5 Best Hotels in Rincón and the Porta del Sol, Puerto Rico

The area's most luxurious property, this 2,200-acre paradise is a must for anyone remotely interested in golf—it has one of the best courses in Puerto Rico. A decade in the making, the grounds feature an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools, a fitness center, a gourmet restaurant, heliport, and a beauty salon. Each 1,500-square-foot casita comes with a private plunge pool and "shower room" the size of a walk-in closet. Meandering through the lush setting are pathways that spill onto the resort's private beach. The on-site restaurant is one of the best in area, where chefs use organic fruits and vegetables plucked from the on-site garden and seafood fished off the Isabela coast. Those staying at the casitas have access to the ocean-view golf course.

As Boqueron's largest resort, this high-rise offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites, each with a private balcony. Full kitchens, en suite laundry facilities, arcade games, and an aqua park for children create a family atmosphere. The decor throughout adheres to the blues and greens of the Caribbean palette. If cooking isn't your thing, enjoy the poolside restaurant, or just walk across the footbridge to the center of town. Be sure to request an ocean-view room from which manatees and humpback whales can be seen cavorting from April to June. Due to the size of the resort, the pool and parking areas tend to be congested. Reservations are hard to come by so make sure you book well in advance. 

Technically located in the nearby town of Añasco, this oceanfront resort sits on a great swimming beach and offers bountiful activities. The South Seas–style decor begins in the high-ceilinged lobby, where comfy sofas invite you to enjoy the view through the royal poinciana trees. The rooms continue the theme with rich blue fabrics and dark-wood furnishings. A variety of activities are available, including whale- and turtle-watching (July–September). At the end of the infinity pool, a boardwalk leads down to the sand. Unlike at many of the beaches just a few miles north, the waters here are calm—not great for surfing but perfect for a dip if you're staying here.

Tucked away at the end of a palm-lined drive, this high-rise hotel feels as if it could be in Miami Beach: a gently curving facade and elegant balcony railings give it a vaguely art deco feel. The marble lobby and some of the suites echo this style with streamlined furnishings from India. The free-form pool has a swim-up bar where you can order drinks with umbrellas. The open-air lobby takes full advantage of the courtyard's lush foliage, and there is a botanical garden with a playground for children. Events are often held here, so crowds aren't unheard of. The building's U-shape design gives every room a wall of windows facing the ocean.

This cluster of villas, on a deserted stretch of beach between Isabela and Aguadilla, feels like its own little town, one where you can leave the car in your garage, and then head upstairs to an airy studio or one-, two-, or three-bedroom suite with hand-carved mahogany furniture and canopy beds. Studios have kitchenettes, while larger suites have full-size kitchens and laundry rooms. The Eclipse, the open-air bar and restaurant, serves contemporary Caribbean cuisine prepared with herbs from the hotel garden. Playa Shacks, a very popular beach for snorkeling, diving, kiteboarding, and surfing, is nearby.