The landmark El San Juan Hotel & Casino in the Isla Verde District of Puerto Rico is undergoing a transformation estimated to cost up to million.
Morris Lapidus and Max Borges designed the original El San Juan and opened it in 1957 along an idyllic two-mile stretch of beach.
“The updates will pay homage to the historical status of this property as an iconic luxury lifestyle and entertainment resort, while incorporating a playfully elegant feeling to the modernized setting,” El San Juan Asset Manager Andro Nodarse-León told Caribbean Business last year.
“We want to integrate the Encanto Restaurant by the pool area further into the hotel experience, and repurpose some of the areas in the cabana area to increase their numbers,” he told the publication.
Planned renovations include improving guestrooms, pool areas, food and beverage offerings, entertainment and events spaces, and fitness and spa facilities.
The El San Juan has a 387-room hotel, 7,500-square-foot casino, 35,000 square feet of events space, and an 11,000-square-foot ballroom. It also has 15 bars and lounges, three pools, a restaurant, spa, and a nightclub.
The El San Juan also owns 12 acres on Isla Verde Beach, and the international airport is just two miles away.
The upgrades began August 15 and are scheduled to be completed early next year. The resort is closed while the transformation occurs.
New York-based Fundamental Advisor Group, along with other investors, paid $71 million to buy the resort last year.
Co-owner León, Mayer & Company manages the resort and its marketing efforts.
