San Juan satisfies the desire for a culturally-unique, tropical escape, combined with the ease of never leaving the United States. You don’t need a passport, will use U.S. currency, and can easily communicate in English and Spanish. It is also exceptionally gay–friendly and there are excellent hotels gay friendly hotels San Juan.
The tourist areas of San Juan are all along the Atlantic ocean. From Old San Juan on the West side to Isla Verde on the East. For a 1st time visitor you will get a lot out of San Juan. The best beach area is Isla Verde and would have what you are looking for.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) persons in Puerto Rico, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, have almost the same protections and rights as heterosexual individuals.
In June 2020, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity was removed from the new civil code of Puerto Rico – enacted with a signature from the Governor of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez Garced.
San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital and largest city, sits on the island’s Atlantic coast. Its widest beach fronts the Isla Verde resort strip, known for its bars, nightclubs and casinos. Cobblestoned Old San Juan features colorful Spanish colonial buildings and 16th-century landmarks including El Morro and La Fortaleza, massive fortresses with sweeping ocean views, as well as the Paseo de la Princesa bayside promenade
Top attractions to visit in San Juan
- Old San Juan
- Castillo San Felipe del Morro
- Paseo de la Princesa
- Castillo de San Cristobal
- San Juan National Historic Site
Best Day Trips in San Juan
- El Yunque Rainforest Half-Day Trip from San Juan
- Day Trip to Cueva Ventana & Gozalandia Waterfalls Combo-Private Option Available
- Hiking to a Hidden Waterfall Adventure
- Full-Day Rainforest and Waterfall Adventure from San Juan
- Swim at La Parguera Bio Bay Boat Tour from San Juan
See all Day Trips in San Juan on GetYourGuide.
1. Coqui del Mar – Adults Only 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels San Juan Puerto Rico
Coqui del Mar – Adults Only offers studios and fully furnished apartments with free Wi-Fi, free parking and a shared hot tub. It is only 400 m from San Juan’s beautiful Caribbean coastline.
The studios at this guest house come with bright décor, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower and toilet. The apartments come with a fully equipped, modern kitchen, in addition to a dining and seating area.
Guests at Coqui del Mar – Adults Only will find several restaurants within 500 m of the property, including many serving international cuisine. The area also offers lounges and bars.
Old San Juan City Centre, which offers nightlife, museums and excellent shopping, is just a 10-minute drive from the property, while guests can reach Berwind Country Club within a 30-minute drive.
If you want to experience Puerto Rico like a local while still having all the conveniences of home, this is your place. We offer the privacy and space of private apartment style accommodations with hotel-like conveniences. We offer not one, but 2 pools. Or walk 1 minute to the beach. We also offer a jacuzzi, barbecue and lots of cozy outdoor lounging areas. Free bicycles. Free beach chairs. Free daily Puerto Rican coffee (both hot and iced). Free on-street parking. In room safes. ROKU TV. Fast wi-fi. Back up generator in case of power outages (important to verify with your other hotel options). We are a 420-friendly property (smoking areas outside) and can assist you obtaining your medical certificate ahead of your stay. One of our pools is clothing optional (tan as you like).
We are also pet-friendly. We do have a friendly dog on site. We offer exclusive on-site classes (extra fee but discounted for our guests), including How to Cook Traditional Puerto Rican Cuisine and How to make the Best Mojito. We are a perfect selection for groups such as weddings, friends, bachelor/bachelorette groups, work trips, university trips, or other occasions where you want community areas but also need your own private space. We are gay owned and open to all guests. If you are looking for personal service and a unique, eco-friendly and a clean guest house then check us out.
The one and only LGBTQ+ / gay owned resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico! Don’t let chain hotels marketing ploys make you think they service a large gay clientele. This resort has everything you need: two pools, a hot tub, full kitchen amenities, nice bathroom and showers, the option to smoke marijuana outside if you’re into that, and the option to also fix up those tan lines you may have by laying out – clothing optional. I will definitely be back as this resort is clean, convenient, close to the beach and did I mention the two pools? Lastly, despite the pandemic, the owners have gone above and beyond to keep everything safe, sanitized and secure. If you’re LGBTQ, this is the place to go (and even if you’re not – you’ll still love it!
