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| SAO BENTO DO SUL, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Urupes Address: Av. Argolo 153 Price: $30 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1995 Review: Very good two star hotel located a short walking distance from the bus terminal and in the downtown area. Rooms are spotless, fairly spacious and come with color tv. Some of the rooms have a balcony overlooking the main shopping street. Recommended! Travel Tip: For a restaurant that offers hearty portions at reasonable prices, try the Restaurant Princess adjacent to the above mentioned hotel. Excellent cuisine with very good service. SAO BORJA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Pampa Address: Price: $8 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1996 Review: A few hotels of sorts in this typical Brazilian border town (bordering with Argentina). Good and adequate hotel located in the immediate downtown area and several blocks from the bus terminal (allow at least 40 minutes walking time each way). Rooms are comfortable, spotless and come with a sink, table and fan. The communal bathroom is located down the hall. For $2 more will get you a private bathroom. Friendly staff. Recommended! Price does not include breakfast. SAO CARLOS (SC), BRAZIL Name: Palace Hotel Address: rua Monteiro Labato 650 Price: $9 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1996 Review: Adequate hotel and the best in the city (which isn’t saying much) located a few blocks from the bus terminal and in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are simple, fairly clean (walls are all marked up, though), small and come with tv (black and white but doesn’t work properly) and a fan. There are less expensive rooms available without a private bathroom for only $7 a night. Or, if you prefer, there are more expensive rooms available that come with air conditioning for $13.50 a night. Recommended! Breakfast is an additional $3. Drawback: You can’t have both the tv and fan on at the same time since there’s only one electrical outlet. Also, the tv doesn’t work properly. Travel Tip: For an affordable meal, you might want to consider trying Churrascaria Restairamt Galpao located just one block from the above mentioned hotel. For a hot and cold buffet, 3 soft drinks and dessert came to an astonishing low price of just $8.50. SAO CARLOS (SP), BRAZIL Name: Hotel Toscano Address: Price: $18 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1993 Review: Good hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($5.50), three blocks from the downtown area and situated on a quiet side street. Rooms are simple, spotless and come with color tv (several channels) with a remote control. English spoken by one person. Enthusiastically recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO FELIX, BRAZIL Name: Pousada do Paraguacu Address: av. Salvador Pinto 1 Price: $12 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1994 Review: In this small town of 12,000 located across the river from the city of Cachoeira (not more than 5 minutes by bus), the hotel choices seem to be limited to just one poor pousada within walking distance from the bus terminal and the center of town. Rooms are basic, sort of clean and come with a ceiling fan. However, the pousada is crawling with bugs and insects of many sizes and varieties. In fact, the bugs and insects were crawling all over my bed to such an extent that I had to sleep on a chair with my head on an old wooden desk. Also, mosquitoes are a major problem. Definitely not recommended! Price includes breakfast but I wouldn’t recommend eating here. Travel Tip: Since this pousada is the only place to stay in town, it’s highly recommended skipping this town altogether and staying in the adjoining city of Cachoeira. SAO FRANCISCO DE PAULO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Cavalinho Branco Address: pca. Tiradentes 502 Price: $20 Rating: Best Reviewed: 1998 Review: Excellent and magnificent-looking hotel located a good walking distance from town and situated on the edge of a lake in a very peaceful setting. Rooms are fairly spacious, clean and come with color tv. The room is tastefully decorated in somewhat dated furniture from decades ago in the European style. The marvelous and very unusual European looking beds are not to be missed. The entire room has a certain quaintness to it. The bathroom is especially spacious. A good bargain and highly recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO FRANCISCO, BRAZIL Name: Bom Jesus Hotel Address: Price: $6.50 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1995 Review: Adequate hotel conveniently located a couple of blocks from the bus terminal and several blocks from the downtown area. Rooms are very basic, small, spotless and come with a sink. The communal bathroom is located down the hall. For $4 more per night will get you a private bathroom. Not too bad as far as basic hotels go. Can be recommended for a night. Price includes breakfast. SAO GABRIEL, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Sao Luiz Address: rua Carlos Antunes 62 Price: $37 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1996 Review: The best hotel in this city of 59,000 is conveniently located directly across from the bus terminal and within walking distance from the downtown area. Rooms are comfortable, clean and come with air conditioning. Rooms on one of the upper floors (mine included) have the added advantage of having a breathtaking view overlooking the city. The wall hangings located throughout the corridors on each of the floors as well as the lobby are also worth looking at. There are more expensive rooms available that are a bit larger. The only complaint that I had is that they didn’t empty the ashtray in the room. Still, recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO GABRIEL DO OESTE, BRAZIL Name: Sao Gabriel Palace Hotel Address: rua Ramos Nogueira 1690 Price: $18 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1995 Review: