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Hotels Overview

The proximity of Isla Verde high-rise beachfront hotels to the airport appeals to those on business or for short-term stays, while you may find Condado a better location if you intend to drive around or leave the hotel premises often. Due to traffic, Old San Juan is for the less-hurried traveler who either stays in or out of San Juan most of the day. Smaller properties in the metro area offer personal hospitality often without compromising business amenities. Outside San Juan, particularly on the east coast, you can find self-contained luxury resorts that cover hundreds of acres. In the west, southwest, and south -- as well as on the islands of Vieques and Culebra -- smaller inns, villas, and condominiums for short-term rentals are the norm. Some government-sponsored paradores are rural inns, others offer no-frills apartments, and some are large hotels located close to either an attraction or beach.

Most hotels operate on the EP, although larger establishments often offer other meal plans or even all-inclusive packages. There's but a single, true all-inclusive resort, Paradisus Puerto Rico, on the eastern end of the island. In the off-season, or summer months, rates at some hotels can drop 20% or more. For hotels outside of San Juan rates most often don't include airport transfers. Be sure to ask when you book.

For information on paradores, contact the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (Box 902-3960, Old San Juan Station, San Juan, 00902-3960. 787/721-2400 or 800/866-7827. www.gotoparadores.com). Small Inns & Hotels of Puerto Rico (954 Av. Ponce de León, Suite 702, 00907. 787/725-2901. www.prhtasmallhotels.com), a branch of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, is a marketing arm for some 25 small hotels island-wide.

Island West Properties & Beach Rentals (Rte. 413, Km 1.3, Box 700, Rincón, 00677. 787/823-2323. 787/823-3254. www.rinconrealestateforsale.com) can help you rent condos in Rincón by the week or the month. Puerto Rico Vacation Apartments (Calle Marbella del Caribe Oeste S-5, Isla Verde, 00979. 787/727-1591 or 800/266-3639. 787/268-3604. www.sanjuanvacations.com) represents some 200 properties in Condado and Isla Verde. For condos or villas on Vieques, contact Rainbow Realty (787/741-4312. www.enchanted-isle.com/rainbow).