Photo: Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort
Found in the gardens and hammocks, the private retreats in the Playa Collection provide the perfect refuge for your stay. Guests can choose from ground-floor rooms with private terraces or upper-floor suites with views of the Palmas village and ocean. I stayed in the newly renovated Playa Collection Room, which has a private terrace, a pull-out sofa bed, and a queen bed. There rooms have plenty of space and come with a refrigerator, small coffee maker, and bathtub-shower combo. A hammock outside my room put me only a few steps away from the pools and restaurant.
Other room sizes in the Playa Collection include a king bed option, a studio, or the luxurious suites. The latter is perfect for a luxurious romantic getaway complete with a freestanding soaking tub and two rain showerheads.
The Costa Collection is the set of buildings close to the Costa Swim Up Bar and the infinity pool. These rooms feature loft-style suites that provide a perfect setting for couples looking for a romantic getaway or families seeking extra space. The Costa Collection is Wyndham Palmas most recently renovated rooms and offer the most refreshed furnishings and features for your stay. In this collection of rooms you can have a king sized bed, two queens, studio or suite style.
The Lagos Collection is situated in the heart of the resort to provide you with quick access to all of the amenities the Wyndham Palmas offers, including the two pools. If you need a room that is wheelchair accessible, the Lagos collection has a number of ground floor rooms that are accessible to all the main spaces. This is also a great room option if you have kids. The Lagos Collection has king sized beds, two queens or also the studio and suite options.
Photo: Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort
The main restaurant on the Wyndham Palmas property is Trova Coastal Kitchen. Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, both James Beard-nominated chefs, are the brains behind the mouth-watering dishes here. Serving a breakfast buffet, lunch, and dinner, every dish comes is absolute perfection (try the signature sunflower pizza). The menu changes every three months to keep things fresh, and on my visit the fried chicken, deviled eggs, beet tartare, and Persian rice were all standouts. Here, the decor in the indoor-outdoor space is a boho-chic paradise with wicker chairs and beaded chandeliers — think if West Elm and Anthropologie had a design baby.
The resort makes it easy to find quick meals, as well. Café 1736 is ideal for a quick breakfast of coffee and pastries before the day’s activities, as well as a spot to grab drinks and snacks to go. If you’d rather stay in the pool, the Costa Pool Bar has a swim up spot in the infinity pool to order cocktails and food. Happy hour is for Botica Tapas Bar, located near the lobby. Don’t miss margaritas and tapas from Trova’s kitchen in the sleek space.
Photo: Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort
The Wyndham Palmas has two championship golf courses. Book in advance and hit the course with the beautiful weather and gorgeous scenery. To keep staying active, there are two tennis courts that are a short walk from the hotel where you can play in the beach air (and if pickleball is more your speed, you have options here for that, too). You don’t have to stay in one place to get your outdoor fix around the property, though. Explore the beautiful location by bike on one of the rentable Wyndham Plamas rides, or see things from the water by renting a boat at Yacht Club Marina.
The Wyndham Palmas is one of the closest resorts to El Yunque Rainforest. El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System, and it’s a beloved spot in Puerto Rico for hiking, chasing waterfalls, and embracing nature. El Yunque also has a gorgeous welcome center where you can learn more about the insects, plants, and trees you’ll find in the rainforest as well as history and other fun facts. This is such a beautiful place and I recommend a hike or at least drive around and take in the beauty. You need to reserve entry before you arrive, so be sure to plan ahead.
Photo: Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort
Say you want to do, well, nothing. The Wyndham Palmas beach is perfect for that as well. There’s a short path you can walk to go to the beach, and if you want a chair and umbrella, just text or stop by the front desk and they’ll set it up for you. Or stay in calm pool waters at the sleek infinity pool with a swim-up bar or relaxing hot tub.
Kayaking is lovely. Kayaking in a bioluminescent bay is something else entirely. There are three in Puerto Rico where small organisms light up when disturbed. One, at Laguna Grande, is only a 45-minute drive from the Windham Palmas. When you arrive there are multiple kayak stands where you can reserve your night activity. Bring boating shoes, swimsuit and a towel. You kayak almost completely in the dark for the exception of a few lights on the kayaks. The pitch black sky is perfect for stargazing, but the real magic is below the surface. Move your hand or paddle through the water to see it light up as it’s disturbed.
Photo: Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort
If horseback riding is an option at a resort, I’m going to do it. You can book a horseback riding trip with the front desk, and a member of the staff will pick you up in a van and drive you to Hacienda Buena Vista. I had a beautiful horse named Tank and it was the perfect trail to see the beauty of the Wyndham Palmas property as well as ride along the beach.
You don’t have to wander far to walk through an enchanting nature reserve. Pterocarpus Forest near Humacao is a 51-acre nature preserve in one of the largest remaining swamp forests in Puerto Rico in an area flooded by freshwater. The paved paths are easy to walk or bike, or you can drive through the forest if you’re short on time.
The Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan is the primary way to get to the island from the continental US. The Wyndham Palmas is about an hour-and-a-half drive away (though traffic can make that trip longer), so you’ll need to either rent a vehicle or arrange for a driver to take you. 