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Designed by Fuster + Architects, an award winning firm located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, El Blok takes its visual cues from the surrounding light, land and sea. In addition to being a playful structure, it is highly functional and built to withstand storms and hurricanes (a big plus anywhere in the caribbean!). It is located at the beach, at the start of Esperanza’s sleepy malecon, with its low-key seaside huddle of restaurants, bars, and stores, most of them back open after hurricane Maria’s devastating sweep of the island.

I loved my room, one of the spacious corner suites. The way the space captured the light was uncanny, every time I got back to my room, a new play of light beams and shadows was waiting for me. The restaurant downstairs serves up amazing food, hands down the best I had on island. Executive Chef, Carlos Perez. brings to the table a delicious, fresh take on Puerto Rican cuisine, centered around their bayahonda mesquite fired grill and Rotisol rotisserie. Just don’t expect much of a breakfast at the hotel. I took a short walk each morning to some cafés nearby, to grab a coffee and omelet. El Blok’s rooftop bar was ‘the’ place to hang in the evenings with locals and travelers alike, while listening to amazing music. When we were there, the duo Más Que Dos was playing and it made for an all around perfect sunset.

El Blok currently has 22 rooms and is adding another 11, slated to open in summer 2019. We were warned about construction noise between 8am and 2pm, but I can honestly say it didn’t interfere at all with my stay. It’s of course when you’re supposed to be out and about anyways, exploring the island!

Rates start at $140 per night plus tax.

A heartfelt thank you to Discover Puerto Rico (@DiscoverPuertoRico) for 3 days in beautiful Vieques and a fun stop-over in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Arriving at Viceroy Los Cabos (formerly Mar Adentro) is like getting a glimpse into the future of hospitality. Linked by a seemingly boundless plane of water, a series of minimalist white cubes—housing a rooftop bar, spa, world-class fitness center, movie theater, and more—rises from the desert landscape like a mirage, the work of Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés. The view is memorable at Nido, a ceviche restaurant that sits under a nestlike dome of twigs. Equally striking are the 104 modernist guest rooms. Unlike the region’s traditional stucco and terra-cotta haciendas, they’re serenely spare, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Sea of Cortez and tablets that guests can use to create their own lighting concept.

Travelers who are vegetarian or vegan often have difficulty finding restaurants where they’ll have the same range of choices offered to meat-eaters. Fortunately, this isn’t the case in Baja, which is blessed with so much farm-fresh produce that vegetables abound on restaurant menus. One particularly good place for vegetarians and vegans is Cynthia’s Fresh Organik Restaurant. Offering mostly wraps, sandwiches, soups, and salads, the extremely health-conscious owner, Cynthia, makes sure vegetarians and vegans not only have a number of choices, but that those options are delicious, too.

The Center for Cuban Studies consults on creating custom travel experiences for US travelers interested in learning about Cuba through people-to-people exchanges. If you are interested in traveling on a licensed trip to Cuba please email JesseA@CubaUpdate.org

This restaurant at the Oro Verde hotel gives away its strongest selling point in its name. Located on the Malecón, it overlooks the harbor of Manta and Playa el Murciélago and, beyond the beach, the Pacific Ocean. The menu has a selection of fresh fish dishes and a kids’ menu. It is a little more expensive than similar Manta options, but it’s the premium you pay for the view. The hotel also has a casual delicatessen if you are looking for something faster or lighter at lunch.

Standing practically in the shadow of Havana’s immense soccer stadium, El Litoral is tricky to find. But once you do, it’s easy to settle in. With a prime spot on the Malecon and some of the city’s most modern decor, the restaurant is a refreshing break from Havana’s hum. The standout dish on the night we visited was a modern take on the classic beef dish, ropa vieja. Don’t miss a chance to chat with the knowledgeable bartenders about their cocktails—they’ll happily whip up an elegant spin on a piña colada—or the strong wine list.