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B M & T ••• January/February 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 16 up its sleeve. Chef Wilo Benet helms the Pikayo, a San Juan institution for more than 22 years and a favorite since it moved to the hotel in 2009. Pikayo features Wilo's Nu + Gobal Mix, a combination of new and classic dishes from Puerto Rico and around the world. Benet's food is exquisite!! Benet, who was born in Columbia, S.C., but lives in Puerto Rico, says photography was his first love, but food soon took it's place. Now, he mixes the two. His book, Puerto Rico True Flavors, speaks to his feelings about food. "I love being a chef because it's about the manual aspects of handling food," said Benet, who calls Puerto Rico the "gastronomical capitol". "It's about being cre- ative and artistic." The food at the Condado is fantastic. Dine on cucum- ber spaguettinni, bacalao croquette with acerola vinai- grette, duet of sweet potato and longaniza stuffed chicken breast with roasted garlic sauce, petit filet mignon in a port wine sauce, 'mamposteao' de gandules, or for dessert a 'borichua trio (candied papaya with local fresh cheese), 'tembleque' (coconut custard) and 'panelita de coco' (can- died coconut). Top it off with a Kendall Jackson Vintner's reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2011, a Shafer Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros 2008. MEETING AT CONDADO It's really easy to meet at the Condado. There are unin- terrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean and Condado Lagoon. Whether you're hosting a small executive retreat or a large sales conference no other resort offers such a wealth of downtime diversions and leisure pursuits; from a secluded beach and a 24-hour casino to relaxing cocktail lounges and gourmet fine dining at Pikayo restaurant. There are 41,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, accommodat- ing up to 1,100 guests, professional event managers and caterers, 18 flexible conference/meeting rooms, with ver- satile floor plans and natural daylight. The business center is available 24 hours. There are outdoor waterfront ven- ues, 24-Hour business center, providing PC and MAC computers, WiFi access, fax machines, and photocopiers, in–house audiovisual support by PSAV, personalized group web page, to publish details about your meeting agenda. There are meeting rooms on several floors including the Ocean Tower Lobby Level, Ocean Tower mezzanine Level, Lagoon Tower Lobby Level and the Lagoon Tower Mezzanine Level. thecondadoplaza.hilton.com condadoplaza.com CARIBE HILTON The Caribe Hilton is a large, but welcoming property managed by Pablo Torres. It was the first facility ever operated by Hilton Hotels outside of the continental United States. The hotel, the recipient of Green Key for its sustain- able efforts, is located just minutes from the heart of his- toric Old San Juan and 15 minutes from Luis Munoz International Airport. The hotel, a AAA Four Diamond award-winner sits beachfront on an exclusive peninsula, made up of 17 acres of lush tropical gardens. The resort is located between Old San Juan and contemporary Condado, situated five minutes from San Juan Convention Center. The birthplace of the Pina Colada, the resort is the city's largest hotel with 917 guestrooms, including suites and the Condado Lagoon Villas, which feature ocean or garden views. There are 264 spacious villas at Condado Lagoon Villas – part of the Caribe Hilton complex. The property is lush, but it also features a secluded beach, swimming pools, whirlpools, beachside hammocks, a children's club and a full service Olas Spa. There is also a bird sanctuary. There are nine restaurants and lounges, including Morton's Steakhouse, the first outdoor Starbucks and the unique Lemongrass Pan Asian Latino. To start your day, have breakfast at the Atlantico Pool Bar & Grill. MEETING AT THE CARIBE HILTON Meeting at the Caribe Hilton is effortless. The proper- ty offers executive floor room, a business center and sev- eral meeting spaces. It offers 24 meeting and banquet spaces for up to 3,000 guests. Eating at the Caribe Hilton Executive chef Mario Ferro is one of the most respected chefs on the island and in the world. His food is indescrib- able. However, yum does come to mind. The taste, texture and pres- entation of his food puts a smile on your face. Enjoy dining on the beach at La Islita, an envious tropical ambiance. The staff at the Caribe Hilton seems to know what you need and what you want before you do. Kudos to the Caribe Hilton! EL SAN JUAN RESORT & CASINO, A HILTON HOTEL General Manager Olivier Maumaire knows how to treat his guests. The property is happily the place to go and to be seen. Once you step inside it's more than evi- dent why hotel guests and locals alike come to the El San Juan Resort & Casino to party. At night and especially on the weekends the lobby is packed with revelers. Back in the day, big time performers performed there including the Supremes and Sammy Davis Jr. More recent visitors include Ricky Martin, J-Lo and Marc Antony. The hotel, a lush 15-acre oasis features a spa, a seclud- ed Hammock Garden, decadent Fantasy Pool with pri-