[7] He selected the prominent architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore, which had designed New York City's Grand Central Terminal, as well as the Biltmore, Commodore, and Ambassador Hotels.

[8] Giant pandanus, several kinds of bougainvillea, fruit trees and coconut palms could also be found in the hotel's gardens.

[11][12][13] Among the famous guests to have stayed at the Condado Vanderbilt are the former Presidents of the United States John F. Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt and Roosevelt's wife Eleanor,[7] the American aviator Charles Lindbergh,[14] composer José Luis Moneró,[15] singer-songwriter Carlos Gardel, Hollywood actor Errol Flynn, comedian Bob Hope, and pianist Arthur Rubinstein.

[18] In 1962, another addition was built on the other side of the hotel, the West Wing, a nine-story concrete structure containing 156 air-conditioned guest rooms, all facing the sea.

[17] In the early 1970s, with the hotel threatened with demolition, governor Luis A. Ferré issued an executive order, declaring the structure a cultural heritage site.

In 1976,[20] with construction complete, management of the complex was taken over by Hilton International[19] and it was renamed the Condado Beach La Concha Convention Center.

[23] The properties sat vacant for many years, and the La Concha and Condado Beach Hotels were finally severed in 2004.

Brian McLaughlin suggested renovating and expanding the hotel, but then-San Juan mayor Sila M. Calderon challenged the proposal in court.

[29] The hotel was one of the main filming locations of the 1976 teen comedy musical, La Pandilla en Apuros.