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| CAUCAIA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Vivenda da Praia Address: Praia da Pachero Price: $20 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1994 Review: Quaint small hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($9) and within walking distance from the beach. Rooms are somewhat simple but fairly clean and spacious. Rooms come with a frigo bar (empty) and that’s about it. However, what makes this hotel truly special is the peaceful setting (although somewhat poor area) it’s located in. The above price gives you a room on the main floor that opens out to the swimming pool. There are more expensive as well as less expensive rooms available depending on the type of room and where it’s located. Friendly and helpful staff. Limited English spoken by one person who attends an English school twice a week in the nearby city of Fortaleza. The complimentary tray of various exotic fruits that is brought to each of the rooms adds a nice touch. Another nice touch is that the manager may offer to drive you to Fortaleza (20 kms. away) to the bus terminal in order that you may catch a bus to your next destination. Warmly and enthusiastically recommended! CAUQUENES, CHILE Name: Coppelia Hotel Address: Price: $5 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1990 Review: Extremely basic and shabby looking hotel. Not recommended in the least. CAXAMBU, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Dom Pedro Address: Price: $24.50 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1992 Review: Good two star hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($3.50) and in the center of town. Rooms are comfortable, clean, spacious and most have a balcony overlooking the park across the street. Recommended! Drawback: Ants! CAXIAS DO SUL, BRAZIL Name: Real Hotel Address: Price: $13 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1992 Review: Adequate two star hotel located within walking distance from both the bus terminal and the downtown area. Rooms are small and come with black and white tv (only one channel with poor reception). Price includes breakfast. Recommended! CERQUEIRA CESAR, BRAZIL Name: Panoma Hotel Address: rua J.J. Esteves 128 Price: $21 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1996 Review: Adequate hotel (probably the best in this small town which isn’t saying much) conveniently located a block from the bus terminal and in the center of the downtown (what very little downtown there is) area. Rooms are simple, fairly clean (carpet could be cleaner and especially under the bed) and come with color tv and a fan. A little high in price for what you get but can still be recommended. Price includes breakfast. CHANARAL, CHILE Name: Hotel Jimenez Address: Price: $6.50 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1990 Review: An extremely basic hotel in this rather poor town. Not really recommended. CHAPADA DOS GUIMARAES, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Turismo Address: rua Pernando Correa 1065 Price: $25.50 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1995 Review: Good and pleasant hotel conveniently located a block from the bus terminal and three blocks from the downtown area in this peaceful town of 13,000. Rooms are comfortable, spotless and come with a fan. A little high in price, perhaps, for what you get but can still be recommended. Price includes breakfast. Drawback: There’s a rooster next door that will start crowing at precisely 4 a.m. CHASCOMUS, ARGENTINA Name: Hotel El Lago Address: Price: $21 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1991 Review: Adequate hotel located directly across from a beautiful lake and run by a friendly mother of two children. Rooms are basic but clean. Recommended! CHICHIRIVICHE, VENEZUELA Name: Hotel Capri Address: Price: $18 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1997 Review: A few reasonably priced hotels in this small resort town of 4,700 and this is one of them. Okay hotel located about three blocks from the bus stop and about a block from the docks where many fine but inexpensive seafood restaurants are to be found. The hotel is also situated on the main street where most of the activity is. Rooms are spotless, simple, small and come with air conditioning and that’s about it. A little high in price, perhaps, for what you actually get but still recommended. English spoken. CHIGUARA, VENEZUELA Name: Posada Las Rurales Address: Price: $6.50 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1997 Review: Chiguara is a very beautiful and quaint small colonial town hidden away in the mountains of Venezuela. You’ll find many typical Spanish-looking roof-tiled houses and a beautiful church at the plaza. This town has only two posadas and the other one was closed at the time of my visit (December). This posada is kind of difficult to find so you may have to ask the locals for directions in the best Spanish that you can. The posada is on the edge of town, down hill from the center of town and is run by Sra. Benito. Rooms are basic, average size and come with a fan. Recommended as being an exceptional