San Juan

El San Juan Resort & Casino

Old-world elegance
El San Juan Resort & Casino with 389-room, on 15 acres of magnificent landscape grounds, fronts the Atlantic Ocean with the finest beach in San Juan. The hotel is extraordinarily spacious and elegant was erected in early 50’s by Pan American World Airways and is the reason it is located so conveniently to the airport just five minutes from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU). Pan American never managed the hotel but their wholly owned subsidiary did, the Intercontinental Hotel Corporation. The hotel opened on February 01, 1955 and two years later the San Juan Corporation purchased the hotel and changed the name to El San Juan Resort & Casino.

A timeless destination in Puerto Rico
The supreme accomplishment of the property is the ornamental carved mahogany that covers the lobby ceilings and columns of the hotel. The wood is cherry mahogany, common in the Tropics and acquired in Santo Domingo, all intricately hand carved by Jose Laguna, a craftsman from Spain with a team of 15 Puerto Rican artisans that took them from 1957 to 1962 carving 7 days a week to complete this masterpiece. Spaciousness is one of the key elements in the hotel when entering the Palm Court lobby, which boast an oval shape glittering hand blown chandelier from Czechoslovakia, the third biggest in the world. Its delicate strands of Czech gem monogram crystal look like silk fringe. In the 60’s Puerto Rico offered a reliable warm climate and exciting nightlife and the El San Juan was the supreme of headline entertainment. Stars included Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Jose Gerco, The Supremes, Maurice Chevalier and Liza Minnelli among others and the hotel has been known for decades as “Le Grande Dame” of the hotel industry in the Caribbean where “The most beautiful people come to see people and to be seen”.

Hotel Reservations

Please remember all extended Hotel reservations pre or post the event, must be made through BOND Events. Please contact Laura Vizan (LauraVizan@bondevents.com) and let her know your required dates.

Transfers

Please make your own way to the Hotel, obtain a receipt from the Taxi Service and BOND Events will refund your Round-Trip Taxi Fare at their Registration Desk in the Hotel.
Distance to Hotel: 3km / 2ml
Time by Taxi to Hotel: no more than 10 minutes
Taxi Charge (one way): No more than USD $20.00 including tip.

DOCUMENTS

Puerto Rico is a U.S. Commonwealth with U.S. citizenship. Therefore Passports are not necessary for U.S. Citizens.

VISA Requirements

It will be your responsibility, should you require a VISA to travel to Puerto Rico. Should you require a VISA please click here Please follow relevant information shown in the Website. Should you require an invitation letter to attend Arc-LatinAmérica 2013 we will be able to provide this for you. Please send an email to Laura Vizan, (LauraVizan@bondevents.com) and let us know.

PLEASE ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO OBTAIN YOUR VISA

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico is the oldest city on US territory. Founded in 1521 by Juan Ponce de León, who named it City of Puerto Rico ("Rich Port").
The history of San Juan begins a long time before its official foundation. In 1493, during his second voyage, Christopher Columbus landed in Puerto Rico and named the island "San Juan Bautista", in honor of John the Baptist. In 1508, the Spanish government appointed Juan Ponce de León as the first governor of the island and he founded the original settlement in Caparra, now known as Pueblo Viejo, behind the almost land-locked harbor just to the west of the present metropolitan area and the city quickly became Spain's most important military outpost in the Caribbean.
A year later, the original settlement was relocated to a nearby coastal islet (to the site of what is now called Old San Juan) and named Puerto Rico (Rich Port). Sometime during the 1520s, confusion over the names led to a switch, the island took the name of Puerto Rico and the town became San Juan.
Today, San Juan is known as "La Ciudad Amurallada" (the walled city) and is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean and is the second oldest European-founded city in the Americas (after Santo Domingo, which was officially founded on August 5, 1498).

Climate

San Juan, like all of Puerto Rico, enjoys warm, sunny days for most of the year. The tropical climate ensures an average temperature of 80°F (26°C) with humidity running continuously at around 80%. The rainy season peaks in August, and rain can be extremely heavy. Between August and November the island is vulnerable to hurricanes.

Sunrise / Sunset

6:54am to 6:21pm

Size and Population

Puerto Rico is approximately 100miles x 35 miles (160km x 56km) and the Island's population is 3.9 million.

Currency

United States Dollar US$. 

Language

Spanish and English are the official languages, but Spanish is without a doubt the dominant language.

Technology

Puerto Rico is considered the most technologically advanced island in the Caribbean. Most cell phone carriers from the United States work here.

Contact details:

El San Juan Resort & Casino
6063 Isla Verde Avenue, Carolina, Puerto Rico 00979
T: +1 787 791 1000
Web: http://www.elsanjuanresort.com

Please remember all bookings must be made with BOND Events and not directly with hotel.