After A Year Of No Alcohol, I Stayed At The Hotel Where The Piña Colada Was Created

But then, I got the opportunity to stay at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is celebrating 75 years and the home of the piña colada, and let’s just say I wanted to know what the hype was about.

The week before my exciting trip, I actually had my first drink. So you can say I was preparing myself. It was my first time in Puerto Rico, and when I arrived at Caribe Hilton, I was immediately floored by its beauty.

It’s located on a secluded beach and only a few minutes away from downtown and no more than 15 minutes from the airport. My room was nice and spacious, with a gorgeous view of the water.

Sips

After settling in, I prepared for the first activity, the piña colada tasting. The original piña colada was created in 1954 by the hotel’s bartender, Ramón "Monchito" Marrero. It includes only five ingredients: 2 oz of white rum, 1 oz of coconut cream, 1 oz of heavy cream, 6 oz of pineapple juice, and ½ cup of crushed ice.

My first taste of the original piña colada was a dreamy, creamy delight. It was so fresh and delicious, and it instantly became one of my favorite drinks from the trip.

I visited the island during the holidays, so it was only right that I had the opportunity to indulge in some coquito. Coquito is a Christmas drink in Puerto Rico akin to eggnog. Traditionally, it’s made with vanilla, coconut cream, coconut milk, rum and spices. During a coquito tasting, a group of us tried many flavors, from the original recipe to Nutella-flavored coquito.

Another favorite was the coffee. I don’t consider myself a real coffee drinker as I prefer lattes, but the Starbucks in the hotel, as well as a local coffee shop had some of the best coffee. Not to mention, I had the best chai latte at Caribe’s Ice Cream & Cookies Co cafe.

Eats

Caribe Hilton has a host of restaurants like Néctar del Caribe, Lola’s Puerto Rican Cuisine, Rustica Ristorante, Ocean Restaurant & Lounge, and more. At Lola’s, I tried the shrimp & rice stew with a side of tostones, which are fried plantains. While I’ve had plantains before, I really enjoyed them fried.

Our group also went on a historic food tour of Old San Juan, where we were introduced to more authentic Puerto Rican food like mofongo, which was one of the dishes that stood out amongst the crowd. It’s mashed fried green plantains, but this particular mofongo was made with cassava. Our food tour guide also walked us through the history of the beautiful town of San Juan and shared how its food is rooted in West African cuisine.

Activities

Besides the tastings that took place at the hotel, some other fun activities I participated in were tennis, drinking champagne in the cabana, and taking a tour of the historic property. Caribe Hilton has an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, hammocks to lounge in, a tropical garden and bird sanctuary and more.

I also got to experience San Juan’s nightlife. Old San Juan has a street filled with bars on both sides, and our group popped into a few spots, including La Factoría, which was named one of the World’s 50 Best Bars.

Overall, I had an amazing time Puerto Rico. While its an American territory, you feel like you're in another country thanks to its tropical paradise vibes.

Since I made the decision to reintroduce alcohol into my diet, I haven’t been experiencing migraines, which I’m so happy about. However, I have become more conscious about how many drinks I consume, though, and entering a new year, who knows, I might participate in Dry January.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been a social drinker, and not drinking for a year has taught me that I don’t need alcohol to be social. Sometimes, a glass of water, a mocktail, or nothing is okay.

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