THE CITY OF SAN JUAN is a heady cocktail of friendly faces, sea breezes, turquoise surf, and hot music. So it’s no surprise the most popular saloon in town is called Wet. Located on the penthouse floor of the beachfront Water Club hotel, with a head-spinning view of the island, mountains, city skyline, and endless ocean, Wet serves a selection of shamelessly touted “sexy” drinks.
For those with a fear of heights, a lobby bar called Liquid is a mecca for locals and touring celebs likes Jennifer Lopez and Derek Jeter. But after 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, the bar morphs into Club Liquid, with a Saturday Night Fever–esque dance floor. So I suggest you part the sea of white curtains, stroll down a corridor filled with the sounds of splashing waves, take an elevator — disguised as a waterfall — to the terrace, and join in on the fun.
Wet is visibly under the command of Lourdiness “Lourdy” Pollock, the lovely, olive-tanned, almond-eyed lounge manager who helped create the signature sexy martinis. Purrs Pollock: “I love the Key Lime [various vanilla liqueurs, fresh lime juice, and cream] but the Crème Brulée sells best.”
She won’t divulge her secret recipe, but it tastes like its namesake dessert made, I’ll guess, from Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, raspberry Chambord, and heavy cream — all blended together.
Want something different? Sip a passion fruit martini or a Water Me Leon — watermelon syrup with white Puerto Rican rum and lime juice squeezed on the spot. The imagination of Pollock and her team runs full throttle. A drink called the Peach Me Now is a mix of Grey Goose vodka, peach schnapps, and peach syrup. No, I didn’t dive into one. Apples and Oranges sounds seductive: orange vodka with a French apple liqueur. The sexy drinks with hefty pours are $12 apiece. Basic cocktails start at $7.
Wet also serves a range of beers priced between $5 and $6 — Medalla Light, brewed on the island; Presidente, a full-bodied pilsner from the nearby Dominican Republic; and even Sapporo, from Japan. There’s also a short collection of international wines by the glass, balanced between California and Italy for drier vintages and Spain for the sweet. Prices start at $9.
As the weekend draws near, Wet attracts a wave of humanity, especially around 9 p.m., when a DJ cranks up the volume. But this is no tropical sop to tourists. My self-appointed guide, Ramon Merediz, vouches for that. Merediz, who imports wood from Brazil, lives next door to Wet. Savoring a Saturday afternoon and a Cuba Libre, he was rhapsodizing: “This is a very quiet, tranquil, private bar filled with so many interesting travelers and businessmen and businesswomen. The bartenders here — if they see you more than once, you’re family.”
Pollock presides over a staff of mostly women, who are on the lookout for any untoward behavior — any randy or raucous gent gets a stern warning and, if he persists, is shown the door. “We have professionals here, a nice, safe crowd,” she says reassuringly.
Light opera, soft romantic music, even Middle Eastern sounds waft through. An elderly Asian gent runs a small sushi bar bathed in orange light just off the elevator. Through a curtain, on a rooftop deck a few steps from the bar, you’ll find the “Beds in Heaven” — a row of white leather beds piled with pillows. You can lounge solo, à deux, or with up to 25 friends on one bed. Exotic candlelit lanterns throw off a relaxing red-orange glow.
There you can sample Wet’s menu of munchies ranging from a tray of mini hamburgers ($10) to empanadas filled with meat, seafood, or cheese and spinach. Lunch is served in the bar, and anything from the vast dinner menu of Tangerine, the main restaurant on the ground floor, can be whipped up and served where you’re sitting. Supper in bed under a galaxy of stars? Why not?
Wet at the Water Club, 2 Tartak St., Isla Verde. 787.728.3666. waterclub.com
— Chris Barnett, with additional reporting by Raquel Velazquez
