My husband and I stayed at the Horned Dorset Primavera in mid-January to celebrate our anniversary, and we had an amazing experience. This is truly one of the most romantic places we have ever stayed in, and we travel quite a lot. The Horned Dorset is definitely off the beaten path--it takes about 2 1/2 hours from the San Juan airport, and y mou need to follow the directions carefully. But once you are there, you don't ever want to leave. The grounds are just beautiful, with lovely views, pools and open spaces. It is all beautifully landscaped and spotlessly clean.
We spent two nights in the Primavera suites and two nights in the brand new Horned Dorset suites. Both are lovely, but if you can swing the extra costs, I would recommend staying in the Horned Dorset suites. They are RIGHT ON the water--so much so that you feel as though you are on a boat. They also have TVs, radios, portals for ipods and internet access, while the Primavera suites do not. Many people choose the Primavera suites for that reason, but it was nice to have the options. The interiors of both suites are lovely--island decor for the Primavera suites, and a Moroccan feel to the Horned Dorset suites. But you can tell the Horned Dorset suites are newer--the amenities are just that much nicer. The bathrooms are incredible--particularly the showers in the Horned Dorset suites. And the plunge pools are a great touch. You have a lot of privacy, which was wonderful.
We did get the MAP plan, which I would highly recommend if you are planning to have all your breakfasts and dinners at the resort. The food was excellent--very fresh and very nicely presented. The service was great, as long as you're not in a great hurry. Things definitely move at a slow pace. Just relax and enjoy!
Now, saying all that, there are a few things you need to know before going. This is NOT a place for children. They don't even allow children under the age of 12, but my 14 year old would have been bored there. It is VERY quiet and most definitely geared for adults. Also there really is no beach there--at high tide the sand is completely immersed, and even at low tide the "beach" is a very small strip of sand. I would also say this is not a good spot for anyone who cannot handle a lot of stairs and steps. To travel anywhere on the property you have to climb stairs, and that includes access to the restaurant. If they have any elevators they are well hidden.
My one complaint would be the check in/check out services. The people we dealt with were not super helpful or knowledgeable--when we checked in I asked about moving to another room, which we knew would cost more, and the check in person basically told me there was availability but he didn't know if he could move us, and the manager wouldn't be in until Monday (this was Saturday.) Check out took FOREVER-the girl working the front desk couldn't work the printer for our bill (which we subsequently found a large double charge.) It also took her 20 minutes to find a bellman to get our luggage and she had no change of a $20 to allow us to tip him properly.
Try to work with the manager--he was TERRIFIC and super helpful. Thanks to him we did move to the other suites with no problem. He was charming and very accommodating. We will definitely be back to the Horned Dorset Primavera.

My husband and I have a yearly weekend stay at this hotel and we both love it. The villas are well equipped and now even have European espresso machines. The staff is attentive. During our last stay I got very sick and even one of the hotel´s owners was asking about my progress! The infinity pool is gorgeous and the overall vibe of the place is quiet and relaxed. It is our favorite place to get away from all the stress of our everyday life. It is not a place for crazy nightlife but you can go to the town of Rincon or to nearby Mayaguez if you are looking for some excitement. Great experience.

above expectations
- private dipping pools
- overall villa experience, quality of bedm furnishings etc
- infinity pool
- ambience of main building with cocktails etc on the veranda
- view from villa facing the ocean
- attention from staff

below expectations (but who cares)
- beach (non existent)
- food in the restaurant (perfectly fine, but if you're coming from nyc you can find comparable fare extremely easily and far cheaper)
- time taken to get to the hotel from san juan airport

this hotel is worth the cost for a couple of days. it's a real hideaway and everything it claims to be in terms of a luxury experience. don't skimp on the ocean view though.

We stayed here years ago & remember the charming little room we had right on the ocean. Now it is all villas, most with no views. The 2 pools, and the restaurants are just wonderful, but villas need some extra touches. These are very nice & decorated in old world PuertoRican decor, but missing most of the amenities that are needed to have a good vacation. The rates are very expensive & for that price, should have lots of extras. No phones, no alarm clocks, no cd players or I-Pod speakers, no coffee makers, no stocked in-room bar, no umbrellas, no way to contact the front office if there are problems.
On the plus side...breakfast on the lawn overlooking the beach is a true luxury! Service is grand. And the main restaurant is one of the treasures of Puerto Rico. A really top notch chef.
The 2 pools are excellent & the whole atmosphere is quiet & luxurious.
However, impossible to rent a room without the meals & there should be some alternatives.