First Impressions in PR: The Little Mermaid Motel

We arrived in Luis Munoz Marin International Airport a couple of hours ago, and made our way to our low-budget car rental, and finally to the low-budget motel. Hey, no reason to class up the amenities when we'll be out watching basketball all day long.

San Juan is unlike any place I've ever been. There are wild colors everywhere. Loud dance music blaring from every direction. We drove our modest Kia Rio around the middle-class neighborhood of Isla Verde looking for the Coqui Inn. We were blocked twice by streets closed off by geysers of water shooting up from the pavement -- yes, twice. Undeterred by street signs we could not understand ("No Entre?? What the hell does that mean?!"), we somehow found our motel despite having no idea where it was on the map.

The Coqui Inn proudly proclaims on its website that it's "a friendly 'no-frills' budget hotel." This is true, but it's got a lot of charm. Every wall is painted like those airbrushed hats and t-shirts you can buy on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Big murals of aquatic life and beaches around the pool. I feel like I'm in The Little Mermaid.


Quote from the High Roller: "This place looks like the perfect setting for a Girls Gone Wild video... well, actually those places are usually nicer."

So far we've been here for an hour and we've quoted Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Wayne's World, Ace Ventura 2, Dumb and Dumber and Salute Your Shorts. It's good to see the High Roller.

Talk to you next from Coliseo de Puerto Rico!