Small inns have 400 rooms available for displaced earthquake victims
The members of the Puerto Rico of Small Inn Owners and Tourism Association are making more than 400 rooms available for Puerto Rico residents who have been affected by the recent earthquakes in the southern area of the island, emergency response personnel, and whoever does not feel safe in their home.
“We’ve verified all our facilities and we’re ready. We have more than 400 high quality rooms, available to accommodate families of two to eight people, as we did after Hurricane María,” said Association President Jesús Ramos, owner of the Parador Villas Sotomayor in Adjuntas.
In the wake of the devastating hurricane two years ago, the small inns, or “paradores,” provided accommodations for “hundreds of Puerto Rican families and the response staff for several months and we have the experience to handle various needs,” he said.
The Association has already been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and “is ready to support our people once again. In addition, we have significantly reduced our rates to facilitate access to affected people,” Ramos added.
“We understand the seriousness of the current situation, and we feel very badly for the damages to their properties and the emotions that many of our people are experiencing throughout the island,” he said.
“Our properties are safe and are equipped with all the contingency equipment necessary to address these types of situations. In addition to a comfortable, safe and air-conditioned room, our ‘paradores’ have recreational facilities, internet and breakfast is included,” Ramos added.
The more than 400 available rooms are distributed among eight “paradores” across the island. The closest to the affected region in the southwest are Parador Guánica 1929 with 27 rooms and Parador Villas Sotomayor with 53 rooms.
Two other properties are available in Cabo Rojo — Boquemar and Combate Beach Resort, with 75 y 47 rooms, respectively. In Aguadilla, there is Parador El Faro with 72 rooms and in Hatillo the El Buen Café Parador and Restaurant has 49 rooms. In Puerto Rico’s southeastern region there are two “paradores:” MaunaCaribe with 52 rooms and Palmas de Lucía with 34 rooms.
“It is extremely important that, when choosing a temporary accommodation after an event of this magnitude, you consider the experience and ability that temporary accommodations have to provide an excellent service,” said Tomás Ramírez, vice president of the organization and co-owner of the Combate Beach Resort.
“The tremors could continue and it is important to stay in places prepared to attend them, and that can provide you with the correct information,” he said, adding that the “paradores” are inspected twice a year by the Puerto Rico Tourism Co., and annually by the Health and Fire Departments.
The properties have emergency protocols in place, and have power generators, water tanks for several days, hot water, alternate communications and internet systems, security procedures and personalized attention, said Ramírez, adding the family-owned small inns have been serving Puerto Rico for 46 years.
