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Puerto Rico offers an enchanting Caribbean vacation with no need for a passport for U.S. residents. Enjoy idyllic beaches framed by dazzling turquoise water, outstanding snorkeling, diving, fascinating cultural and historic attractions, and more.
While it may be a commonwealth governed by the U.S., Puerto Rico has its own strong cultural identity, so you’ll feel as if you’re in another country, complete with exotic mouthwatering cuisine like Mofongo, the unofficial staple.
For a more authentic, local experience, instead of booking a room at a resort or hotel where you’re likely to be surrounded by other tourists, consider one of these Airbnbs, with many providing a better value that includes more space and amenities too.
1. Tropical Cabin
Why you should stay: An authentic experience and a beautiful space just a short walk to the beach
- Location: Arecibo
- Sleeps: 4
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $95/night
This tropical cabin offers a glamping type of experience with the feel of camping out, yet with modern comforts, including air conditioning. It’s located in Arecibo, just an hour west of San Juan, known for its dramatic karst landscape with extensive cave systems, subterranean rivers, and limestone formations, along with unspoiled stretches of sand.
Stay here and you’ll be just a short walk down a “jungle-like secret path” to a tranquil beach where most of the time you can enjoy it all to yourself, perfect for romantic seclusion. The host provides total privacy but if you’re looking for local interaction he’ll be happy to provide it, perhaps enjoying conversation over a fresh-cracked coconut, the perfect natural drink.
Check AvailabilityRelated Read: 6 of the Coolest Treehouse Rentals in Puerto Rico
2. La Casa Alejandrina
Why you should stay: Paradise on a mountain, with mountain and sea views from every vantage point
- Location: Juana Diaz
- Sleeps: 6
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $809/night
This luxurious modern home is located in Juana Diaz on the island’s southern coast, just five minutes from the city center and popular shopping street. It comes with high-end smart appliances with air conditioning in every room, along with exclusive access to a gorgeous infinity pool. From here you’ll also enjoy a view of the Cordillera Central Mountains and the Caribbean.
“Jan’s place is outstanding! The house is amazing and the views all around the home are spectacular. I couldn’t have enough of all the nature, birds, mountains and sea views from every angle of the home,” said guest Mimi of Houston.
Check Availability3. El Pretexto
Why you should stay: A foodie’s dream in a spectacular mountain setting at a bargain price
- Location: Cayey
- Sleeps: 2
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $135/night
El Pretexto offers an adults-only stay for a relaxed experience in the countryside on a property combining wooden villas, agroecology farming beds, an orchard, forest and a large wood deck. Nestled in a peaceful area in the Cayey mountains, you’ll have views that stretch all the way down to the south coast while being just an hour’s drive from San Juan.
The villa itself sits on the ground floor of a two-story chalet, and comes with a kitchenette, but breakfasts made with locally sourced ingredients are included as part of your stay.
You can also opt for farm-to-table, home-cooked dinners on Fridays and Saturdays, which guests frequently rave about using words like “phenomenal,” “amazing,” and “full of love.” Your host can also arrange for an in-villa massage or professional yoga session, providing a unique resort kind of experience, but without the usual crowds.
Check Availability4. Private Pool Tiny House
Why you should stay: Privacy, luxurious comforts and your own private pool, close to the beach
- Location: Rincón
- Sleeps: 4
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $295/night
Nestled in the hills close to the heart of downtown Rincon, where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, this studio-style suite has been referred to by guests as a “slice of heaven.” It comes with your own private pool, perfect for a relaxing swim after a day of exploring or enjoying Rincon’s many spectacular, secluded stretches of sand along over eight miles of coastline. In fact, the beach is less than a five-minute drive away.
The “tiny house” has a secured gated entrance, TV with Netflix and Hulu, and a fabulous host who knows how to treat guests right – you might even be welcomed with a bottle of wine.