value. Drawback: Roosters start crowing at 5 a.m. Travel Tip: Since there are no restaurants in Chiguara to speak of, your only option will be to eat at the restaurant at the above mentioned posada. They’re limited in their menu selection, though, and had only chicken available at the time of my visit. The food was unpretentious bue adequate and the prices were inexpensive. Advisary: While Chiguara is certainly beautiful, it’s an extremely hilly town. Wear comfortable shoes and be careful going up and down those steep and winding streets. Also, be on the lookout for speeding por puestos (shared vans) coming through town. I came close to being hit twice. CHIVACOA, VENEZUELA Name: Hotel El Lucitano Address: Calle 10 entre Ave. 12 y 13 Price: $11 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1997 Review: One of the few inexpensive hotels situated near the Plaza Bolivar in the center of the city. The outside looks a bit frightening (rundown) but the inside isn’t too bad. Very reasonably priced hotel located both a couple of blocks from the downtown area and where all of the buses stop. Rooms are fairly clean, somewhat small and come with air conditioning and color tv. If you think you can forego air conditioning (isn’t recommended in this heat-ridden country), the price drops to only $5.50. Friendly staff. An exceptional value and very much recommended. Drawback: No running water until later in the day. CIUDAD OJEDA, VENEZUELA Name: Hotel America Address: Calle Trujillo (esquina Bolivar) Price: $72.50 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1997 Review: Very good four star hotel located right in the heart of this bustling city. Rooms are spotless, spacious and come with color tv (a few cable channels), a small refrigerator and air conditioning. Nice touches include a hair dryer in the bathroom and an ice machine in the hallway. You’ll also be given a key (along with your room key) so that you may lock up your valuables in the dresser drawer. Guests who are fortunate enough to have a room on one of the upper floors (as I was), will have the added advantage of having an aerial view overlooking the harbor or city. Amenities include a swimming pool. There’s also two restaurants, a cafe, a bar, a casino and a gift shop on the premises. Without a doubt, the best hotel that this city has to offer. Drawback: Service in this hotel is mediocre at best. 1) When the bellboy took my luggage to my room, the maid hadn’t cleaned it yet so he took me to another room. 2) I called down to the reception desk to have someone come up to my room and show me how to work the tv. After waiting an unusually long time, I finally found a maid to show me how to turn on the tv. 3) Surprisingly, for all of the Americans that I saw in the lobby and for being a four star hotel, the reception desk is drastically limited in their English speaking abilities. Add’l Info: The hotel changes U.S. dollars but a poor rate. However, there’s a cambio (Itacambio) next door. CLAROMECO, ARGENTINA Name: Residencial La Perla Address: Price: $16 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1991 Review: This hotel seemed to be the only one opened at the time of my visit (early December). However, rooms are spacious, simple and clean. Very friendly owner who enjoys kidding with guests. Recommended! CLORINDA, ARGENTINA Name: Hotel Embajdor Address: Price: $20 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1991 Review: Nice hotel located near the bus terminal. COLATINA, BRAZIL Name: Plaza Hotel Address: rua Alexandre Calmon 73 Price: $11 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1994 Review: Good two star hotel located a couple of blocks from the bus terminal and in the center of the downtown area. Rooms are spotless, spacious and come with a fan. The communal bathroom is down the hall. Friendly staff. An exceptional value and highly recommended. Price includes breakfast. COLONIA TOVAR. VENEZUELA Name: Hotel Bergland Address: Price: $36 Rating: Best Reviewed: 1997 Review: Colonia Tovar (population: 4, 300) may very well be one of Venezuela’s best kept secrets. Colonia Tovar is reminiscent of a Bavarian type village high in the Alps. For those without their own means of transportation will have to take one of the mini vans from Caracas or La Victoria. The ride is very scenic and it takes you up into the mountains via winding roads. The fare is approximately $1.50 each way and will take you one hour. Once there, you’ll find several quaint and charming hotels to select from although the prices tend to be more in the medium to upper range. This excellent and reasonably priced hotel is located a short distance from the place where the mini vans stop and several blocks from the center of the village. Rooms are fairly spacious, spotless, comfortable and come with color tv. What makes this hotel truly special, however, is that most rooms (mine included) have a balcony overlooking both the countryside and the village. Friendly and attentive staff. Besides Spanish, English and German also spoken. Popular hotel and highly recommended. Price includes breakfast. Advisary: Going to the center of town you’ll have to go down some steep