The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan

The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan is set to reopen in 2026 after closing in 2017, when Hurricane Maria and, before it, Irma hit Puerto Rico. The 417-room resort on Isla Verde's beachfront has been dark for about nine years. The reopening date has moved more than once. In 2024 the owner and Marriott were pointing to early or mid 2025; a Marriott spokesperson has since put it in 2026. No firm date has been published.

The place

The resort sits on the beachfront of Isla Verde, in the municipality of Carolina, close to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and a short drive from Old San Juan. The address is on Avenida de los Gobernadores.

Isla Verde is the hotel strip of San Juan, with the sea on one side and condo towers and casinos on the other. The Ritz-Carlton opened in 1997 and, until 2017, was the city's flagship luxury address. Marriott also runs the Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Dorado Beach, a different, quieter property on the north coast.

The concept

The owner, Black Diamond Capital Management, has put more than $150 million into the rebuild. Its managers said after the storm that about 65 percent of the public areas had water or wind damage, as did most rooms and suites. As of August 2024 the infrastructure work was roughly 90 percent done and the guest rooms about 70 percent.

The room count rises by one suite, to 417 rooms and suites. The redesign draws on Puerto Rican culture, according to the owner, and swaps in LED lighting and more efficient cooling. Sam Basu, who spent a decade at the property before the closure, is the general manager.

The hotel expects to employ between 600 and 700 people.

Dining & wellness

Two branded restaurants and a three-meal restaurant are planned, with fully remodeled kitchens, a club lounge, and rebuilt banquet and catering spaces. The names have not been announced for the reopening.

The 13,000-square-foot casino returns with about 205 slot machines and 16 gaming tables.