Check Availability5. Treehouse of the Royal Palm
Why you should stay: The perfect place to experience a real treehouse stay among PR’s tropical flora and fauna
- Location: San Germán
- Sleeps: 5
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $150/night
This treehouse is one to remember, providing the perfect glamping experience in a space that surrounds a palm tree, open to the outdoors 20 feet off the ground. You’ll have an idyllic view of the jungle while being able to hear the sounds of the birds, geckos and coquis (Puerto Rican frogs).
As the songs of the wildlife can get quite loud, if you’re a light sleeper you will want to bring ear plugs and perhaps a sleep aid. For many guests, it makes falling asleep easier as if you’re experiencing a real-life dream.
While it feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere, you’ll be just a short drive to a grocery store and a number of towns, like San German, the island’s most historic town, are within fairly easy reach.
Check Availability6. Bubble Puerto Rico
Why you should stay: Privacy and seclusion while sleeping under the stars in a unique ‘Bubble’
- Location: Ponce
- Sleeps: 2
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $283/night
Puerto Rico offers bubble rooms now too, perfect for those who’ve been wanting to try this unique eco-friendly stay. Bubble Puerto Rico is tucked away in the mountains, surrounded by nature with an abundance of flora and fauna, set along the shores of a river, yet it’s just 20 minutes from the city of Ponce. Enjoy exploring the southern coastal city with its well-preserved old town featuring grand mansions, and come back and relax among the tranquility.
This unforgettable escape isn’t without modern comforts either. It includes A/C and you’ll have a heated pool for night swims plus the river for refreshing dips, and an outdoor shower. Being able to gaze up at the stars after dark from the privacy of your bubble and lush surrounding oasis, is something you won’t soon forget.
Check Availability7. El Yunque View Treehouse
Why you should stay: Privacy, luxurious comforts and your own private pool, close to the beach
- Location: Río Grande
- Sleeps: 4
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $295/night
The El Yunque View Treehouse is probably unlike any treehouse you’ve seen before. It sits on a 24-acre property with untouched forest for exploring and a section of the Espiritu Santo River running through.
The tiny house was built around a mango tree, constructed as a creative addition to the standard Puerto Rican home adjacent to it. “This is a MAGICAL place. Tiny tree house, perfect for two people to unwind and reconnect with nature,” said guest Chris Nicole.
Check Availability8. Rancho Esto Es Vida El Lago
Why you should stay: A stunning lake and mountain view oasis you may never want to leave
- Location: Villalba
- Sleeps: 2
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Rates from: $217/night
Rancho Esto Es Vida El Lago, which loosely translates to “this is the life at the lake,” offers a slice of paradise where you can watch the sunrise right from bed, immersed in nature while enjoying the ultimate in tranquility.
This may be the perfect place to totally disconnect and enjoy a magical atmosphere where stress melts away. You can spend your afternoons lounging in the hammock enjoying breathtaking lake and mountain views.
Of course, there are plenty of outdoor adventures nearby too and after a day of exploring, the heated Jacuzzi is sure to feel amazing. A stunning oasis, this is a place you’ll want to return to again and again.
Check AvailabilityPlan Your Puerto Rico Trip
- Wander the cobbled streets of Old San Juan to walk through 500 years of Spanish history.
- Go surfing in the small beach town of Rincon, one of the top spots to catch a wave in the northern hemisphere.
- Discover Cueva Ventana, the Window Cave, a large natural cave in Arecibo, where one can peer through the “window” for a view that takes your breath away.
- Take a day trip to Gilligan’s Island, a tiny island off the coast of Guanica, part of the Biosphere Reserve of Guanica.
- Hike the El Yunque National Forest, traversing through misty, forest-covered hills with cascading falls, canyons, and exotic animal and plant life, including small animals that can’t be seen anywhere else on Earth like the pygmy anole.
- Visit Flamenco Beach on Culebra Island, often named among the world’s most beautiful beaches, with clear, shallow turquoise water for snorkeling and swimming.
- Join a kayak tour to explore Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay on Vieques Island, inhabited by tiny creatures called dinoflagellates that release a spark of brilliant blue light creating constellation of stars in the dark waters of the lagoon.
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Seen in: Puerto Rico, Where to Stay
