If you’ve ever wanted to stay in a renovated theater with a pop art theme (or if that just sounds super cool), I’ve got the perfect spot: The Fox Hotel.
During my 7-day road trip around the gorgeous island of Puerto Rico, I stayed at a different hotel or vacation rental every single night. This gave me a great opportunity not only to dive deeper into the unique cultures of each part of the island, but also to get a well-rounded grasp of what staying on the island is like outside of San Juan. And let me tell you, it was a wild ride! But the most unique place I stayed at during the week was undoubtedly the Fox Hotel in Ponce.
This eclectic hotel immediately caught my eye on Booking.com, with vibrant colors everywhere—from the bright blue façade to the pop-art-covered interior in shades of yellow, cyan, and magenta. I also thought the fact that it’s a renovated theatre was incredibly cool, and I was dying to check it out!
So I booked a night in the heart of Ponce, spent most of the evening scouring every corner of the hotel, and put all my thoughts together for you in this review of the Fox Hotel.
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TLDR: Watch My Review on YouTube
A Quick Note About Booking the Ponce Hotel
I did a lot of research on every hotel and Airbnb because, whenever possible, I wanted to book Puerto Rican-owned stays. There’s a big problem with mainlanders taking tourism income away from islanders (I talk more about that in this post), and I wanted to support the local economy whenever I could. This was one of only two I couldn’t solidly confirm, but I did find some sources stating that the hotel was acquired by Puerto Rican investors in 2018, so I felt good about booking it. However, if you have evidence that this isn’t Puerto Rican-owned, let me know because I do think that’s essential information for those who want to book local.
Location & First Impressions of the Fox Hotel
The Fox Hotel is smack-dab in the middle of Ponce’s historic district, a gorgeous area with sprawling plazas, pastel-colored buildings, stonework sidewalks, and multiple museums.
Now, on the plus side, this location means you’re just steps away from some pretty cool stuff. The main square is literally across the street, and restaurants, shops, and other local attractions surround the entire plaza.
On the downside, the busy location makes parking (and driving) around here a nightmare at times. However, it’s about the same as what you’ll likely face in San Juan if you rent a car.
After going the wrong direction down a one-way street and finally finding a parking spot two blocks down, I finally walked through the blue archway of The Fox Hotel and into its charming courtyard, complete with small food kiosks, lots of tables and chairs, and a mosaic fountain accented by two bright pink flamingos.
Inside, the color palette and design immediately drew me in, and I knew I’d have a lot of fun checking out every nook.
Check-in was quick, and the receptionist spoke excellent English (not always the case in Puerto Rico). She gave me clear instructions on where the hotel’s reserved parking was located, had me sign the standard waiver, and I was off to park and unpack.
The Renovated-Theater Atmosphere
At every turn, the Fox Hotel gives a fun nod to its former life as a theater. This iconic Art Deco hotel was initially built in 1931 as Teatro Fox Delicious, designed by Francisco Porrato-Doria. It was Ponce’s first movie theater, developed in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox, and it was a popular spot for nearly 5 decades until it closed in 1980.
About a decade later, it reopened as the Fox Delicias Mall, with commercial spaces and a café-theater, before Grupo Misla Villalba took over and turned it into a pop-art hotel.
Now, the entire hotel celebrates that vibrant ‘50s and ‘60s pop culture and the golden age of cinema. It has an incredibly unique mix of music, art, and entertainment that’ll draw you in and look amazing on your Instagram, too.
The original structure of the old theater is still visible, too, from the iconic façade and fountain to the double staircases in the lobby. But everything has been given a pop art twist, with details like a giant pink horse in the lobby, vinyl records lining the walls, and artwork that gives major Andy Warhol vibes.
It’s really immersive and fun, and I felt that it fully leaned into the theme without being cheesy.
Public Spaces: Where the Fox Hotel Really Shines
Personally, a stay at the Fox Hotel is all about the experience. And that really comes together in the public areas.
Courtyard Dining
For example, that gorgeous courtyard is the perfect place to unwind when the weather’s nice, with fresh food or a drink from one of the on-site kiosks or a local cart. Not all of the kiosks were open when I was there, but the atmosphere under the string lights was 10/10 at night.
A Fun-Filled Lobby
But inside, there are tons more common spaces waiting to be explored.