Just left after a week-long stay at Coqui Del Mar with my partner. It was just as I imagined it would be based on the website, reviews, and a friend’s recommendation. We were looking for a queer/gay owned and friendly, social place to stay, and CdM fit the bill. The owners, Rob and Vianney, were the perfect hosts — there if you needed something but not intrusive, offering helpful recommendations and good conversation.
The delicious, strong coffee every morning was greatly appreciated, and the communal fridge is a nice touch (check here before shopping — and take the communal shopping bags with you to reduce waste and a 10 cent charge at the store). Also appreciated were the beach chairs, coolers of various sizes, beach towels, the hot tub, the bikes (which we didn’t use), the mango tree, the gas grill, and all the little sitting areas throughout the property. I’m also a sucker for an outdoor shower, and theirs became my regular showering choice. We took advantage of the clothing optional area and were happy this was a feature of the property.
After googling “gay owned” or “gay friendly” lodging, I found a lot of sparse information and very little to go by. This location stood out as the best option, as it was the only gay owned property, the online pictures looked cozy, and the room prices were extremely reasonable. I called and spoke with one of the owners, Rob, and he was able to get me into the El Taino studio, which as only one more room was available.
I would highly recommend this property. It’s located right near the beach at Ocean Park with the best little Pina Colada and sandwiches stand (the guy even stores his pineapples upside down to maximize their sweetness for his stellar pina coladas). From the property, it’s only a $5-10 Uber ride to get to nearby places or Old San Juan, and the cars are only a few minutes away. Don’t bother with renting a car…you avoid parking issues, dealing with bad drivers, or driving after drinking. There are also cute and free bikes to use anytime. In fact, the property has everything you need: coolers umbrellas, boogie boards, kitchenettes, and a community fridge full of leftovers from guests.
The property is also eco friendly. Cisterns on the roof trap water and solar panels heat the water, so there is plenty of hot water.
The guesthouse is gay– and veteran-owned. The whole place is operated and staffed by really amazing people who made our stay even better. They mixed us drinks and are 420 friendly. It is also important to us to stay in a place that is trans and queer friendly. Everything was safe, inviting, and educated. The art is also beautiful and hand painted all around the common areas.
Location of the guesthouse is just one street over from the best beaches in San Juan. And also close to lots of different types of restaurants, malls, and attractions. That includes MAPR, the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico which we visited and I highly recommend too! Some locations of interest are easily within walking distance (like a mile or less). Or a short Uber ride.
How much does a room costs at Coqui del Mar – Adults Only?
Prices start 221 $/night for Queen Studio. The One-Bedroom Apartment is 223$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples. double room features air conditioning.
This studio features private kitchen and a bathroom with unique steam shower.It has WiFi, air conditioning and flat-screen TV with streaming player device. The use of beach bicycles, hot tub, masks/snorkels and beach chairs are included.
Where to book online – Coqui del Mar – Adults Only San Juan – Gay Friendly Hotels San Juan – you can find the best hotels deals in San Juan during Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián which which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Juan on Booking.com or Expedia.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
2. Andalucia House 3* – LGBT Friendly Hotels San Juan Puerto Rico
Andalucia Guest House is set in the Ocean Park district in San Juan, 8 km from Fort San Felipe del Morro. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property and free private parking is available on site, on a first come first serve basis.
All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV. All rooms come with a private bathroom fitted with a bath or shower.
Ocean Park Beach is 300 m from Andalucia Guest House, while Barbosa Park is 500 m from the property. The nearest airport is Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, 5 km from Andalucia Guest House.
The beautiful Ocean Park beach is just 2 mins away and you will find yourself embraced by fine white sand, aqua-colored ocean and perfect blue sky. Then come relax and enjoy with your friends in our tropical patio after a whole day in the sun. Each of our room is beautifully furnished with comfortable beds to make you feel like at home.
