Landmark San Juan luxury hotel to fly Fairmont flag

i By December 17, 2019 No Comments

The 388-key El San Juan Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico will join the Fairmont portfolio of luxury hotels on January 2, 2020.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and ESJ Resort LLC today announced the signing of an agreement for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts to assume management of the property, which will be renamed the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel. It will be the first Fairmont and Accor property in Puerto Rico.

“El San Juan Hotel is proud to welcome the global hospitality group Accor and its luxury Fairmont brand to Puerto Rico. Both El San Juan and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts share a distinguished international reputation and unparalleled history of service excellence. In joining together these iconic brands, we look forward to preserving and furthering the hotel’s extraordinary legacy, as Fairmont El San Juan Hotel,” said Andro Nodarse-León, CEO, LionGrove Capital and co-owner, ESJ Resort LLC.

All photos © El San Juan Hotel unless otherwise indicated. (Top of post) Located on award-winning Isla Verde Beach, the luxury oceanfront property has four pools. (Gallery) 1. Designed by legendary Miami Beach architect Morris Lapidus, El San Juan officially opened its doors on February 1, 1958. Shown: Entrance to property prior to joining Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Photo © Thomas Hart Selby. 2. Chandelier Bar. Photo © Kip Hawkins. 3. Seaside cabanas. 

Located on Isla Verde Beach, the property is minutes away from Old San Juan, the downtown San Juan area and Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. It offers:

  • 388 guestrooms, suites, and poolside and oceanfront villas;
  • a full service, state-of-the-art Well & Being spa and fitness center;
  • four pools with swim-up bar and luxury cabanas;
  • pro-level tennis court;
  • watersport rentals including jet skis, banana boats and parasailing;
  • and 13 food and beverage venues.

It also features a storied past.

Designed by legendary Miami architect Morris Lapidus, El San Juan Hotel officially opened its doors on February 1, 1958. By the 1960s, it had become one of the island’s most visited destination thanks to its location and premium nightlife, headlined by top performers such as Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, Milton Berle, Paul Anka, Liza Minnelli, Marco Antionio Muñiz and Julio Iglesias.

In 2018, it underwent a $65 million restoration led be world renowned designer Jeffrey Beers, which married its legendary past and old-world elegance with a reimagined approach to wellness and lavishness. The property reopened in December 2018.

“As the newest member of the Fairmont family, El San Juan joins a legacy which extends back more than 100 years, with landmark hotels, unrivalled presence, authentic experiences and unforgettable moments which have attracted visitors to Fairmont and its destinations since 1907,” said Heather McCrory, CEO, North & Central America, Accor. “With its own incredible history as a timeless Puerto Rican icon and beacon of island hospitality since opening its doors in 1958, El San Juan is a perfect addition to the Fairmont family. This milestone marks the beginning of our exciting journey together, and another step in a period of tremendous growth for Accor in North & Central America.”

Upon joining the Fairmont brand on January 2, 2020, the hotel will also become a part of ALL-Accor Live Limitless, Accor’s new lifestyle loyalty program making its debut at the end of 2019.

The current ownership group, through ESJ Resort LLC, will continue to own El San Juan Hotel. From now through January 2, 2020, the hotel will operate under the current brand and management team. Hotel ownership and Hilton will end the franchise agreement for El San Juan Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton effective at 11:59 p.m. on January 2, 2020. At that time, the hotel will cease operating as a Hilton branded property, and Fairmont will assume management as Fairmont El San Juan Hotel.