Interested in a family-friendly beach hotel in Luquillo, Puerto Rico? Read on. Now… there’s a major downside to staying at a place with “Sunrise” in the name: You’re kind of peer pressured into waking up at the crack of dawn to see what all the hype is about!
Note: We were guests here, and some links here are affiliates that give commissions upon purchase, but all opinions are my own.
When we checked in to Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn (click for availability and rates) during the last leg of our Puerto Rico trip, I grudgingly looked up the sunrise time and set my alarm for 5:52am. (Ooof!) The name of the inn didn’t lie, though. The early wake-up time yielded this beautiful view as the sun crested the eastern horizon of Puerto Rico:
Then we went back to sleep. (What — do you think I’m a weirdo who would voluntarily remain awake that early?) The inn had been recommended to us by several folks, and my chums were right. It was comfortable in a homey, non-flashy way. Having this giant King Sized bed was appreciated, too!
Besides its oceanfront location, the other highlight of the inn for us was breakfast. Each morning, there was a fresh fruit and bread buffet, plus a homemade hot entree of the day. We enjoyed eggs and potatoes the first day, and breakfast pizza (!) the second.
Breakfast at the inn is served in a patio that now ranks among my favorite places I’ve ever dined. It’s a breezy, open-air porch overlooking Luquillo’s surfing beach, and its wooden roof keeps everything shady and cool. Palm trees waved hello as we ate our eggs, and the sky winked bright blue at us each morning.
Both the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn and the town of Luquillo are particularly child-friendly. The inn provided us with a booster seat so Devi could stuff his face with food, and the staff cooed and waved at our baby (always appreciated).
Several other children of various ages were staying in the inn during our visit, too, emphasizing the feeling of family embrace.
Meanwhile, I remembered that the main reason friends had recommended the town of Luquillo as being child-friendly is because its swimming beach (a short drive from the inn) is sheltered, meaning it is flat and calm as a swimming pool — but even shallower. Check it out here:
The town of Luquillo is far less bustling and built up than San Juan, but it’s certainly more urban than the almost rural west coast of Puerto Rico. What is nice about that busyness balance is it means Luquillo is relatively calm, but also has a variety of places to eat.
Our favorite was the long stretch of beachside food kiosks near the swimming beach. The inn provided a handy paper with culinary recommendations for all tastes and budgets, and we ate our way through the town.
A major reason Luquillo is so popular with visitors is that it is an extremely convenient base for numerous Puerto Rico attractions. Most notably, the famed El Yunque rainforest is an easy half hour drive from the inn via well-maintained roads. (Yes, it is very worth it to rent a car in Puerto Rico.)
Another nice feature of the inn is the green lawn in the back yard, replete with a hammock! My husband was an admirable exerciser during our vacation, and used that lawn to do some very manly calisthenics. Colin also took full advantage of the surfing beach across the street and rented a boogie board from the inn to ride the waves under the palm trees while I cuddled the baby and watched lazily from the patio.
The inn even ended up inspiring me to better environmentalism, thanks to their informational displays and readings in the room just off the breakfast patio. Topics ranged from protecting the giant sea turtles to recognizing the impact of the plastic from bottled water. It was nice to see that do-gooder spirit in action.
The Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn was comfortable, convenient, and homey. Now sitting back in Boston, I miss that beachfront breakfast patio, and the egg-topped pizza that went with it!
Trip planning? Use these easy affiliate links to find good deals on the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn at Expedia.com, and on Hotels.com, or on Booking.com. Click here to browse beautiful Luquillo, Puerto Rico vacation rentals on Vrbo. Happy travels!
We were guests of the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn, but all opinions and unmade beds are my own. Affiliates above support this site at no cost to you. Enjoy Puerto Rico!
For other family-friendly ocean fun, check out my article on Anna Maria Island beaches in Florida.

The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!
Megan | Traveling Nine to Fiver
Tuesday 7th of April 2015
All your photos made me miss Puerto Rico! I went last fall and absolutely loved it. We stopped in Luquillo to enjoy the beach and of course, the kiosks! Will have to take a look at staying there next time I make it to the island. This place looks like a perfect combination of simple and nice.
Lillie
Tuesday 7th of April 2015
Puerto Rico so vastly exceeded my expectations. We loved it! So glad you do, too. Ooo, I wish there was a coconut kiosk right here, right now!
Aaron M.
Thursday 26th of February 2015
I thought the article was really good, I liked how you provided a opinion about the food.
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Sunday 28th of September 2014
aww lovely. you must be feeling so fresh now aren't you? :) this place looks so refreshing and relaxing. wonderful. :) Hugs-Gabi
Micki
Saturday 27th of September 2014
You know, somehow I haven't made it to Puerto Rico, but I think I should remedy that soon! The Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn looks like the perfect place to hang out with the family.
Dan @ A Cruising Couple
Friday 26th of September 2014
What a beautiful location. The sunrise definitely looks like it was worth the early wakeup call!