Powered by the Sun: Checking Into Old San Juan's Casa Sol
Produced in Collaboration with Discover Puerto Rico
Photography & Words by Alison Engstrom
When Eddie Ramírez and Margarita Pastor, the husband and wife team behind Casa Sol, decided to purchase an abandoned 18th century colonial home in the heart of old San Juan in 2011 they wanted to do more than just restore and renovate it. They wanted to create a bed and breakfast with steadfast sustainable practices that would welcome the global traveler and inspire them simultaneously to adopt some of their greener practices. As Ramírez puts it, “It’s our way of life, we are earth-minded people, so our business had to follow our beliefs on sustainability.” Prior to opening—he had a long career in procurement and sustainability at Hilton—he realized he could parlay his passion to protect the planet and be at the forefront of an eco-tourism movement in the city and on the island.
They lead many initiatives on the premises to lessen their footprint, the first being the use of solar panels on the roof; guests take note by the sign that declares, ‘Sun At Work’ in the communal courtyard. While renovating the open courtyard, which today is a lush haven for tropical plants, they came upon a cistern that had been sealed for over 50 years. After restoring it, they now collect rainwater and of the water they consume, 75 percent is from the cistern. The interiors, which are dotted with flowers, is another full-circle moment. They compost all of their organic waste and it’s handed off to Hacienda Niña Grande, a nearby flower farm in Ciales, which supplies the blooms for the rooms and common areas.
The building used to house five different families and today guests can book one of the five rooms, which have been reimagined to their taste. Each feels warm and inviting like staying in their family home, after all, they live on the top floors. Every room is unique and even decorated with original armoires that were found on the property and have been restored. They encourage visitors to get involved in their green practices by participating in their five-minute shower challenge. Each bathroom has a timer to help you achieve the goal. One of the rooms is outfitted with an adjustable Nebia shower head, which was initially a Kickstarter project—Moen has now teamed up with them—that utilizes air to conserve water. Elsewhere, bricks that were found have been ground to create a textural floor in the courtyard; the doors leading into the rooms are made of reclaimed teak from an old fishing boat, and historic railings found in old colonial architecture were given a new life with a polish and a stain.
Each morning the breakfast is prepared based upon their guest’s preferences and includes seasonal fruit grown in Puerto Rico and coffee from local growers like Tres Ángeles, Café del Alba, and Café Lealtad. To top off your stay, the location can’t be beat, it’s located a few blocks from Castillo San Cristóbal, San Juan’s breathtaking fortress dating back to 1783, which edges the sea, in the heart of the colorful historic city center, which is best explored by foot. When a guests stay comes to a close Ramírez professes, “If we can show our guests how easy it is to be sustainable, and it generates some curiosity in their minds, we made it happen, we planted a seed that with time it will grow, and they will implement sustainable practices at home.”
