About this hotel
General information
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve spreads across about 20 hectares of Puerto Rico’s north coast at Dorado, where beaches, shady groves and a golf course run right down to the Atlantic. It is a long-established resort estate built low and light: no building rises above the palms, nature is given room, and nothing stands between the rooms and the water. Rooms and suites line two beaches, East Beach and West Beach, many of them with their own plunge pools or rooftop terraces, while families and groups can take residences with kitchens and two to four bedrooms or a five-bedroom villa on the shore.
The signature here is the Embajador, a personal attendant who looks after each guest from arrival to departure and arranges whatever is needed. Around that come Spa Botánico in a tropical garden, the seaside East Course, a naturalist programme for adults and children, and dinners in unusual settings, beneath a century-old ficus or up in a treehouse. The guest checking in must be at least 21.
Location
The resort sits on the Atlantic shore at Dorado on Puerto Rico’s north coast, about 42 km from San Juan international airport. There is no hotel shuttle; instead, private cars with drivers, limousines and vans are available on site. The concierge can arrange trips to Old San Juan, with its colourful houses, cobbled streets and centuries-old quarters above the ocean, and drivers will find valet parking and electric-car charging points.
Spa
Spa Botánico occupies about 2 hectares of tropical garden: guests enter past a century-old ficus and an apothecary of herbs and flowers, and treatments take place in pavilions along winding paths and up among the treetops. There is an infinity-edge reflecting pool above a pineapple garden, outdoor soaking gardens, a steam room and separate lounges for men and women. The menu covers massages, including for couples and in-suite, house-made scrubs of coconut oil and shea butter with local coffee and tobacco, wraps, facials, eye and lip treatments, scalp and hair care, manicures, pedicures, make-up and fitness consultations. Signatures are the Manos Santas ritual with local herbs, and a treehouse massage. The spa is open daily from 9am to 6pm by appointment.
Sports & leisure
The 18-hole East Course is a classic seaside layout of about 6.6 km with ocean views from 15 of its holes, backed by a clubhouse, driving range, putting green, golf school with lessons, equipment hire and golf for children. A nature trail of about 18 km winds through the estate, past the course and the beaches and through shaded woodland, on foot, by bike or by golf cart. The Reserve Fitness Center is open around the clock, with cardio machines including Peloton bikes, weight machines and free weights. Dorado Beach’s Naturalist Experience runs group outings with naturalists: snorkelling over a coral reef, underwater photography, forest walks, a search for coquí frogs in the Pterocarpus forest, a wildlife hunt across the grounds and stargazing with telescopes, all booked at least 48 hours ahead. The concierge arranges trips to Old San Juan, to El Yunque National Forest with a swim at La Mina falls, a cave hike that ends on a limestone cliff above a mountain valley, night kayaking on the bioluminescent bays, diving off Desecheo and Cayo Diablo, private yacht trips for 10–12 guests to Culebra, Vieques, Icacos and Palomino, and catamaran days among the surrounding cays.
For children
Within Dorado Beach’s Naturalist Experience, children aged 4–8 learn about the island’s nature, culture and history through games, experiments and hands-on activities, while 9–16-year-olds make snacks, study the constellations and find out how night creatures get around; families with children from 9 can join snorkelling, underwater photography and forest walks. Sessions are booked 48 hours ahead, and the schedule depends on the season and the weather. The golf school runs golf for young players, the Encanto Beach Club has a family pool, and the resort has a family waterpark.
Restaurants & bars
Cooking here brings together Puerto Rican produce and traditions with influences from further afield; breakfast is served at an extra charge at COA and La Cocina Gourmet, and in-room dining runs around the clock.
- COA — contemporary cooking with local roots, dishes from the Mi Brasa wood-fired oven and seasonal produce from nearby farms; breakfast, lunch and dinner
- La Cava at COA — wine cellar of 690 labels and 3,200 bottles for tastings, wine dinners and private meals
- COA Lounge — cocktail lounge facing the sunset, with craft cocktails and a strong rum list
- Posi+ivo Sand Bar — open-air restaurant on the sand under a carved ceiling, with Asian-Latin cooking
- La Cocina Gourmet — café and market with Puerto Rican coffee, house-made gelato and food to go, plus a culinary centre for cooking classes and five-course wine dinners
On request, dinner can be laid beneath the century-old ficus in the spa garden, in a treehouse for two or on a secluded stretch of beach at sunset with a Puerto Rican-inspired menu; there is also a private chef’s table, an omakase bar and rum tastings.
Swimming
The resort lies on two golden-sand beaches, East Beach and West Beach, the latter with especially calm water for swimming, and cabanas on the sand offer loungers, shade and drinks. Two outdoor pools open straight onto the beach, the tranquil infinity-edge Positivo pool and the livelier family pool at the Encanto Beach Club; both are open daily from 7am to 7pm, with towels provided. Families also have a waterpark. Residence guests also have use of the private West Point Beach Club.
