San Juan is notoriously thick with vast, crowded megaresorts and a history of development that’s less than considerate, to say the least. The Water Club, however, belongs to an altogether different San Juan, a tasteful and glamorous version of the city, a place where chic Miami-style boutique hotels are the norm, rather than the glaring exception.

Location may not be everything, but it’s important: the Water Club finds itself just fifteen minutes from Old San Juan, in Carolina’s upscale Isla Verde district, right on one of the most desirable stretches of palm-fringed, uncrowded beach, at the end of a private road — quite an escape from the city’s often garish tourism scene.

Of course the Water Club is no Zen monastery; hotel guests and local revelers flock to Wet, the rooftop bar with a view, and Liquid, the main lounge with the late-night DJ. Guest rooms, however, are spacious and serene, with views of the Atlantic through full-length windows, and, if you’re lucky, a balcony overlooking the beach. All the trappings of the modern boutique are accounted for, from breezy white color schemes to amenities like down duvets and wireless internet.

There’s a rooftop pool deck above the Wet bar, and the second floor is home to Tangerine, a popular Pacific-fusion restaurant — call it Asia de Puerto Rico, perhaps. The Water club is a snapshot of what San Juan ought to be — one can only hope it’s the star... more