As soon as you walk in, there’s a pool table right across from the receptionist desk, where you can challenge friends and family to a game underneath Elvis’s watchful eye. And the bar next to it, decorated with colorful Campbell’s soup cans—iconic.
But that’s just the entrance. The lobby opens into a mini-mall-style area, with clusters of couches and circle chairs, a food court with lots of tables and more food kiosks, and a big arcade off to the left.
The arcade is such a cool feature, and there are tons of options, from racing games to shooters, and several with hundreds of classic games to choose from on each machine. Tokens weren’t exactly cheap, but it was worth it to try a few games and have fun. Plus, it’s open late, which made it very convenient after the plaza shut down.
Behind the arcade, there was yet another food and drink option—a bar serving up pizza, appetizers, burgers, and more, alongside cocktails, coffee, and fresh juice. They also had giant cookies baked by local shop Sweets & Spices, so, of course, I had to grab one of those!
The back of the hotel was also worth a quick peek. While there wasn’t much for me to do, the artwork was super fun (fake foliage with quirky framed prints), and it was cool to see all the spaces they have for local businesses to rent.
What Rooms are Like at the Fox Hotel
So what’s it actually like to stay at the Fox Hotel? Here’s the scoop.
The Decor & Layout
When it comes to décor & design, the rooms here live up to the rest of the experience. There are only a handful of rooms in the hotel, so it really has a neat boutique feel, and they definitely put effort into the design.
My door was boldly emblazoned with a comic-book-style BAM, and the room was fully decorated in that CYMK color palette. Cyan walls, a yellow chair and TV console, magenta blanket and pillow on the bed—everything was so bright and fun!
The bathroom door had a similar comic-book OUCH graphic, leading to a small but functional bathroom. And throughout, there were all sorts of fun little details—like a neon green French bulldog statue and framed comic strips in the bathroom.
Everything was quirky and memorable—perfect for anyone who likes unique hotels!
Comfort & Amenities
But if I’m being honest, the hotel fell a bit short on comfort.
My room had a full bed, which looked super-inviting but was actually really hard. Thankfully, I was exhausted from several hours of snorkeling and a 3-hour drive from the coast, so I still fell asleep pretty quickly. But it definitely could have used a mattress topper.
I did like the cozy yellow chair, and the TV was a great size. The luggage rack was also a nice touch, and the hanging space in the bathroom with a mini ironing board was also very convenient.
The actual bathroom was cozy but functional, with a wide sink, standard hotel-sized shampoo, conditioner, and bar soap, a hairdryer, and neatly folded towels.
But on a practical note, there was no hot water. Now, that seems pretty common around Puerto Rico, based on my seven different stays, but it was still a big bummer after a long day.
The Parking Experience
As I mentioned, parking can be a nightmare, even in the hotel’s “private” lot. The Fox Hotel apparently shares a parking lot with the Melia Century Hotel right down the street, and it was packed. Many cars were parked in by a second row, and there was hardly any room to turn around, even in my compact SUV.
Thankfully, I was able to grab a spot at the front of the lot as another car vacated. But it was right on the edge of a big dip and required quite a bit of scooching back and forth to make sure no one hit me on their way out. Once I was in, there was no way I was leaving until the next day! (Unfortunately, I was very stressed and forgot to take a photo here.)
Who the Fox Hotel is Best For
The magenta horse statue in the lobby was a fabulous touchAs you can tell, I had quite a mixed experience at this hotel. On the upside, it was quirky, interactive, and fun to explore. Plus, the location was fantastic. On the downside, some of the standard “comforts” were missing, and parking was…interesting to say the least.
So, who is this a good fit for? I’d say the Fox Hotel is a good fit for those who value a unique stay and experience, want an Instagrammable location, and value amenities over comfort. But if what you care about most is a soft bed and a room that you don’t have to leave for the rest of the evening, this is not the place.
I think if the hotel simply upgraded its beds a bit, it could gain some significant points for comfort, even without the hot water. Personally, I still loved the vibe, felt it was clean, and liked all the things I could do on-site and nearby. But I also know that if I weren’t super tired from my day, I would’ve had a hard time falling asleep.
What do you think? Would you stay at this hotel? Let me know below, and don’t forget to sign up for the Carried Away Travels newsletter if you haven’t already!