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B M & T ••• January/February 2015 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 17 Beach Club & Grill. The hotel also offers in-room dining. There is no shortage of activities. Visit The Rose Club, the Shopping Arcade, the 16,500 sq. ft. casino, Edouard de Paris Day Spa, Club Brava and Ultra Lounge, or just party in the ornate Lobby where you can hear live music. Not to be outdone, The Lobby has three distinctive bars - Blue, Silver and Gold. There is also a Chico Lounge. All offer live music every evening. The mixed modern and traditional lobby has its original looks from when it opened in the early 1960s. A great activity is a Mojito Making Lesson. Guest learn about the exciting ways to make Mojitos while enjoying some relaxation at one of the poolside cabanas. Guests can also enjoy the resort's Encanto Beach Club which debuted a newly refreshed fantasy pool area. Guests can also lounge on 24 canopied, double sided daybeds, three private tiki-hut cabanas, spacious sundecks, hammocks and more. The adjacent Isla Verde Beach offers jet skiing, para- sailing and a variety of water sports (not included). Meetings at El San Juan Resort & Casino The Resort has 35,000 sq. ft. of flexible space located throughout the prop- erty for meetings and conferences. The ballroom has 11,000 sq. ft. There are 14 different breakout rooms. http://www.- elsanjuanhotel.com or www.elsanjuanresort.com The EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT, A WALDORF ASTORIA RESORT is set atop a 300-ft. bluff on the eastern tip of Puerto Rico. It's luxurious, plush and family friendly. The staff, especial- ly Director of Marketing & Communications Lydia Feliciano, makes your stay enjoyable and the ambiance and gorgeous views make you want to stay forever. The AAA Four Diamond resort, 500 acres, overlooks the converging waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Many celebrities have stayed and/or performed on the property including Sheryl Crow, The Beach Boys and Seal. Guestrooms are varied.There is a two bedroom ocean view suite, partial ocean view rooms, one bedroom ocean view suites, las olas ocean view rooms, las brisas ocean view, la vista ocean view room, la marina ocean view rooms, garden rooms and full ocean view rooms. Guestrooms and suites are divided into five villages, including Las Casitas Village, a separate luxury resort which features one, two and three-bedroom style villas, not to men- tion a 24-hour resort butler service. Elite accommodations are offered in this secluded enclave. Ideal for executive-level gatherings. El Conquistador boasts 23 restaurants, bars and lounges from gourmet to casual. The Chops Steakhouse, managed by Dermot Connolly, is a crowd favorite. After dinner, enjoy drinks, dancing and live music in the family friendly Ultra Lounge. Dinner is also served at Stingray Café, located at the sea- side of La Marina Village, where you can dine on Caribbean- infused dishes and seafood. Banquet director Jorge E. Ruiz keeps his staff of 100 on par as they deliver scrumptious delights. Chef Neck vate cabanas, pool concierges and live DJs. The 386 beachfront property rooms are contemporary, with clean lines and a modern feel. The Casita rooms are 351 sq. ft., have comfortable king beds, include WiFi internet access, LCD Flat screen TVs, I Home Station and more. The Main Tower rooms and the Main Tower deluxe rooms (located on the hotel's higher floors with an expanded sitting area) are both 351 sq. ft., have either a king bed or two double beds and the same amenities as the Casita rooms. The Garden Lanai rooms, which have stunning views of tropical gardens and pools, have 448 sq. ft., king bed or two double beds, a private balcony, walk-in closets, plus the aforementioned amenities. The Ocean Villa, with views of Isla Verde beach and the Atlantic Ocean, has between 525-645 sq. ft., Jacuzzi, double sinks, high-speed internet, entertainment center, mini refrigerator, wet bar, sofa bed, oversized balcony with ocean views, When your stomach starts to growl, there are 10 award-winning restaurants from which to choose. The American Culinary Federation (ACF), the nation's premier organization of professional chefs, recently awarded El San Juan Resort & Casino, A Hilton Hotel with its annual Achievement of Excellence distinc- tion. The accolade recognizes foodservice establishments that exemplify a commitment to excellence. Ensuring that dining is an exciting component of the El San Juan Resort & Casino experience, the Puerto Rico resort offers an impressive list of 10 restaurants to satisfy every taste, including the newly opened Meat Market. "To achieve excellence you must have passion," said Ana Parga, executive chef at El San Juan Resort & Casino. "At El San Juan, we have a passion for cooking and serving the best product so our guests take home a lasting impression." Parga knows her way around a kitchen. A sampling of her lunch menu includes the best chilled passion fruit gazpacho around, petite citric salad with tossed walnuts, fire roasted tomato crostini with goat cheese, broccoli, toasted couscous and a grilled Mahi-Mahi Filet with a light pineapple and coconut sauce that melts in your mouth. Finish off your meal with an artisan mango tart with Spanish Nougat ice cream. Now that's good eatin'. The Meat Market is a charming, trendy and excep- tional restaurant. It's said the clever name is a sexy play- ful take on the traditional steakhouse dining experience. The menu includes some of the choicest cuts of meat as well as fresh seafood and locally sourced produce. The staff is attentive and exceptional. The Crudo Bar is the place for fresh, made-to-order sharing plate like Tiraditos and fresh Ceviches, while The Chic Bar serves up signature cocktails concocted by their very own mas- ter mixologist. Besides 15 bars, other restaurants include: Brother Jimmys BBQ, Yamato, La Terraza, KOCO, Aquaire, La Piccola Fontana, and Galeria Trattoria and Encanto