Above: Casa Sol (All photos by CJ)

By Alexander Britell

SAN JUAN — If you walk a bit too quickly on Calle del Sol, you might miss it.

Here, past the pastel-yellow walls and through a narrow hallway is one of Old San Juan’s best-kept secrets.

The light splashes into the courtyard, with just a few hints of the cobblestone steps and slowed-down cars outside.

This is Casa Sol, a five-room bed-and-breakfast in the heart of the Old City, one of a growing number of tiny boutiques sprouting up inside antique walls in the historic corner of Puerto Rico’s capital.

Above: proprietor Tisha Pastor

The property, which is set inside the walls of a more than 200-year-old building, opened just about a year and a half ago under the stewardship of owner-operator Tisha Pastor.

It’s not an homage to a different era — it’s a gateway, a chance for a traveler to expand an Old San Juan trip into an authentic, intimate, timeless experience.

This place is all about the details, from the recycled construction materials to the doors, each of which is made from the teak deck of an old boat.

An indoor-outdoor place, Casa Sol plays with space, with light and with emotion; the minute you enter, you’re in an antique home, with the energy of a brand-new boutique hotel.

But it’s not a place you’ll easily find — unless you slow down your steps on the Calle del Sol.