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Learn
about Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico by reading Palmas Del Mar -
Undiscovered Puerto Rico! by Henry Scammell. It features all
you'll need to know to plan your trip including objective info on
places to stay, eat and things to do. At the end of the article,
we've provided a summary of the contact info for your easy
reference. Enjoy!
Palmas Del Mar - Undiscovered
Puerto Rico
by Henry Scammell
Doral Resort at Palmas del Mar
Too many travelers to Puerto Rico have seen this jewel of an island
only from the air, from an airport lounge, or from the
world-within-a-world of the San Juan resorts. And a whole lot more have
never seen it at all.
They're missing a lot. At 3,435 square miles, this corner of America is
only about one twelfth the size of Cuba. But it's twice as big as Delaware
and triple the area of Rhode Island.
We don't have the space to cover it all. But one especially favored
part of this green paradise can be found in the Doral Resort at Palmas del
Mar, near the southeast corner.
Set among 2,750 acres with its face to the rising sun, this complete
resort destination features a three and one-half mile beach lined by giant
coconut palms and lapped by turquoise waters. Two championship golf
courses, one by Rees Jones and the other by Gary Player, take maximum
advantage of the setting, with heavy tropical rough, lagoons, canals and
devilish sand traps to challenge even the most experienced golfer. A
practice putting green and driving range have designated areas for short
game and sand trap practice. Lessons and clinics are available, and
equipment can be rented or purchased at the fully stocked Pro Shop. The
new golf cart rental fleet features the latest safety options.
Accommodations include 100 hotel rooms and 110 one-, two- and
three-bedroom villas, all with views of the colorful gardens or the
glittering Caribbean and its nearby islands. For cool-down dips and splash
zones, there are pools aplenty, one in each of six complexes within the
resort. With itsbreathtaking prospects
of nearby islands and the El Yunque Rainforest, it's hard to believe Luis
Munos Marin International Airport in San Juan is just 40 minutes on safe,
modern roads by shuttle or rental car.
The Tennis Center is the largest in the Caribbean, with 20 courts, five
of them clay. Court time, lessons, clinics and mixers all can be arranged
here, and the nearby Pro Shop is as fully equipped for tennis. The Tennis
Center also boasts a modern, well-equipped fitness center with a Universal
gym, free weights and cardio machines.
Still not enough? Horseback riding at Ranch Buena Vista offers guided
or solo trips over 3.6 miles of trails and beach. A 6.5 mile trail leads
more advanced riders to lovely El Morro lookout point in nearby Humacao.
The Dive Center rents a full range of scuba equipment, single and
double kayaks, boogie boards and snorkel gear, with NAUI or PADI certified
instruction. Course prices range from $45 for an hour in the pool to $375
for certification in open water diving. Both scuba and snorkeling trips,
with refreshments, are available to nearby Monkey Island or Vieques on a
38-foot power catamaran at $45-$75 per person.
Eco-adventures range from hikes in the island's famous rainforest to
kayaking on fresh water lakes or ocean lagoons, to reef- and wreck-diving
off the pristine beaches.
Sport fishing trips for Wahoo, Dorado, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Sailfish and
Marlin, on light and heavy tackle or in combination, are available from a
flotilla of local skippers, at $80 to $130 pp, depending on the length of
cruise and size of boat.
Inside Tips
The average year-round temperature at the resort is 82 degrees. Palmas
del Mar faces the southeast, so schedule your tennis or golf for early
morning or late afternoon when a breeze can rise and the sun is less
intense. Even at the peak, temperature in the shade is seldom over 80?.
Among the area's several first-rate restaurants, the French cuisine at
Chez Daniel in Anchor's Village is on a par with the best you'll find in
Paris. If you lean to the east, Blue Hawaii offers authentic - and often
highly creative - Chinese. It is located in the Palmanova Plaza.
There are also good restaurants in the Candelero Hotel and Palmanova
Plaza, but at the latter the attempted reconstruction of a central town
atmosphere misses the mark, so the ambiance is slightly skewed.
Reservations
Rates peak from the end of January to mid-April. In the hotel they
range from $273-$310 in the high season to $180-206 in the summer. High
season price for a villa is $275-$425 for a one-bedroom, $300-$525 for two
bedrooms, and $375-$575 for three. Packages are better, with a one-room
villa at $750-$1200 per week off season, and $1150-$1800 in season. Taxes
and resort fees add another 18%. There are several different villa
"villages" throughout the resort. They are all nice, but we
particularly like Crescent Beach, Fairway Courts and Dorado del Palmas
(newest one).
Finally, and this may be the best tip of all, don't be shy about
looking for a deal.
Places to Stay, Eat, and Other Contact Information
Villa Rentals
- Hotel
& Villas of Palmas del Mar Resort-
170 Candelero Drive, Humacao, PR 00791, telephone 1-800-PALMAS3,
or 1-787-852-6000, x 74, or 1-800-725-6273
- Chez
Daniel (French Cuisine) - Anchors Village
- Blue
Hawaii (Chinese Cuisine) - Palmanova Plaza
- Other restaurants in the Candelero
Hotel and Palmanova Plaza
Notice: This information is current as of
May 2000. It is recommended that you contact the numbers, and/or
visit the websites above to determine any changes to the
information.
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