Inaugurates Hotel Provincial Palace in the Old San Juan

The hotel is owned by a group of Meduna, president of investment firm Advent-Morro Equity Partners; Hugh Andrews, founder and president of the hotel management company International Hospitality Enterprises (IHE); Arnold Benus, president of Copamarina Beach Resort in Guánica; Federico Sánchez Ortiz, president of developer Interlink; the interior designer Jorge Rosselló and José Vizcarrondo, president of the developer Desarrollos Metropolitans.

This group also owns the hotel the Convent, Which is located in another historic building in Old San Juan. Both hostels are managed by IHE.

Meduna explained to this medium that the Hotel Palau Provincial and El Convent will operate as separate properties, although they will share resources – such as marketing and administration equipment – for greater cost-effectiveness. He informed that Sara Vélez will be responsible for the management of the Hotel Palau Provincial.

The hotel belongs to the Lifestyle LVX category of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts luxury chain, the largest for independent hotels, with a portfolio of more than 750 hotels, resorts, and residences in 85 countries. According to its website, the chain has other properties on the island, such as the Racó Beach Resort in Añasco; and Vanderbilt County, in the St. John’s County area.

Of the three, the Hotel Palau Provincial is the only one under the LVX LVX category on the island, confirmed Adrián Mercat, director of Sales and Marketing of the property. The hostelry seeks to appeal to “a young audience that works and seeks unique experiences, such as exploring a city like this,” Meduna said. “It’s a different audience than the convent, where European and older tourists come, interested in the historic part of the property.”

Market reported that rates start at $ 189 per night for the chancellor rooms, which have a King bed, and Deputy, which has two beds.

Hotel Palau Provincial combines neoclassical architecture with modern furniture and design in its interiors, with touches that evoke its historical past. The design was by Jorge Rosselló, who was inspired by the historical and architectural authenticity of the structure, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Buildings. Bird Construction and GB Project Management, LLC led the construction and restoration work.

“The opening of this new hospitality industry not only increases and diversifies the hotel offer in Sant Joan; but also shows that economic development can also go hand in hand with the preservation of our historic architecture,” he said. the Mayor of San Juan, Miguel Romero, during the event, which was also attended by the Secretary of Economic Development, Manuel Cidre; the executive director of the Tourism Company, Carlos Mercat; Discover Puerto Rico’s chief executive officer, Brad Dean; and former governor Alejandro García Padilla.

“This inauguration brings us a lot of hope for the resurgence of tourism in Puerto Rico” said Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, In reference to an industry that has been severely affected by the fall in global travel demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, the structure had several incarnations, including a citadel, a charity asylum and the Institute of Secondary Education, until the remodeling of 1873 transformed it into the Palace of the Provincial Council. 1898, became soothes of the first Parliament of Puerto Rico.

It was reported that the historic building also housed the first U.S. Postal Service office, the Insular Library, and the telegraph and telephone office. Most recently, it served as a Puerto Rico State Department work center during the second half of the 20th century.