CasaBlanca Hotel

From the street, CasaBlanca Hotel blends in with the rest of the buildings in Old San Juan. Once inside, though, the hotel has a lot of personality. The vibe is funky and artsy, with black-and-white checkered floors, low-hanging glass chandeliers, gray-and-white striped pillars, and Victorian table lamps. The open floor plan makes the lobby seem larger by extending into the restaurant and bar area. "Casablanca" plays on repeat on flat-screen TVs in the lobby, an homage to the hotel’s namesake, so guests can hang out in one of the chairs and enjoy the movie any time they wish. Guests can expect this throwback theme throughout the hotel with ‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘Maid Service’ signs featuring pictures of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The hotel bar is intimate and trendy, with a handful of wicker bar stools, high red walls, and a sleek mahogany bar where guests can hang out during the day and night. There are also some spectacular views of Old San Juan from the rooftop. Split into two sections, guests can hang out on a handful of lounge chairs, socializing and sunbathing on one side, or cooling off in the stone bathing tubs on the other side. With details like these -- and rooms that are frequently compact, even for Old San Juan -- the majority of guests here are couples. 

The hotel sits on busy Fortaleza Street amid all of the sights and sounds of Old San Juan. It's an ideal location for travelers who sleep late and like to be in the heart of the action, but it will be noisy at night. Restaurants, bars, cafes, galleries and sights are just outside the hotel's door, though San Felipe del Morro Castle and the Capital are 15 to 20 minutes away on foot in opposite directions -- these are the farthest major destinations on foot in the area. There's no beach in Old San Juan, and the closest nice option is in Condado, a 15-minute drive from the hotel. As a predominantly pedestrian part of town, a car is not recommended and finding street parking can be difficult. However, two parking garages -- Dona Fela and Paseo Portuario -- are located a five-minute walk from the hotel. Travelers should note that there is a free trolley that circles Old San Juan for those who prefer not to walk. Expect a 30-minute taxi journey to the airport from here.

Across all categories, rooms have a contemporary and modern charm that includes just the right amount of antique details -- for proof, check the twin-bell alarm clocks on handsome end tables. Rooms range from small to moderately sized two-room suites, with some featuring compact balconies overlooking the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan. Keep in mind that most rooms will pick up street noise day and night, though, as this is a busy part of Old San Juan. A few pieces of abstract artwork hangs in the rooms for a little extra character. All rooms have queen or king beds made up with white microfiber sheets and hypoallergenic pillows. Other standard features include flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning. Bathrooms are snug and have limited vanity space. Most feature multi-color tiled shower floors, striped shower curtains, and glass vessel sinks. Archive bath products, toothpaste, and plenty of towels are provided. While there are no hairdryers in the bathroom, guests can request hairdryers from the front desk. 

There are plenty of thoughtful extras on offer at CasaBlanca Hotel, especially given its small size. The hotel’s best feature is the rooftop terrace, which is sectioned off into two areas. One side of the turf-covered space has a handful of lounge chairs for sunbathing, as well as a stone table with modern white plastic chairs for those wanting to socialize. Four stone bathing tubs are set up on the other side of the roof for guests who wish to literally sunbathe or star-bathe -- it's a potentially romantic feature for the many couples who stay here. The main draw on the roof is the spectacular view of Old San Juan. The small-but trendy-hotel cafe, Cafe Americain, serves breakfast and a light lunch of local cuisine as well as sandwiches and salads.It's also open for a casual dinner on limited nights that includes classic Puerto Rican dishes and "comida criolla." The restaurant has a bar as well. The hotel also features a computer corner adjacent to the lobby, plus free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The front desk is staffed around the clock, and the hotel recently added an elevator to help ferry guests to higher floors.