Last week Hyatt announced the opening of  the third property in San Juan, Puerto Rico in less than a year when the Hyatt House San Juan became Puerto Rico’s first extended stay hotel as well as the brand’s first Hyatt House hotel outside of the continental United States.

The 126-room hotel offers studio and 1-bedroom suites is in Miramar neighborhood, and Hyatt says most rooms have “gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean and San Juan Bay”. According to the press release, “Hyatt House San Juan is conveniently located minutes away from the Puerto Rico Convention Center, Financial District in Hato Rey, Isla Grande Airport, and the Port of San Juan. The hotel is also just minutes from famous attractions, beautiful beaches, amazing golf courses, and landmarks, including Old San Juan, the Condado district, San Juan Central Park, and Plaza Las Américas.”

The Hyatt House San Juan also offers:

• Residentially inspired upscale den guestrooms, and studio, one- and two-bedroom Kitchen Suites with plush beds and 32-inch HDTVs
• Kitchen Suites feature real kitchens, living space and bedrooms
• Free Wi-Fi access with remote printing throughout the hotel
• Complimentary Morning Spread, a full hot breakfast served daily for guests, featuring a build-your-own Omelet Bar and other rotating savory options like yogurts, fresh fruit and more
• H BAR featuring the Sip+Savor Menu, a delicious menu of home-cooked comforts and full bar featuring premium beers, wines and spirits
• More than 985 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting/function space for business or social gatherings
• Range of public spaces, including a 24-hour Workout Room, guest laundry facilities, House Market, and the Commons with an oversized Social Sectional and spaces to socialize or unwind
• Outdoor pool and a patio complete with barbeque grills and lounge area
• A Very Important Resident (VIR) program, including complimentary grocery shopping, and other personalized perks, for guests with 30 plus consecutive nights
• Borrows program for forgotten items
• Pet-friendly policy that welcomes dogs or cats

The Hyatt House San Juan is a Hyatt Category 2 hotel, along with two other Hyatt hotels in Puerto Rico  – the Hyatt Place San Juan/Bayamon which opened in December 2013 and the Hyatt Place Manatí which opened in March 2014.

Hyatt also operates the Hyatt Hacienda Del Mar, A Hyatt Residence Club which is located 25 miles from San Juan and situated on the famed Dorado Beach, and imposes an additional $20 a night resort fee.

Bottom Line:

It’s interesting to see Hyatt venturing outside of traditional resort hotels for the Caribbean. Both Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels are good concepts, but are they enough to draw vacationers away from traditional full service resort hotels which seem to crowd islands like San Juan.