Historian María de los Ángeles Castro tells us that the delay in the arrival of a nunnery was due to economic reasons but also for lack of defense since the fortifications of the city were not yet complete.

Governor Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero personally helped to raise the necessary funds and inspected the work daily.

Certain elements stand out in the facade of the chapel, beside the entrance, the pair of Tuscan columns, the two towers and the latticed choir arch.

It reopened in 1962 to the stars of the day, including Rita Hayworth, offering a tranquil, European-style alternative to the glitzy hotels lining the Condado strip.

It was rechristened as Hotel El Convento, a 4-star small luxury hotel with five stories, a central courtyard where a 300-year old Níspero fruit tree still stands, a pool and Jacuzzi on the fourth-floor terrace, and great views of Old San Juan, maintaining the same high standard of luxury and style.