roads. Take your time to go back up as its a real killer in the drenching Venezuelan heat. Once in the center of town, you’ll find a wide variety of handicraft shops to suit most budgets. However, restaurants tend to be more on the expensive side. COLONIA, URUGUAY Name: Posada La Ciudadela Address: Price: $11 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1997 Review: The city of Colonia has only a population of about 10,000 and is the gateway for going to and from Argentina. This city seems to have a shortage of hotel rooms. Simple hotel with basic but clean rooms. CONCEICAO DA BARRA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Praia da Barra Address: Av Atlantica (Praia de Guaxindiba) Price: $95 Rating: Best Reviewed: 1994 Review: Excellent three star hotel located a ways from the bus terminal and the center of town but is directly across from the beach. Rooms are spotless, fairly spacious and come with color tv with remote control on the headboard, frigo bar, air conditioning and a small couch (nice touch!). There’s a balcony that looks out to the grounds and the beach. Service is excellent. Amenities include a swimming pool and volleyball court. High priced but efficient laundry service. For a special splurge, this hotel could be it. Highly recommended! Price includes breakfast. CONCORDIA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Alvorada Address: rua do Comercio 128 Price: $42.50 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1996 Review: Very good three star hotel located a short distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($4 - fair price!) and in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are spotless, very comfortable and come with color tv (good cable including CNN International, USA, FOX, ESPN, NBC, TNT, the Discovery Channel, the Cartoon Network and Shoptime which is Brazil’s version of The Shopping Channel) with remote control and a well-stocked frigo bar. They have more expensive rooms available that are more spacious but this size is more than adequate. Service is excellent. The best hotel that this city of 64,000 has to offer. Highly recommended! Price includes breakfast. CONGONHAS DO CAMPO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Colonial Address: Price: $9 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1992 Review: Very quaint but simple hotel located directly across from Bom Jesus Basilica and with a spectatular view overlooking the city. Rooms are basic but clean and come with tv (poor reception). An excellent restaurant is adjacent to the hotel. The hotel is located in a peaceful setting but yet within walking distance from the downtown area. Highly recommended! CONSELHEIRO LAFAIETE, BRAZIL Name: Rud’s Palace Hotel Address: rua Jose Nicolau de Queiroz 11 Price: $21 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1995 Review: Several good and reasonably priced hotels within the vicinity of the bus terminal and this is one of them. Good quality hotel conveniently located a couple of blocks from the bus terminal and in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are spotless, fairly spacious and come with a fan and frigo bar. Recommended! Price includes breakfast. CORDOBA, ARGENTINA Name: Del Sol Hotel Address: Price: $31 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1991 Review: Very nice hotel located near the bus terminal CORO, VENEZUELA Name: Hotel Intercaribe Address: Av Manaure entre Zamora y Urdaneta Price: $18 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1997 Review: Formerly the Hotel Venezia. Good three star hotel located a short distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($2.50 - excellent price!) and right on the main shopping street of the downtown area. Rooms are clean, somewhat small but yet cozy and come with color tv (including HBO) and air conditioning. Helpful staff. English spoken by one person. Very much recommended! Drawback: Ants! I also saw a huge dead cockroach between the two mattresses. CORRAL, CHILE Name: residencial (unnamed) Address: blue and unmarked Price: $4 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1991 Review: Good residencial somewhat near the fishing pier. CORRIENTES, AGENTINA Name: Hotel Colon Address: Price: $13 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1991 Review: Basic hotel with dirty and dingy-looking rooms. Not recommended in the least. CORUMBA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Santa Rita Address: rua Dom Aquina 860 Price: $16.50 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1995 Review: Good hotel located several blocks (a good 25 minute walk) from the bus terminal and in the downtown area. Rooms are spotless, fairly spacious and come with a fan. $9 more per night will get you a room with air conditioning. Highly recommended! Travel Tip: Approximately four blocks from the above mentioned hotel is a large handicraft store called Casa do Artesao located at Dom Aquina 405. It’s actually in a converted prison and the items sold are reasonably priced. Drawback: If you want to take a shower, expect the hotel to charge a dollar for a bar of soap. |
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