El Convento Hotel

Located in the historic walled city of Old San Juan, Hotel El Convento is a former Carmelite convent that dates back to 1651. Vacated by the nuns in 1903 and left for ruin, the convent was nearly destroyed in the 1950s. It was saved by Puerto Rican tourism, cultural officials, and millionaire Robert Woolworth, who purchased it in 1962 and converted it into a European-style luxury hotel. A multi-million-dollar effort restored the intricate beauty and Spanish features of the original convent, including Andalusian tile floors, mahogany beams, and antique hacienda style furnishings. In 2004, Old San Juan was named one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.