Good hotel conveniently located a couple of blocks from the bus terminal and in the center of town. Rooms are comfortable, spotless and come with a fan. For $7 more per night you can get a room with air conditioning and a frigo bar. What makes this hotel especially cozy is the fact that the hotel is more like a motel and situated next to a highway. Warmly recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO JERONIMO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Italianinho Address: rua Soares Carvalho 515 Price: $14 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1998 Review: Adequate hotel located a few blocks from the bus terminal and right in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are fairly spacious, simple, clean (not under the beds, though) and come with a fan. This seems to be the best hotel in this city of 28,000 (which isn’t saying much!) but it can be recommended for an overnight stay. Price includes breakfast. SAO JOAO DEL REI, BRAZIL Name: Pousada do Sol Address: Price: $23 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1992 Review: Very quaint and pleasant pousada located on the edge of town on a hill overlooking a valley and on the outskirts of the city. Very picturesque! Rooms are simple, fairly clean and come with color tv (you may have to ask for one, though). Recommended! Price includes breakfast. Travel Tip: Upon request, the bus coming into town will drop you off in front of the pousada. When leaving, stand on the side of the road and the bus will pick you up. The staff at the pousada will have the bus schedule. SAO JOSE DO RIO PRETO, BRAZIL Name: Palace Hotel Address: Price: $16 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1993 Review: Good hotel located one block from the bus terminal and right in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are clean, comfortable, spacious and come with air conditioning (doesn’t cool properly). Recommended! Price includes breakfast. Advisary: There’s another Palace Hotel within a two block radius of this one of a much lower quality. Rooms at that one are only $4 but, perhaps, it should be avoided. SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, BRAZIL Name: Hotel San Marco Address: Price: $31 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1992 Review: Good two star hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($5) and a few blocks from the downtown area. Rooms are spotless and come with air conditioning and color tv. Recommended! Price includes breakfast. Drawback: Since the air conditoning wasn’t cooling properly, I requested another room and the staff didn’t comply with my wishes. SAO LEOPOLDO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Suarez Address: rua S Caetano 273/rua Independencia Price: $61 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1998 Review: In this bustling city of 168,000, there are few hotel choices for the traveler. Very good three star hotel located several blocks from the bus terminal and right on the main shopping street of the immediate downtown area. Rooms are spotless, comfortable, fairly spacious and come with air conditioning, a well-stocked frigo bar and color tv (some cable) with remote control. I was fortunate enough to get a room on the top floor (8th) with a superb aerial view of the city spread out beneath me. Amenities include a hairdryer in the bathroom. Sporadic English spoken by one person. A little high, perhaps, for what you actually get but still recommended. Price includes breakfast. Travel Tip: If you’re hungry for something “American”, this city has a McDonald’s fast food restaurant located just three blocks away from the above mentioned hotel. SAO LUIS GONZAGA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Torre Address: Price: $11 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1996 Review: Very grubby hotel conveniently located across from the bus terminal and a few blocks from the downtown area. Rooms are grubby, gloomy, fairly spacious, miraculously clean (the floor is, anyway) and don’t come with anything except its own bathroom which is in pretty good shape. The walls are all dirty and grimy looking. Also, the bed is rock hard and uncomfortable. Not recommended in the least. Price includes breakfast but I wouldn’t recommend eating here. Advisary: All of the hotels, more or less, are on the very basic side so I would strongly recommend skipping this city altogether. SAO MANUEL, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Paulista Address: Price: $9.50 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1999 Review: Good hotel (probably the best in this city which is seriously suffering from the disease of poverty) located several blocks from the bus terminal by taxi ($3.50 - good price! - in any case, don’t walk it! - the sidewalks are very uneven and it’s downhill all the way) and three blocks from the downtown area. Rooms are fairly spacious, spotless and come with color tv with remote control and a ceiling fan. I think the hotel had once been a house many years ago from observing the ornate trimmings on the outside which adds charm and appeal to the place. Very friendly staff. Sporadic and limited English spoken by one young man. Highly and enthusiastically recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO MATEUS, BRAZIL Name: Grande Hotel Sao Mateus Address: pca. Jose de Anchieta Price: $18 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1994 Review: Good hotel conveniently located a couple of blocks from the bus terminal and the downtown area. Rooms are comfortable, spotless and come with color tv, air conditioning and a frigo bar. Recommended! Price includes breakfast (poor service!). SAO SEBASTIAO DO PARAISO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Cosini Address: pca. Cons. Honorio 126 Price: $18 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1999 Review: Good and simple hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($3 - excellent price!) and in the immediate downtown area. Rooms are spotless, small but cozy and