The House of Zen was designed to be a safe space for medicinal and herbal therapy. Our interior has been renovated to create tranquility and relaxation.

Recently renovated after the storm and open for hosting relief workers and travelers seeking safe housing. 3 floors, 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms with large mattresses, rooftop garden and view of the ocean. A unique island experience in the heart of a historic city. Walking distance from castles, beaches, fine dining and nightlife. We have our own backup power source and 50 gallon drum of purified water in case of power outages or water pressure loss. We also have hot water shower, fans and candles.

The building is over 100 years old and with that character comes a rustic charm that we like to be very honest about. It is a beautiful space that has required a lot of loving hours and determination to get it to where it is now. We are flexible hosts who are respectful of privacy and have designed the house to be herbal and smoker friendly, we encourage relaxation and intimacy, all we ask is that you respect the space and our personal belongings.

After working for 5 years on renovating the interior into a unique setting for travelers to enjoy we are now taking a break to do some travel and consult other property owners on how to improve their listings. This will be our last season at this house before we expand our business to a farm closer to the rainforest. It has been a wonderful experience to host travelers in the city but we look forward to transplanting our potted plants and building bungalows surrounded by nature.

We appreciate guests who are comfortable with a few rough edges and rely on the support of travelers to continue upgrading the amenities. Please keep an open mind and open heart when booking this house as it is very different than a normal hotel experience.

The floors of the building are historic brick and the old wooden doors and windows are classic Spanish style. Much of the repairs that have been done after the hurricane focused on building new shutters for the windows to make the house more secure in the event of a rainstorm. The house will never be spotless due to the salt water in the wind on the glass and dirt from plants in the house so please be understanding of the nature of the floors. When it rains hard we do get some extra water in the building, mostly on the roof where there is a leak that always dries up eventually. The bedrooms however are always very dry and made comfortable with fans at all times. This is a true tropical home and we try to embrace the elements through thoughtful interior design.

The space features an indoor garden created by an opening in the center of the building that allows rain and flowers to fall down into the green room. During heavy rains the sound of a water falling echoes through the house. We have planted a small herb garden with many tropical plants which also are home to the local Coqui frog who can make rhythmic sounds into the night.

The building has 3 full bedrooms in it, 1 medium size bedroom on the first floor in the back of the building with a queen size mattress and another smaller bedroom with a full size mattress that has doors that open onto street level with ocean view (this bedroom does get the most street noise). There is a third bedroom on the 2nd floor also with a queen size mattress. There is also a big comfy couch and a chaise lounge which are perfect for naps and extra guests. The third floor has a garden bedroom which gets a lot of nice breeze and some extra water from the leak in the roof.

The Roof is a great place to watch the sunrise and practice yoga or enjoy a meal so please take advantage of it and stretch under the sky.

The house has 3 Bathrooms each with a shower, toilet and sink. The shower on the 1st floor only has refreshing cool water, but the 2nd and 3rd floor has nice hot water. Old San Juan does occasionally experience water pressure interruptions and we keep large water bottles available in the case of emergency, luckily these small inconveniences only last a few hours and have been infrequent lately. Our hot water heater is not very large so it will run out of hot after an extended period and takes a little to reheat so back to back showers require patience. We have added a plug in hot water accessory to be used with the backup power source for additional hot water if the house is not being powered by the grid.

We do not have have Air Conditioning or TV but we do have Wifi, after the storm it has been slow so email is manageable but other functions are slow to load. We have multiple fans in all of the bedrooms and at the couch to make it as cool as possible. The open air design of the house keeps a constant ocean breeze. Curtains and large shutters in the living room and roof can be drawn for complete privacy as needed.

We have remodeled the kitchen on the second floor and have several electric burners, a small fridge, an array of kitchen utensils, pots and pans which you are welcome to use to cook.

Feel free to make yourself at home in this space as we want you to feel comfortable to do anything that brings you happiness.

If you need quiet time to meditate, a romantic getaway or are looking to go out dancing, let us know so we can help with recommendations to make your experience better!

During rainy periods we do get a fair amount of water in the third floor and near the doors facing the ocean if the doors are not closed during storms but both interior bedrooms are always dry. There is also a leak in the third floor roof which drips down in a few minor spots on the second floor, this is only problematic if doors are all left open and rain is continuous which is rare.

The open area style does mean there are a few lizards and some bugs inevitably find their way inside, we do our best to regularly spray and keep all food enclosed however it is something to be aware of. Some people are more susceptible to irritation from mosquitoes than others so you may want to bring extra bug spray.

At times the rodents and ants will come out if food is left out over night so please always clean and put away trash before bed.

The bedrooms both have mosquito nets and fans to make them as comfortable as possible. We also have citronella candles as well as bug spray available. Please keep in mind that this is a tropical environment and a very old city so we do experience some natural visitors. We do our best to continually treat the floors and prevent as much of the inevitable as possible.

At night the sound of the local coqui frogs can be heard through all the rooms and with the candles lit the house is a very special place. In the morning the sound of birds chirping gently greets you from the trees behind our building. Due to our location in the heart of the Capitol there is often late night noise, early morning traffic and occasionally some construction in the neighborhood so please be realistic about expectations.

We have put a lot of love and time into making the space special for travelers, we hope you enjoy exploring it as much as we have while creating it 🙂

Bud and Breakfast

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The House of Zen – Herbal Friendly Oceanview Guesthouse

San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico

As Seen In

The House of Zen – Herbal Friendly Oceanview Guesthouse

San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico

As Seen In

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