Overview
My husband and I visited this gorgeous resort in September 2020 to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We wanted to choose a special place to be able to create many beautiful experiences and unforgettable memories. St. Regis is well known for its unique resorts and it wasn’t any different with this one. The resort is widely considered to be one of the best Puerto Rico hotels. It is located on a former coconut plantation between the famous El Yunque National Forest and Espiritu Santo River State Preserve. The spectacular 483-acre resort includes139 guest rooms and suites with private terraces facing stunning ocean and tropical garden. It is the Caribbean’s first and only certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary, Puerto Rico’s first AAA Five Diamond rated resort and a Forbes Travel Guide Five Star rated resort. I guess this is convincing enough to simply visit the place. But let’s get into more details.
Booking
Luckily our stay was in low season (not to mention it was during pandemic time) so we were offered better rates for our multi-days stay. Regular rates are hovering at around $1000 per night (as mentioned depends on the dates). If you hold Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card you can use your points to book a room.
Similar to other hotels St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is charging a daily $75 resort fee ($82 daily after taxes) which covers the following:
- Welcome drinks
- High-speed Wi-Fi
- Full service at the pool and beach
- Use of the property’s boathouse
- Use of kayaks, tennis center, the driving range and golf course
- Access to the resort’s kids club
During our stay some of the activities were limited due to the covid situation. This was not a problem because the occupancy that time was very low so most of the time we felt like the only guests over there. Also, the resort paid a lot of attention to safely accommodate all the guests and kept everything clean and sanitized.
Also, check out one of the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico here!
Location
The property is located in Rio Grande, which is on the island’s northeastern shore, and it is about a short 30-minute drive from the vibrant town of Old San Juan, and just 16 miles from Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz international airport (SJU). We rented a car so it took us around 40 minutes to get to the resort (it’s a small island but the roads are very curly and not in the best condition; it’s better to use highways). As I mentioned before the property is located on a former coconut plantation and it reminds more of massive, sprawling complex than a typical beachfront hotel. From the resort’s main entrance gate it takes another several minutes to get to the actual entrance where your can check in.
Check in
The main building resembled a typical plantation house and is surrounded by small pools with fish and tropical trees around. We were greeted by a bellman who helped with our luggage while we checked in. The check in process was fast and smooth. We were welcomed with delicious Mojitos. Also, we received a contact to a concierge who was taking care of us during the entire stay. After that we were transported to our incredible room on the resort’s golf carts (the property is huge so you mostly will be using these little carts to commute between different parts of the hotel).
Room
Our room was located a couple of minutes drive from the main building. There was a nearby spacious parking where we were able to leave our car (charged daily $22). It was close enough to walk back anytime we needed to drive outside the property. The room was located on the second floor and had its private entrance by the stairs. The room was very spacious and had a modern look designed with grays, whites and blues. Right after entrance you get into a small foyer which included a wet bar with sink, mini-fridge, Nespresso machine with pods and honor bar with drinks and snacks. At the end of the foyer there was a walk-in closet with a safe and typical laundry bags and list of services. To the right of the foyer there was enormously large bathroom with separate toilet and extra room for a rainfall type shower and bathtub. I guess this was my most favorite bathroom ever.
Our bedroom was located to the right of the foyer. I was very happy with the size because it was really spacious and could easily accommodate more than two people. We had a huge bed dressed in white linens with four large pillows, two decorative pillows and a throw. In front of the bed there was a TV with the big media console, table with two chairs and extra armchair with small coffee table. Although, I was the happiest with full room length terrace fitted with comfortable sofa, a table and chairs and overlooking the property jungle with the ocean view beyond. Nothing more relaxing than watching lush palm trees while sipping a nice tropical cocktail.
Food and Beverage
Let me start by saying that we consider ourselves foodies and really like tasty, unique and quality dishes. We were expecting that at such a resort we would be served some culinary surprises since the resort proudly advertises Javier Arango Salazar as its new Executive Chef who oversee the culinary direction of Paros, its signature Greek fine dining restaurant. In addition to Paros there is a beach club restaurant Seagrapes located by the pool and The St. Regis Bar in the main building Casa Grande (closed at the time we were there since only outdoor dining was available due to covid restrictions). Seagrapes Restaurant was just a minute walk from our room so this was a perfect spot for breakfasts and lunches. We booked Paros Restaurant for dinner and had to drive couple of minutes to the property. We learnt again that due to the pandemic the menus at both locations were limited. Although we found our favorites like tuna crude and stuck to them. We also ordered room service a couple of times. The prices were a bit high for what we got and sadly we did not experience anything special.
Beach
St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is a huge property with a wide selection of different activities that would suit everyone. For sure, having an oceanfront location is a huge attraction. The long and wide beach provided spectacular views of the horizon and surrounding tropical trees. Unfortunately, there was no beach service at that time (due to covid) but we could still take long walks and relax.
Swimming pools
For the swimming activity the hotel offers two pools. One was located just a minute walk from our room by the Beach Club Restaurant and just another minute walk from the beach. There were plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas (for renting) and full restaurant service. This was my favorite spot to just have a small bite while tanning.
The second pool was around 10 minutes walk on the beach and was attached to the nearby golf course. This is also where previously mentioned Paros Restaurant was located. I truly liked the visual part of this pool since it was designed by a collection of a couple cascading pools. It was also a great spot to fly a drone (just come super early in the morning so you don’t fly over other people’s heads). The view from above was amazing.
SPA
There was also a unique Iridium SPA onsite. It was housed in a separate building next to Casa Grande and included an amazing garden which was a perfect photography spot (especially for new married couples since the hotel hosts plenty of weddings). The SPA offered the requisite steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzis and color plunge pools. Moreover, there were seven massage villas which offered one of many treatments on the menu.
The fitness center is very well-equipped with plenty of cardio and strength-training machines and free weights. Also, tennis courts, a golf course complete with a driving range and kayaks were available upon request.
Summary
We truly enjoyed our stay at St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort and I am sure we will be back since there is still so much to explore on the property. The fact that the hotel couldn’t fully operate at the time we visited makes us even more willing to visit it again (hopefully next time there will be larger food selection at the resort). Also, it was our first time in Puerto Rico so we took time to travel through the island. We got a good taste of the place but left so many spots to discover for the next trip. Overall it was an amazing and for sure unforgettable experience full of relaxation and enjoyment. Cannot wait to go back!
Find other amazing options in Puerto Rico and compare prices here.