We liked the neighborhood – even if take a bus is hard to plan : not really scheduled- Several nice places for breakfast, dinner, bars at a walking distance with kids, where San Juan people go. Beaches as well.
Gay friendly. Very helpful people who welcome us nicely. Clean, nice room with bathroom.
The Guest house was very easy to find from the airport, and is a short drive (10-15 minutes). The room was very clean, though small, and everything worked well, including the HD television, shower, A/C and refrigerator. It is only a 2 minute walk to the beach, and the beach there is very nice, and is popular with locals. One evening we enjoyed the hot tub, which is more of a warm tub, but with the heat and humidity, who wants it hot anyway?
Although it is a “gay friendly” place, they welcome everyone. They provide free internet. The atmosphere is comfortable and charming. They provide great maps that point out the best sites and places to eat.The Andalucia is conveniently located a short walk from downtown San Juan and Condado beach. Across the street is Kasalta – a great counter-serving restaurant that President Obama ate at during his last visit.The food is average priced but out of this world for taste!
Every morning we saw countless locals running and biking down the street. Within a block or two are McDonalds and a 24 hour Walgreens. If you want a more charming stay and prefer to not be around the crowds when you want to wind down I highly recommend the Andalucia and I will stay there on my next visit to San Juan.
The hosts are Emeo and Esteban. They are life partners as well as partners in this business. Yes they are a gay couple, but this is not a gay guest house — they make EVERYONE feel very welcome here. During our stay there was a nice mix of straight and gay guests. Emeo and Esteban live on the property and they are always available to provide help and suggestions. They’re extremely accommodating. Emeo is originally from Hong Kong and Esteban is Puerto Rican. They both speak excellent English.
The Guest House
The Andalucia’s web site has very accurate information about their location, amenities, things to do, etc. They don’t exaggerate or leave out important information. We booked two of the smallest rooms (which don’t have kitchenettes). Both rooms had a/c, cable TV, quite spacious bathrooms, a closet and a mini-fridge.. The bed was very comfortable and the room was immaculately clean. There is both wireless internet and a guest-accessible computer connected to the internet in the lobby.
Although the lobby and courtyard are very small, soon guests will have more open-air space to relax. While we were they, a contractor was constructing a deck on the third level of the guest house. The deck will be a great place to enjoy the sea breeze, the sun and the views.
Andalucia is no more than a 5 minute walk to the beach in Ocean Park. The guest house has a limited number of beach chairs, umbrellas, and insulated coolers available for guests to use. They also provide beach towels which saves the traveler a lot of packing space!
There are several local spots within an easy walk for breakfast or lunch. There are a couple of up-scale dinner options on the beach — also within an easy walk. But most of the better restaurants for dinner are in the Condado neighborhood — a 5 minute cab ride or about a 25 minute walk from the guest house.
A note for gay travelers: This is a gay-owned, mainstream guesthouse, not an all-male thing. While there is a hot tub downstairs that I’m sure sees some naughtiness at night, most of the guests here are straight. If you want to perv around with other guests, stay at the creepy, overpriced Atlantic Beach hotel. If you want a super gay friendly place with the best, most up-to-date info on the gay scene in San Juan, stay at Andalucia.
How much does a room costs at Andalucia House?
Prices start 120 $/night for Small Double Room. The Junior Suite is 150$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples. double room features air conditioning.
Where to book online – Andalucia House – Gay Friendly Hotels San Juan – you can find the best hotels deals in San Juan during Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián which which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Juan on Booking.com or Expedia.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
3. O:Live Boutique Hotel, A Small Luxury Hotel of the World 5* – Gay Friendly Hotels Puerto Rico
Located in the exclusive Condado neighbourhood, O:Live Boutique Hotel has a Mediterranean décor and stylish suites. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the entire property and suites include a luxurious rain shower with hydromassage jets.