Pets
One pet of up to 13.6 kg is welcome per room, with a cleaning fee; reservations should be told in advance.
Rooms
Rooms and suites in low-rise buildings along East Beach and West Beach face the ocean, with terraces, balconies or rooftop terraces, open-air showers and artwork in the colours of the island’s nature, and many have their own plunge pools; every guest is looked after by a personal Embajador. The two- to four-bedroom residences and the five-bedroom villa add full kitchens, living and dining rooms, laundry rooms, golf carts for getting around the resort and access to the West Point Beach Club.
Every room has air conditioning, a sitting area, a bathroom with Spa Botánico products, a hairdryer and an Elchim flat iron, a minibar and fridge, a coffee and tea maker, a work desk, an iron and board, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, evening turndown, butler service and 24-hour in-room dining.
East Beach
Room on East Beach with a sitting area and an ocean-view balcony or terrace; a king bed and sofa bed (up to three guests) or two king beds (up to four).
East Beach Plunge
Ground-floor room by East Beach with its own plunge pool, a sitting area and ocean views; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to three guests.
West Beach
Beachfront room on West Beach with a sitting area and a balcony or ground-floor terrace; a king bed and sofa bed (up to three guests) or two king beds (up to four).
West Beach Plunge
Ground-floor room steps from West Beach, with a terrace, loungers and an infinity-edge plunge pool, a walk-in wardrobe, deep soaking tub and indoor and outdoor showers; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to three guests.
Plunge Reserve
Ground-floor beachfront room with its own plunge pool and a sitting area; two king beds, for up to four guests.
East Beach Ground Suite
Ground-floor one-bedroom suite by East Beach, with a separate living room, a private pool, a terrace and one and a half bathrooms; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to four guests.
East Beach Rooftop Suite
One-bedroom suite facing East Beach, with a separate living room, a dining area and its own rooftop terrace with a plunge pool; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to four guests.
West Beach Ground Suite
Ground-floor one-bedroom suite on West Beach, with separate living and dining areas, a terrace with a plunge pool, a deep soaking tub, indoor and outdoor showers and a walk-in wardrobe; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to four guests.
West Beach Rooftop Suite
One-bedroom suite on West Beach with a separate living room, a dining area and a rooftop terrace with a plunge pool; a king bed and sofa bed, for up to four guests.
West Beach Ground Two Bedroom Suite
Ground-floor two-bedroom suite opening onto West Beach, with living and dining areas and a terrace with a plunge pool; the second bedroom has its own patio and bathroom. A king bed, two king beds and a sofa bed, for up to six guests.
West Beach Rooftop Two Bedroom Suite
Two-bedroom suite on West Beach with living and dining areas and its own rooftop terrace with a plunge pool; a king bed, two king beds and a sofa bed, for up to six guests.
Two Bedroom Residence
Oceanfront residence on the ground floor, with direct beach access and a plunge pool on the patio, or on the second or third floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a terrace with a grill; living room, separate dining room, kitchen and walk-in wardrobe; one king bedroom and one with two queen beds, for up to six guests.
Two Bedroom Residence With Den
Residence on the ground floor with its own plunge pool or on the second or third floor with a furnished terrace, plus a den with a sofa bed, living and dining rooms and a kitchen; one king bedroom and one with two queen beds, for up to eight guests.
Two Bedroom Penthouse With Den
Oceanfront penthouse with living and dining rooms, a kitchen and large terraces; two bedrooms (a king and two queens) plus a bonus third bedroom with a king bed, for up to eight guests.
Three Bedroom Residence
Residence on the ground floor with a plunge pool on the patio or on a middle floor with a balcony; living room, separate dining room, kitchen and walk-in wardrobe; two king bedrooms and one with two queen beds, for up to eight guests.
Three Bedroom Residence With Den
Residence on the ground floor with direct beach access or on the second or third floor with an ocean-facing balcony, plus a den, living and dining rooms and a kitchen; two king bedrooms and one with two queen beds, for up to ten guests.
Three Bedroom Penthouse
Third-floor penthouse with a furnished rooftop terrace and plunge pool, living and dining rooms and a kitchen; two king bedrooms and one with two queen beds, for up to eight guests.
Four Bedroom Penthouse With Den
Top-floor penthouse overlooking the ocean, with a rooftop lounge and private pool, four bedrooms, a den, living and dining rooms, a kitchen, a deep soaking tub and indoor and outdoor showers; for up to ten guests.
Five Bedroom Villa
Two-storey house on East Beach with direct beach access, a private infinity pool and whirlpool, outdoor dining with a grill, living and dining rooms and a kitchen; five bedrooms, for up to sixteen guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.