Built in 1961 on the site of a former coconut plantation, the Copamarina Beach Resort is located in a remote and private setting occupying 20 acres along a half-mile stretch of beach fronting the Caribbean. Most travelers choose the resort for its chill atmosphere, far away from the busy San Juan scene. Those arriving by car kickstart the de-stressing process as soon as they turn off the highway onto Route 333, a winding coastal road that delivers glimpses of the sea and forces drivers to slow down.

At check-in guests step in to a garden-like lobby with trees, orchids, and views that stretch over a turquoise infinity pool, across the beach to the sea. At every turn the grounds deliver a soothing vista with flowering hedges and slender palms leaning toward the sea. The half-mile of white, coarse sand beach is arranged with beach chairs, tables with huge umbrellas, and oversized daybeds wrapped with wispy linen. 

The hotel's isolated location keeps most guests on-site in the evenings. For families, the hotel hosts movie nights on the lawn, beach barbecues, and other kid-oriented activities. For dinner, the hotel offers a casual terrace restaurant with a bar facing the sea and a more formal restaurant where guests can sit indoors or outdoors on a candlelit terrace beneath a pergola entwined with fuchsia-colored bougainvillea. The property attracts almost exclusively leisure travelers and families seeking a peaceful, laid-back getaway on expansive grounds. 

Located far from the hustle of San Juan on Puerto Rico's southwestern coast, Copamarina sits at the end of a sheltered bay, adjacent to Balneario Caña Gorda, a public beach that's part of an environmentally oriented Blue Flag program. The resort, which is popular with eco-tourists, is also adjacent to the protected 18,000-acre Guanica Dry Forest and close to Parguera's bioluminescent bay and mangrove canals.

• Five-minute walk to Playa Cana Gorda
• Five-minute boat ride to Gilligan's Island
• 30-minute drive to Parguera and the bioluminescent bay
• 35-minute drive to Ponce Centro Historic District
• 40-minute drive to Costa Caribe 18-hole golf course
• 45-minute drive to Mercedita Airport, Ponce
• 45-minute drive to Eugenio M. De Hostos Airport, Mayaguez
• 50-minute drive to Boqueron, a popular beach town
• One-hour drive to Rafael Hernandez Airport, Aguadilla
• One-hour, 30-minute drive to Rincon
• Two-hour drive to Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport

Copamarina is a low-slung, two-story building with a collection of rooms that can be entered at the front of the property from beneath an open-air covered hallway as well as from terraces facing the sea and gardens. Deluxe Rooms feature views of either the garden or ocean, while Deluxe Oceanfront Rooms are slightly larger and offer unobstructed ocean views; both types have one king-size bed and a sleeper sofa or two queen-size beds. All of the rooms are finished in similar tropical style with palm tree prints hung on the walls, bamboo headboards, white linens and blankets, purple floral accent pillows, and striped bedside rugs. The rooms also have a small table with two chairs, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge stocked with bottled water, and closet with safe and extra blankets. The white ceramic tile floors and the mirrored closet doors indicate the hotel's age, as do the bathrooms with their plain white tiles. Most of the bathrooms have either pedestal or floating single vanities and walk-in showers with white shower curtains. All rooms feature a terrace or balcony with a lounge chair and a small table and chairs.

In addition to the rooms, the hotel offers similarly styled one-bedroom Suites with private master bedrooms with king-size beds, two bathrooms, dining areas, living rooms, large terraces, and kitchenettes with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and glass tile back splashes. The hotel's three-bedroom Luxury Villas are designed for families and groups, delivering a true residential feel. They feature huge wraparound terraces with ocean views, closets containing washer/dryers, cushy lounge furniture, dining tables, and floor lamps. Two doors from the terrace open into a living and dining space with a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and a long breakfast bar that seats four. A dining table centered beneath a modern circular ivory chandelier can seat six or more while the living area delivers beach-inspired modern style, outfitted with oversized dark-wood rattan chairs, ivory sofas, and a huge flat-screen TV. A guest bathroom, two bedrooms, and a master bedroom complete the space. All rooms, suites, and villas have free Wi-Fi. 

Copamarina's Las Palmas Cafe is a modern, open-air restaurant with polished concrete floors, dark brown tables and chairs, and a two-sided stone bar; it's an ideal spot for casual dining and sunset watching. The restaurant serves three meals a day, including a breakfast buffet and lunch and dinner items that range from burgers and sandwiches to pizza, grilled fish, and pasta. The more formal Alexandra restaurant, open for dinner on the weekends, serves sophisticated Puerto Rican cuisine and has an impressive wine list; it's housed in a dining room decorated with colorful contemporary artwork and fronted with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Other dining options include private dinners on the beach or picnic lunches for day trips to Gilligan's Island, a small island (officially called Caya Aurora) located in Guanica's Biosphere Reserve that can be reached via a 10-minute boat ride provided by the hotel.

Copamarina also offers a slew of recreational activities including outdoor tennis, volleyball, and non-motorized water sports -- snorkeling, sailing, paddleboarding, and kayaking, as well as diving. Fitness enthusiasts will appreciate the modern and bright gym with treadmills, free weights, Life Cycles, and elliptical machines. Adjacent to the gym is a stylish contemporary style spa with treatment rooms, outdoor showers, and a salon for manicures and pedicures. The hotel's location, tucked at the end of a sheltered bay, is beautiful and peaceful, but the water off the beach is shallow and better for wading than swimming; guests shouldn't expect playful waves. Off the beach, the resort offers two swimming pools, both with kiddy pools and hot tubs. Families may prefer the beachfront infinity pool near the lobby while those seeking a quieter vibe can choose the lagoon-style pool surrounded by greenery. Wi-Fi is free throughout.