-site, guests might feel like they have the place to themselves.

This hotel is in the San Juan neighborhood of Condado, widely recognized as one of the nicest and most popular tourist districts in town, thanks to the presence of Condado Beach. It is about a two-minute walk from the sand, and directly east of the famous Old San Juan district, which is about a 15-minute drive away. The main area of modern Condado is full of hotels, restaurants, and shops (some luxury names, included) but the hotel is about a mile from this hub, in a residential area where many locals live among high-rises. There are some restaurants and bars near here, or guests can easily walk along Avenida Ashford to get to the center of action. Weekends especially are a fun time to hit the beach and people-watch, as both tourists and locals can be found enjoying the sand and waves. It's a cool scene, and parts of the beach could rival Miami.

Acacia has a few parking spots for guests that can be reserved in advance, otherwise, it is a race to find street parking. Because it is a residential area, this could be a problem. Once a spot is found, make sure to use the car only when necessary. Taxis are easy to grab from the main thoroughfare or can be fetched by the front desk. The airport is about a 15-minute drive away, so unless planning an excursion outside of San Juan, a rental car is not necessary.

The 10-year old hotel is small -- with just 22 rooms, to be precise. Rooms have a simple color scheme with white linens, blue pillows, bamboo furniture, and terra-cotta floors. They have air-conditioning units and flat-screen TVs, and some even come with microwave and mini-fridges, but amenities are not consistent (some Deluxe Rooms do not have the appliances). There is free Wi-Fi, though no work desks, so guests might find better working environment from a table at the restaurant.

The bathrooms also have terra-cotta floors, as well as walk-in showers with broken, recycled terra-cotta tiles. Toilets and sinks have a wavy seashell design which make it difficult to balance toiletry items. The rooms that come with balconies have plastic patio chairs at least, and some come with a table. Some of the balconies have partial ocean views blocked by neighboring high-rises.

Families may appreciate the Two-Bedroom Suite on offer, or the rooms with two full beds.

The Acacia has decent features for such a small hotel. The nice restaurant, Niche, attracts guests as well as locals in the neighborhood. The small dining room is situated beyond the front desk and past a Buddha statue, with an interior decorated with hand-carved wood, banquettes, and red chairs. Breakfast is served here daily, but it is not included in the price. Items include reasonably priced like egg dishes, specialty pancakes, and French toast. Niche serves dinner (in the same room), and items include salads, seafood chowder, halibut, saffron cioppino, mussels, chorizo, duck breast, mahi mahi, filet mignon and lamb. There is a full bar and an extensive red and white wine by the bottle list.

Guests are also able to use the cool outdoor bar at sister property, Wind Chimes, for a selection of beers, wine and cocktails. (They can get access to the main lobby area with their room keys.) There are flat-screen TVs here displaying sporting matches, and guests can also use the small outdoor pool. This is rarely crowded, though, as most choose to hit the beach. The hot tub on Acacia's property might be first confused with a pool given its large rectangular size. It has a tile design incorporating recycled material. The hot tub is temperature controlled and has underwater seating around the perimeter and down the middle. Beach towels are provided.

If checking in late at night, guests may need to head over to the aforementioned sister property to get keys. An overnight security guard is always on duty at Acacia, and can give directions.