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Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino to undergo $10M renovation

The Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino will embark on a $10 million top-to-bottom makeover, starting with its 503 guest rooms, the lobby and bar areas, this media outlet confirmed.

The work will begin in July and should be completed by November, said Jeannette Avilés, director of sales and marketing for the property that opened nine years ago in the busy conventions district.

“This renovation will be very important because it will bring with it the launch of the new image that Marriott is introducing. The company already unveiled the new logo, and we’re going to have that,” she said.

The renovation is expected to be ready before this year’s peak tourism season, which runs from Dec. 15 to April 15, 2020. A second phase of renovations, and additional investments, will take place next year, with upgrades planned for the Sheraton’s meeting rooms and rooftop pool area, Avilés said.

The Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino was one of the few properties on the island to stand up to Hurricane María in September 2017, suffering minor damage, she said.

“The truth is that we were one of the few hotels that remained open and we ran at 100% capacity, with a waiting list in the first two or three months after the storm,” she said. 

Miguel Martínez-Colón (Credit: Diego A. Cantor)

Sheraton executives have also been busy in the past few months reworking the food and beverage division, which recently promoted Miguel Martínez-Colón as its new director. The division is run by 115 employees, and comprises four on-site restaurants — The Café, The District Lounge & Sushi Bar, Choices Urban Bistro and The Bay Pool Bar & Grill — as well as 24/7 room service, and banquets. 

The executive, who has more than 15 years of experience in the banquet industry, has among his objectives “to break with the perception that enjoying a gastronomic experience in a hotel is inaccessible. At the Sheraton we have offers for all tastes, at affordable prices, in a relaxed and familiar environment.”

“We want to attract the local public so they can enjoy a memorable experience and first-rate service, without sacrificing their pockets,” said Martínez-Colón, who prior to assuming his new duties was Banquet director for the hotel. 

Part of the strategy calls for developing new culinary proposals, to strengthen the hotel’s current offer. That includes the Sunday brunch menu at Choices Urban Bistro, which features dishes that fuse Puerto Rican cuisine with a creative twist.

The avocado toast on multi-grain bread is one of the dishes on the brunch menu. (Credit: Diego A. Cantor)

During a tasting event, Chef Osvaldo Ortega presented four of the menu options — an avocado toast on multigrain bread, a croque monsieur sandwich on potato bread, a “tripleta” omelette, and a French toast brulée — paired with a variety of mimosas.

The menu is based on sourcing local products, purchasing from local vendors AlCor Foods, producer of artisanal sausages, breads from Pan Pepín, baked goods from Baguettes from Puerto Rico, and juices from Jugos del Palo, among others.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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