Part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the O:live Boutique Hotel has a rooftop terrace with an infinity pool overlooking the Condado Lagoon. Mediterranean Suites feature a flat-screen cable TV and L’Occitane toiletries.
Sage Steak Loft is a modern take on the traditional steak house, menu created by local sensation Chef Mario Pagan. Activities offered are biking, paddle boarding and kayak.
O:Live Boutique Hotel is a 10-minute drive from San Juan’s Old Town.
Inspired by the ‘art de vivre’ and the diversity of the Mediterranean culture, O:live Boutique Hotel presents a unique style of relaxed luxury and intimacy. Its prime Condado location, exclusive amenities and artistique atmosphère makes this charming boutique hotel part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™.
The hotel is in a great location, and is absolutely stunning from entrance to exit. The hotel was well appointed and felt like we were guests in someone’s beautiful home rather than at a hotel. Our room was quite small, but beautifully decorated and had a massive private patio. We didn’t try the restaurant, but the rooftop was beautiful for evening cocktails or an afternoon snack. And the staff was very helpful – we’ll definitely be back.
We prefer boutique hotels so thought we’d give this one a try. It’s decor is influenced by Italy, Greece and Spain, and feels out of place in San Juan. It’s quirky. Some people will love it. I didn’t. I prefer a more modern, clean esthetic. Not a deal breaker obviously.
We booked rooms with windows facing the lagoon. It was nice to have real daylight but these rooms were expensive. And there’s no private bathroom. Basically the glass shower is in the middle of the room.
Rooms have AC. Bed was really comfortable.
Guest services staff were terrific, warm, friendly and helpful. Housekeeping was inconsistent. Roof top deck is nice but cocktails were inconsistent and expensive.
Location is good…in the heart on Condado but enough off the beaten track to be quiet. Ten minute cab ride from Old San Juan and 15 from airport. Closed to lots of great bars, restaurants and the beach.
Recommend guests do not go to the sister hotel, which is just around the corner, for breakfast. Breakfasts were underwhelming and expensive. But the coffee and service were great. There are a few better options close by.
Olive Boutique Hotel is a unique little gem tucked away on a quiet side street by the lagoon and my new favorite spot for a weekend getaway! Don’t let the unassuming facade fool you. The owners have taken such care and attention to detail into creating something special and it shows- it’s a beautiful, quiet, private little oasis.
I stayed in La Petite Suite. Even though it’s one of the hotels smaller rooms, it packs a punch. The charming design includes a private enclave perfect for enjoying breakfast or a glass of wine. The bathroom and shower were quite spacious for a room of this size.
The rooftop is, like the rest of the hotel, small, private, and beautifully designed down to the tiniest detail with a Mediterranean flair. I spent a whole afternoon enjoying the pool, rooftop bar and relaxing in one of the several shaded sitting areas enjoying the view of the lagoon. As a guest at this hotel, you also have access to Olive’s sister hotel’s rooftop just around the corner. It has a very different vibe, more of a contemporary/party feel, and it was great to experience both! The pool and jacuzzi there are also stunning.
Don’t miss out on the restaurant downstairs, Sage Steak Loft. I had a mushroom bucatini that rivaled some of the fresh pasta dishes I’ve enjoyed in Italy.
I really loved my stay here. The staff was very friendly and helpful in answering any questions and giving directions and restaurant recommendations. It’s a special place not to be missed.
How much does a room costs at O:Live Boutique Hotel?
Prices start 350 $/night for Le Petite Suite. The Lagoon View Mediterranean Suite is 430$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples. double room features air conditioning.
Overlooking the Lagoon, this suite features an all-glass shower and a Provençal-style décor. It offers free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen cable TV and a minibar. The bathroom offers L’Occitane toiletries, a hairdryer and a rain shower with hydromassage jets.The private terrace is furnished with a dining table for 2, plus a fountain.
Where to book online – O:Live Boutique Hotel – Gay Friendly Hotels San Juan – you can find the best hotels deals in San Juan during Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián which which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Juan on Booking.com or Trip.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
