puerto rico: My husband and I are thinking about taking a vacation to Puerto Rico in May. San Juan sounds nice. We want both, the beach and rainforest experience. Is there a place we could stay to get the best of both worlds and not to far off the beaten path?|||You can stay in San Juan and take excursions out to the rest, that way you do get the best of both. Condado has some great hotels, vacation rentals, as well as more itimate boutique hotels. There is the Marriott hotel and Casino or La Concha for a resort feel http://laconcharesort.com/ http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sj鈥?/a> Wind Chimes Inn or Coral Princess for the boutique experience. http://atwindchimesinn.com/ http://coralpr.com/ And VRBO is a great source for affordable vacation rentals right in Condado. http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/car鈥?/a> You can take a catamaran tour with snorkeling and lunch included, some places even do pickup and drop off for an extra charge just ask. If your not into the party catamaran with the crowds then there is also a more intimate setting available on a sail boat, they only take a max of 7 out each day and it also includes lunch. You would however need to provide your own transportation for that one. To me it's worth the cost of a rental car to enjoy a peaceful sail in some of the most beautiful waters in PR. http://eastwindcats.com/ http://www.egbc.net/ I would just like to add that if your willing to go just a little off the beaten path, there is a wonderful place right in the rain forest. It would require a rental car for your whole trip, but it's worth it. http://villasevilla.net/accommodations.h鈥?/a>|||Patillas is too far from everything. Try any hotel in the Isla Verde or Condado areas, close to the airport. To get to the rainforest you will need to rent a car or book an excursion. There are beaches at the hotels, or at walking distance. Also Old San Juan area, restaurants, shopping centers, other entertaining places. Second option: Get a hotel in Fajardo and you will be closer to the rainforest, and to beaches like Luquillo's Beach and Seven Seas (Fajardo). But you will be far from the airport.|||The Rio Mar Beach Resort by Wyndham is a very nice 5 star resort on a cocoa brown beach (yes light cocoa brown, very unusual) and is 10 minutes ride from the rain forest. In fact you can see the rain forest from the hotel. I been all over Mexico and the Caribbean and stayed on allot of nice beaches but this one was different from any I seen because of its color. Not called cocoa Beach for no reason. I normally love white powder beaches but again this one is cool because of its color. Resort has lots of restaurants too. Fantasic very large family pool and an Adult only pool. Its a classy place that I think you will enjoy. Oh and it has a nice Casino also.|||There are lots of nice hotels in San Juan. You can see guest ratings for the best ones and also the lowest room rates on http://compare.hotelbooklet.com/City/San鈥?/a>|||we stayed at the caribe playa resort in patillas. the beach is beautiful!