Parador MaunaCaribe

Popular with families, the beachfront Parador MaunaCaribe belongs to the Tropical Inn chain of hotels, a collection of budget-friendly “paradores” or small country inns. Like other hotels in this category, the Parador MaunaCaribe is located outside the island’s main metro areas, ideal for guests who want to escape the crowds but challenging for those relying on public transportation or walking to get around. 

An arched entrance way leads into the hotel’s breezy lobby, which stretches onward toward the pool and restaurant. This common area is quite attractive, but the decor in the restaurant and rooms is somewhat bland. The hotel is particularly popular with Spanish-speaking families, many of whom take advantage of its all-inclusive family packages which cover rooms and meals. 

Parador MaunaCaribe, along with the chain’s other hotels, has received a Green Suites Green Hotel certification for its eco-friendly practices, which include maintaining compost gardens and collecting rainwater, among other initiatives.

Parador MaunaCaribe is set in a secluded location, a 20-minute drive from Yabucoa. The hotel offers direct access to Los Pinos Beach, which stretches along the coast to Maunabo Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday and offers excellent ocean views. The Punta Tuna Wetlands Nature Reserve -- a protected conservation zone with beautiful beaches -- can be reached in less than 20 minutes on foot. Other attractions and dining options within walking distance are limited, and guests at this hotel will be better off renting a car. It's a 16-minute drive from the Sierra de Guardarraya mountain range, and a 40-minute drive from El Yunque National Park. Old San Juan and Luis Munoz Marin International Airport are both a 90-minute drive away.

Rooms at Parador MaunaCaribe are bright, but dated, with drab 1980s-style tropical bedspreads and matching curtains. Terra-cotta tile floors and walls in tropical pastels give a simple but cheery backdrop. All rooms have small dining tables with two plush brown chairs, as well as wall-mounted 32-inch flat-screen TVs, microwaves, and mini-fridges. Coffeemakers are stocked with packets of local Yaucono brand coffee. Pale wood dressers and independent closet rods with hangers offer storage. Basic white-tile bathrooms have walk-in showers and round sinks, plus bottles of generic toiletries. 

This Parador has a fair amount of features for a budget property. It backs onto a sizable stretch of Los Pinos Beach, which is lined by palm trees and other tropical greenery, but it can get ocean debris during windy or stormy weather. The hotel also offers a lovely outdoor infinity pool with an infinity ledge surrounded by a simple concrete deck with plastic lounge chairs. The basic on-site bar and restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and features partial views of the pool, but the tables are set in an awkward alley between two buildings. The high-tops found along the open-air bar offer better pool views.  

Other features include a game room with flat-screen TVs and XBox 360s with Kinect capability, along with cushy red benches for seating. There's also an outdoor volleyball court with ocean views. As of early 2016, the hotel's fitness center is under construction. A plain -- but functional -- multi-purpose room is available for events, meetings, and wedding ceremonies, which can be organized through the hotel. Wi-Fi is offered for free throughout the property, and there's no fee to park on-site.