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San Germán.- The urban center of San Germán zealously preserves an architectural treasure built at the beginning of the 20th century and now transformed into the A 2 Tiempos inn.

Constructed between 1912 and 1917, the former home of Jaime Acosta y Fores and his wife Delia López, a farming family in San Germán, is regarded as a historic landmark in Puerto Rico and the United States, according to the current owner, José A. Linares Hernández.

“What truly makes it important are the walls because it may be the only house in the entire United States and the Caribbean that still retains the hand-painted artwork from 1917. Originally, a painter lived in the house from 1915 to 1917 while he painted it, and then, when I bought it, another painter lived in the house for a year and a half restoring it. Much of the paint is original from a hundred years ago. Some of it been restored again,” explained the chef by profession.

The criollo Victorian–style residence designed by Luis Pardo was the wedding gift Acosta gave his wife. Today, as a bed and breakfast, it has six rooms, three bathrooms, a balcony, terrace, living area, dining space, and side patios. Only one piece of furniture in the residence is original; the rest are antique furnishings in good condition. They provide an ambiance reminiscent of the 20th century.

The residence had always been owned by the Acosta López family until Linares Hernández purchased it in 2004 to open a restaurant. First, he had to restore some walls and important rooms of the home, a project that took about three years with the assistance of painters and architects.

However, in 2018, he ultimately decided to transform it into an inn, becoming one of the 11 certified bed and breakfast establishments by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

Linares Hernández’s secret to success lies in personalized service to his guests, allowing him to understand their preferences and cater to their tastes when preparing breakfast.

“Here we cook à la carte, whatever guests like. I don’t have a menu. Whenever guests make a reservation, we ask about allergies, their preferences, dislikes, and if there’s any particular craving they have so we can have it ready,” explained the chef, who ensures that coffee, fresh juices such as tamarind, acerola, and passion fruit, and some local fried treats are always prepared for the guests.

From the residence’s kitchen, he makes bread, granola, almojábanas (fried bread made with cheese and corn flour), arepas (stuffed cornmeal cakes), buñuelos (fried dough fritters), omelets, pancakes, and creams, among others. Most of the time, he lets himself be guided by the ingredients he has in his kitchen and by the harvest he collects from his garden. These include peppers, plantains, bananas, and breadfruit.

“Originally, the restaurant was called ‘A 2 Tiempos’ because the menu was going to feature traditional Puerto Rican cuisine from the past, many of which the younger generation especially may not even know... things that we used to make a lot before, but are no longer familiar,” said the concept’s owner, referring to dishes like rabbit al chilindrón (stew) and ponche de bacalao (codfish punch).

The house is situated in a privileged location, just steps away from the Porta Coeli Church, close to five important museums and various restaurants in the urban center. From the balcony, one can see passing cars and pedestrians visiting the city, while the back terrace offers a view of the greenery and the peace and tranquility provided by nature.

For more information, call 787-476-1027 or visit the website https://a2tiempos.business.site.