Monstrous mobile hanging atop the lobby bar of the Caribe Hilton, San Juan. First impressions after 1 afternoon here: classic hotel in the traditional mold, like the midtown Sheraton. Lessons learned from the boutique hotel boom - minimal and superficial. Too many seniors and children for comfort; noisy, parrot in indoor/outdoor lobby must be shot; haphazard service, startlingly little diversity cuisine-wise; too much of a “Sandals” vibe (I would imagine), no sense that there is a throbbing, real, cosmopolitan city outside the cheaply gilded gates. After a furtive night in Old San Juan ringing in 2009, however, the gaudy modern convenience is very much appreciated. Now, to my martini, while everyone around me soaks in the Rose Bowl.
