Where to Stay in Puerto Rico in 2023, by an Area Local

11 Best Places to Stay in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is an archipelago divided into 78 municipalities. San Juan is the capital city as you can see on this map. San Juan sports many Puerto Rico hotels and accommodation options but it isn’t the best place to stay if you’re looking for breathtaking beaches or colorful sunsets. Let’s look into the best spots to stay around the island.

Old San Juan

👉 Best Area For Sightseeing | ✨ Best Old San Juan Hotels: El Convento • Sheraton Old San Juan • CasaBlanca Hotel

Old San Juan is the most popular destination in Puerto Rico and the perfect place to stay in the city of San Juan if you want to enjoy historical landmarks, good food, and Puerto Rico’s local culture all within a short walk.

San Juan is home to famous attractions like El Morro, Paseo de la Princesa, and the Door of San Juan. The capital city also has plenty of bars and nightclubs that invite visitors to party until sunrise.

Pros of Staying in Old San Juan:

• Attractions within walking distance
• Lots of fun restaurants and bars
• Great nightlife

Cons of Staying in Old San Juan:

• Gets crowded
• Things can be pricey

Rio Grande

👉 Best Area For Adventure Lovers | ✨ Best Rio Grande Hotels: Wyndham Grand Rio • St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort • Margaritaville Vacation Club

Rio Grande is home to El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the entire United States and one of the most popular attractions in Puerto Rico. 

Rio Grande is the perfect place to stay in Puerto Rico for adventure travelers. There are many outdoor activities like hiking difficult trails, sliding down natural waterfalls, and ziplining. 

This city also sports the most luxurious hotel in Puerto Rico, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, and is close to Luquillo and Fajardo, two great cities with beautiful beaches.

Pros of Staying in Rio Grande:

• Close to El Yunque
• Outdoor activities
• Close the Luquillo Beach

Cons of Staying in Rio Grande:

• Far from San Juan’s main attractions
• Rains frequently

Condado

👉 Best Area For Families | ✨ Best Condado Hotels: Condado Vanderbilt • La Concha Renaissance Resort • Condado Ocean Club

Condado is a central area with beachfront resorts, fine-dining restaurants, and a lagoon. This district is one of the best places to stay in Puerto Rico for families and has some fabulous Puerto Rico resorts. 

Condado sports multiple accommodation options with an outdoor terrace, swimming pool, dining area, comfy beds, outdoor pool, in-house casino, and is home to Ford’s four-star hotel, Condado Vanderbilt. 

Pros of Staying in Condado:

• Family entertainment
• Lots of restaurants and bars
• Close to Old San Juan

Cons of Staying in Condado:

• Restaurants and hotels can be pricey
• Bad traffic

Isla Verde

👉 Best Area For Couples and Honeymooners | ✨ Best Isla Verde Hotels: Hampton Inn & Suites • Embassy Suites by Hilton • TRYP by Wyndham

Isla Verde is a luxurious resort area that offers visitors a taste of the Caribbean while staying close to San Juan Airport and Old San Juan’s attractions. Isla Verde is a great location to stay in Puerto Rico for honeymooners and couples.

The area sports many restaurants serving up authentic Puerto Rican dishes and bars where you’ll find vibrant nightlife. Isla Verde is also next to Piñones, where you can enjoy the best Puerto Rican delicacies.

Pros of Staying in Isla Verde:

• Close to airport
• Lots of restaurants and bars
• Thriving nightlife

Cons of Staying in Isla Verde:

• Gets crowded
• Hotels and restaurants can be pricey

Fajardo

👉 Best Area For Clear Beaches | ✨ Best Fajardo Hotel: El Conquistador Resort

If you want to stay close to some of the clearest waters of Puerto Rico, book your stay in Fajardo. Fajardo is located on the east side of the island and it sports one of the best hotels in Puerto Rico, El Conquistador Beach Resort, with a breathtaking view of the coast and a new waterpark for kids.

Some of the best things to do in Fajardo include the bioluminescent lagoon and Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. You’ll also find plenty of excellent beaches in Fajardo and the surrounding area.

Pros of Staying in Fajardo:

• Clearwater and sandy beaches
• Good location to visit Vieques and Culebra
• Lots of restaurants

Cons of Staying in Fajardo:

• Far from San Juan
• Few attractions

Ponce

👉 Best Area For History Lovers | ✨ Best Ponce Hotels: Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort • Aloft Ponce • Boutique Hotel Bélgica

Ponce, located on the south coast facing the Caribbean Sea, is a great place to stay in Puerto Rico for people looking for a similar place to Old San Juan. Ponce has multiple buildings and landmarks with a rich history dating back to the Spanish colonial era that will transport every visitor to the island’s past lifestyle.

Pros of Staying in Ponce:

• Lots of restaurants
• Central location to visit cities in the south
• Many interesting things to do in Ponce for history lovers

Cons of Staying in Ponce:

• Far from San Juan
• Food can be pricey

Isabela

👉 Best Area For Experiencing Local Culture | ✨ Best Isabela Hotels: Parador Villas del Mar Hau • Royal Isabela • Villa Montaña Beach Resort

If you want to stay in a city that’s tourist-friendly but not touristy enough to ruin the local cultural experience, then head over to Isabela. Isabela is a coastal city with a prime location between the north and northwest attractions.

Besides the beautiful Jobos Beach, Isabela is home to the Guajataca Forest, Cueva de las Golondrinas, Montones Beach, and some of the best restaurants to eat seafood in Puerto Rico. Isabela is close to other nearby Puerto Rican cities like Camuy, Aguadilla and Arecibo.

