PUERTO RICO THANKSGIVING
A Culinary & Cultural Journey Through San Juan
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND RETREAT — November 26 – December 1, 2026
6 days · 5 nights · Dream Inn, Old San Juan · Culinary & Cultural Immersion
The Experience
Trade Autumn for Island Warmth
This isn't your typical Thanksgiving. An immersive 5-day retreat in San Juan combining world-class dining, authentic Puerto Rican culture, movement, and connection. From acclaimed restaurants and hidden gems to speakeasies and curated cultural experiences — limited capacity for intimacy and authenticity.
Solo and repeat guests welcome. Celebrate gratitude through elevated dining, vibrant culture, and unforgettable moments in Puerto Rico's most dynamic neighborhoods.
Dates
Nov 26 – Dec 1, 2026
Duration
6 Days · 5 Nights
Stay
Dream Inn, Old San Juan
Style
Culinary & Cultural Immersion
What's Included
- ✓Accommodations at Dream Inn, Old San Juan
- ✓Curated restaurant reservations
- ✓Local guidance & cultural immersion
- ✓Movement & connection activities
Not Included
- —Airfare
- —Personal alcohol
- —Shopping & personal extras
- —Optional activities
Dream Inn
The Lobby
Epicuro Chef's Table
“For adults seeking cultural immersion, elevated dining, and genuine connection. This is the real Puerto Rico — not the tourist version.”
— Xavier Marzan · X-Cursions in Motion
Epicuro Chef's Table
Intimate 12-Seat Chef's Table · 5-Course Tasting Menu · Santurce, San Juan
One of the most extraordinary dining experiences in Puerto Rico — a 12-seat chef's table encircling an open kitchen where you watch every course being prepared right in front of you. Monthly rotating five-course tasting menus with wine pairings. Rated 5.0 on OpenTable — Best Overall, Best Food, Best Service, Best Ambiance, and Best Value in all of Puerto Rico.
The Chef's Table
12 seats · Open kitchen · 5-course tasting menu
The Setting
The Kitchen
Location
316 Avenida José de Diego · Santurce, San Juan, PR 00909
Experience
12-Seat Chef's Table · Open Kitchen · 5-Course Tasting Menu · Wine Pairings
Price
$175 per person · Monthly rotating menu · Reservations required
Epicuro's intimate 12-seat chef's table encircles an open kitchen where you watch every course being prepared. Monthly five-course tasting menus with thoughtful wine pairings create a warm, special-evening atmosphere. Smart casual dress code. A highlight of the Thanksgiving retreat dining experience.
“Epicuro is one of those once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences. Twelve seats around an open kitchen, watching every course come to life right in front of you. A must on every Puerto Rico trip.”
— Xavier Marzan · X-Cursions in Motion
Dream Inn
Boutique Hotel · Ocean Park, San Juan · Your Home Base
Xavier's all-time #1 place to stay in Puerto Rico — earning the Pineapple Award 🍍, his highest personal honor. Approximately 8 stays and counting — it genuinely feels like home. A boutique hotel steps from the beach in one of San Juan's most vibrant neighborhoods. Ocean Park sits between Condado and Isla Verde, with direct beach access, the best local brunch spots, and pickleball courts at Parque de Barbosa just around the corner.
The Exterior
The Lobby
Location
2009 McLeary Street, Ocean Park, San Juan, PR
Neighborhood
Ocean Park · Between Condado & Isla Verde · Steps from the beach
Awards
40+ hospitality awards · 30+ architectural awards · 4.9/5 rating
Dream Inn is your home base for the Thanksgiving retreat. An award-winning boutique hotel offering a peaceful, tranquil space in the heart of Ocean Park — one of San Juan's most walkable, vibrant neighborhoods. Direct beach access, local brunch spots within walking distance, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you feel like you belong here.
What's Nearby
Ocean Park Beach
Steps from the hotel — one of San Juan's most beautiful, less-crowded beaches.
Pickleball at Parque de Barbosa
Courts just around the corner — connect, compete, and enjoy the island breeze.
Numero Uno Beach House
Toes-in-the-sand breakfast with ocean views — walking distance from Dream Inn.
Lela's Eatery
Famous guava and cheese French toast — a bright, airy neighborhood kitchen nearby.
“Dream Inn is where I stay every single time I'm in Puerto Rico. About 8 stays now — it genuinely feels like home. The location, the vibe, the beach steps away — this earns the Pineapple Award 🍍.”
— Xavier Marzan · X-Cursions in Motion
Santaella Restaurant & Bar
Puerto Rican Nouvelle Cuisine · Chef José Santaella · Santurce, San Juan
Xavier's all-time #1 restaurant in Puerto Rico — earning the Pineapple Award 🍍, his highest personal honor. Chef José Santaella trained under Ferrán Adrià, Eric Ripert, and Gary Danko. Bold, creative New Puerto Rican cuisine with tapas-driven menus rooted in local ingredients and world-class technique. The octopus is legendary. Xavier returns every single trip.
Tuna Tartare
The Cocktail
The Bar
Red Santaella
Location
219 Calle Canals, Santurce, San Juan, PR 00907
Cuisine
Puerto Rican Nouvelle · Tapas · Local & International Ingredients
Contact
(939) 221-0575 · josesantaella.com
Chef José Santaella trained under three of the world's most celebrated chefs — Ferrán Adrià at elBulli, Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin, and Gary Danko at Restaurant Gary Danko — and brought that world-class technique home to Puerto Rico. The menu is tapas-driven, designed to be shared and combined into a full meal. The bar program is equally serious — cocktails that match the ambition of the kitchen.
“Santaella is the one. Every single trip to Puerto Rico — I'm going. The octopus, the tapas, the bar — Chef Santaella trained under the best in the world and brought it all home to the island. This earns the Pineapple Award 🍍.”
— Xavier Marzan · X-Cursions in Motion
La Factoría
Puerto Rico's Premier Cocktail Bar · Old San Juan
La Factoría is where it all started for Puerto Rico's cocktail renaissance. Multiple rooms, each with its own vibe — La Facto (the Front Bar), Vino (wine bar), El Shingaling (the Salsa Room with live band La 51), El Final (neon-lit late-night room), El Desvío (hidden 10-seat candlelight bar), and La Cubanita (old bodega next door). Live salsa starts at 10 PM in the Shing A'Ling room.
La Factoría
The Front Bar · Run-down chic · Old San Juan
Hijos de Borinquen
El Desvío
Furtivo Cocktail
Location
148 Calle San Sebastián, Old San Juan, PR 00901
The Rooms
La Facto · Vino · El Shingaling · El Final · El Desvío · La Cubanita
Hours
Opens daily at 11 AM · First-come, first-served · No reservations
El Shingaling is the Salsa Room — live salsa and jazz with the house band La 51, founded by Tempo Alomar and Roberto Roena. The music starts at 10 PM and the energy doesn't stop until close. This is where our Old San Juan bar crawl ends — and where the real night begins.
“La Factoría is where the cocktail revolution started in Puerto Rico. Multiple rooms, each with its own soul. The Shing A'Ling room with live salsa is how we end every night in Old San Juan.”
— Xavier Marzan · X-Cursions in Motion
Experience Puerto Rico This Thanksgiving
November 26 – December 1, 2026 · Dream Inn, Old San Juan · Limited capacity for intimacy and authenticity. Reach out to reserve your spot.
X-CURSIONS IN MOTION · Puerto Rico Thanksgiving 2026 · Est. 2012