Hilton revisits Caribe Hilton recipe for National Piña Colada Day

Hilton is highlighting Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, ahead of National Piña Colada Day on July 10, publishing the recipe for the cocktail it says originated at the hotel in 1954. The company’s newsroom post links the drink to the history of its Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

According to Hilton, bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero developed the piña colada while working at the property, where he was asked to create a welcome drink that reflected the island. The company is encouraging readers to prepare the cocktail from scratch or try it poolside at Caribe Hilton.

For hotel and food and beverage operators, the focus is on a product that began as part of the guest welcome and remains associated with a specific property. Hilton presents the cocktail as an example of how its food and drink offering connects the guest experience with a destination’s identity.

A welcome drink rooted in Puerto Rico

Hilton’s account traces Marrero’s creation to a combination of coconut cream, fresh pineapple juice, heavy cream and crushed ice. Rum was subsequently added, producing the alcoholic cocktail featured in the company’s published recipe.

The company describes the drink as having grown from a hotel welcome into an internationally recognised cocktail. It also links the combination of pineapple and coconut, and the drink’s San Juan origins, to Puerto Rico’s travel and hospitality culture.

Hilton places the piña colada alongside other innovations it claims in its history, including the first air-conditioned hotel, airport hotel and brownie. In the post, the company uses Marrero’s approach to hosting as a reference point for the role of food and beverage in a guest’s stay.

The recipe Hilton is sharing

The published recipe makes 1 drink and calls for 2 ounces rum, 1 ounce coconut cream, 6 ounces fresh pineapple juice, 1 ounce heavy cream and 1/2 cup crushed ice. A pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry are listed as optional garnishes.

Hilton’s method is to mix the rum, coconut cream, heavy cream and pineapple juice, then pour the mixture over ice in a 12-ounce glass. The company also offers a non-alcoholic variation, retaining the same base ingredients but omitting the rum.

The annual July 10 observance provides the timing for Hilton’s invitation to revisit the recipe. Alongside the home preparation instructions, its post directs travellers to Caribe Hilton to sample the drink at the property where, according to the company, Marrero first created it.