If staying here, be sure to bookmark my guide to the best things to do in Isabela.

Pros of Staying in Isabela:

• Lots of restaurants and bars
• Prime location 
• Great beaches

Cons of Staying in Isabela:

• Far from San Juan
• Beaches can be dangerous

Cabo Rojo

👉 Best Area For Young Travelers | ✨ Best Cabo Rojo Hotels: Combate Beach Resort • Douglas Highway Inn Hotel • BOHO Beach Club

Cabo Rojo is home to beautiful sunsets, paradisiacal beaches, and landmarks filled with natural beauty. Located in the west of Puerto Rico, Cabo Rojo is the ideal getaway for couples or backpackers traveling in groups who want to experience the culture and beauty of Puerto Rico. 

Cabo Rojo offers a few of the best landmarks in Puerto Rico, like Los Morrillos Lighthouse in Cabo Rojo’s National Wildlife Refuge, Boqueron Beach, the Pink Salt Likes, and Joyuda.

Pros of Staying in Cabo Rojo:

• Access to some of the top beaches of Puerto Rico
• Lots of free things to do in Cabo Rojo
• Budget-friendly

Cons of Staying in Cabo Rojo:

• Far from the metro area
• Gets crowded

Rincón

👉 Best Area For Surfers and Beach Bums | ✨ Best Rincon Hotels: Villa Cofresi • Casa Verde Hotel • Rincon Beach Resort

Rincón is a beach town on the west coast that is home to the best beaches in Puerto Rico for surfers. It’s the ideal place to stay in Puerto Rico for people who want a vacation full of gorgeous beaches, surfing, and small-town peaceful vibes. It makes for an affordable base if you’re doing Puerto Rico as a budget traveler.

Rincon’s town center sports restaurants, souvenir shops, bakeries, and art galleries, plus small colorful houses that make for a great photo background. Rincon is also the best town in Puerto Rico for whale watching during the winter and spring.

Read my full guide to where to stay in Rincon for more info.

Pros of Staying in Rincon:

• Beaches for surfing
• Experience local culture
• Budget-friendly hotels
• There are lots of fun things to do in Rincon

Cons of Staying in Rincon:

• Far from San Juan
• Hard to move around without a car

Culebra Island

👉 Best Area for Relaxation | ✨ Best Culebra Hotels: Club Seabourne Hotel • Palmetto Guest House • El Navegante de Culebra

Culebra is one of the smaller islands that belong to Puerto Rico, and it’s the perfect destination to relax and disconnect from the daily rush. The island’s main attractions are its paradisiacal blue turquoise beaches like Flamenco Beach and Tamarindo Beach (bookmark my full article on the best beaches in Culebra).

Culebra Island is also one of the places in Puerto Rico where you can swim with sea turtles while scuba diving or find their nests on the sandy beach.

Pros of Staying in Culebra:

• Uncrowded beaches
• Relaxing getaway
• Easy access to Culebrita and Vieques

Con of Staying in Culebra:

• Difficult to get there
• Mostly natural attractions

Vieques Island

👉 Best Area For Nature Lovers | ✨ Best Vieques Hotels: Bravo Beach Hotel • El Blok • Blue Horizon Boutique Resort

Nature lovers should definitely include Vieques in their list of where to stay in Puerto Rico. Vieques island is a small island located to the east of Puerto Rico. You’ll find many fun things to do in Vieques. It’s an Eden where you can walk along with wild horses on a black sand beach or kayak in Mosquito Bay, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world.

If you’re staying in Vieques, be sure to bookmark my full guide to where to stay in Vieques.

Pros of Staying in Vieques Island :

• Close to Culebra
• Lots of restaurants and bars
• Natural breathtaking landscapes

Cons of Staying in Vieques Island:

• Need to exit the main island
• Ferry gets canceled frequently

Tips for Staying in Puerto Rico

Choose the Right Location in Puerto Rico

To get the most out of your trip to Puerto Rico, you must choose where to stay according to your goal vacation. While Old San Juan is central (and the ideal base if you only have 3 days in Puerto Rico), it won’t fit every traveler’s taste.

Puerto Rico offers different accommodation options for surfers, history enthusiasts, nature lovers, and beach bummers so visitors can find the ideal place to stay.

Rent a Car if You Can

Old San Juan is a great city for walking on foot without the need to rent a car or take a taxi. But travelers who are thinking about visiting other parts of the island should rent a vehicle in Puerto Rico since public transportation is mostly limited to Puerto Rico’s metro area.

Be sure to read up on Puerto Rico’s driving rules, and use Discover Cars to find the best prices for car rentals.

Go Outside San Juan’s Touristic Zone

While Old San Juan, Isla Verde, and Condado are great places to stay in Puerto Rico, they don’t do justice to Puerto Rico’s culture and beauty. Some of the island’s greatest destinations are in non-touristy municipalities like Utuado, Arecibo, Isabela, and Orocovis.

If you don’t dare to go on your own, hire a local guide that takes you to Puerto Rico’s best-hidden gems.

Travel to Puerto Rico in the Off-Season

Puerto Rico can be an expensive destination, especially during the high season. Visiting the island off-season can save you money on hotels, tours, rental cars, and even restaurants. Puerto Rico sports nice weather all year round and you can visit the beaches in other seasons besides summer.

For more, see my guide to the best times to visit Puerto Rico.

FAQs About Staying in Puerto Rico

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That’s the complete guide to the best neighborhoods and cities where to stay in Puerto Rico. I hope this helps you find the best place to stay for your Puerto Rico vacation. While you’re here, don’t miss my complete guide to the 49 best things to do in Puerto Rico.

Have fun exploring Puerto Rico!