come with color tv, fan and a frigo bar. Amenities include a swimming pool. Friendly and helpful staff. Very much recommended! Price includes breakfast. SAO SEBASTIAO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Roma Address: Price: $11 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1992 Review: Adequate two star hotel located in the center of this resort city of 27,000 and only a short distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($2.50). Rooms are basic but clean and come with a fan. The communal bathroom is located down the hall. Recommended! Price includes breakfast. Travel Tip: Reasonably priced restaurant located next door called Restaurant Roma. Excellent food. Friendly. English spoken by one person. SARANDI, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Sao Francisco Address: Price: $25 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1998 Review: Excellent hotel located just three blocks from the bus terminal and right on the main shopping street of the downtown area. The hotel is especially quiet (not many guests!) and makes for a very peaceful stay. The rooms are spotless, comfortable and come with color tv with remote control and a fan. There are more expensive rooms available for $39 that I suspect you would also get a frigo bar and air conditioning. The decor of the room is especially attractive. Attentive and helpful staff. Highly recommended! Price includes above average breakfast. Drawback: While the carpet throughout the lobby is beautiful and elegant, some of it that eventually goes up the stairs isn’t nailed down. Be careful! Advisary: There’s a cheap hotel adjacent to the bus terminal. Judging from the outside of it, it might be wise not to stay there. SERAFINA CORREA, BRAZIL Name: Via Genova Parque Hotel Address: Price: $34 Rating: Honorable Mention Reviewed: 1998 Review: A few hotels of sorts in this tiny and peaceful town of 8,500 and some aren’t really suitable for the traveler but, thank goodness, this isn’t one of them. This excellent hotel is kitty-corner from the bus terminal and located right on the main street where many restaurants can be found. The hotel is reminiscent of a typical hotel that might be found in Switzerland high up in the Alps. The decor in the lobby is very impressive to see. The guest rooms are fairly spacious, spotless, comfortable and come with color tv (very little cable) with remote control, air conditioning and an adequately stocked frigo bar. The best hotel in the town and highly and enthusiastically recommended. Price includes breakfast. SERRA NEGRA, BRAZIL Name: Radio Hotel Address: Price: $84.50 Rating: Best Reviewed: 1993 Review: Truly a world class hotel! Excellent four star hotel located within walking distance (four blocks) from the bus terminal and on the main shopping street of the very small downtown area. Rooms are spacious and come with color tv and a frigo bar. Good value considering breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price of the room. Excellent service. Very limited English spoken. Highly and enthusiastically recommended! SERRO, BRAZIL Name: Pousada Vila Principe Address: Price: $9 Rating: Best Value Reviewed: 1992 Review: Serro is a beautiful and unspoiled colonial town of 17,000. Basically, there’s a choice of only two places to stay in this rather small town. This very quaint pousada at one time used to be a mansion. The pousada is located on the main shopping street and within walking distance from the bus terminal. Rooms are clean, fairly spacious and don’t come with really anything. Friendly and helpful staff. Reecommended! Drawback: The walls are thin and I heard snoring coming from the room next to mine. Advisary: If walking to the bus terminal, be careful as there’s a very steep cobblestone street on which the terminal is located at the bottom of it. SERTAOZINHO, BRAZIL Name: Bombonato Palace Hotel Address: rua Dr. Antonio Furlan Junior 1627 Price: $25 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1999 Review: Adequate hotel located within walking distance from the bus terminal or a very short taxi ride ($5.50 - far too much - I didn’t know it was so nearby) and a couple of blocks from the downtown area. Rooms are adequately sized, basic (very drab looking), clean (carpet isn’t, though) and come with color tv with remote control, air conditioning and a frigo bar. Recommended! Price includes breakfast. Advisary: Beware of unscrupulous cab drivers who overcharge in this city. None of the cabs have meters so be sure to ask the price of the fare in advance. SETE LAGOAS, BRAZIL Name: Lago Palace Hotel Address: Price: $25 Rating: Best Reviewed: 1992 Review: Excellent three star hotel overlooking a lake, in the center of town and a few minutes away by taxi ($2) from the bus terminal. Rooms are spotless and come with a fan (the price increases with air conditioning), color tv (cable) and a frigo bar. Limited English spoken by one person. Friendly and helpful staff. Highly recommended! Price includes breakfast. SOLEDADE, BRAZIL Name: Alca Hotel Address: av. Mal Floriano Peixoto 3032 Price: $10 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1998 Review: Shabby hotel conveniently located next to the bus terminal and a good distance from the downtown area. Rooms are fairly spacious and that’s about it. The carpet is filthy and a disgrace. $5 more will get you a room with a tv. Price includes breakfast but it might be wise not to eat here. Not recommended in the least! SOLIS, URUGUAY Name: Hosteria del Mar Address: Price: $11 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1991 Review: Very quaint and small hotel facing the ocean and within walking distance from the tiny bus terminal. Rooms are small but cozy. English spoken by some of the staff. Recommended! SOMBRIO, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Cristovao Address: Price: $12 Rating: Worst Reviewed: 1998 Review: Unacceptable hotel located just a few short blocks from both the bus terminal and the downtown area. Rooms are simple, fairly spacious and come with only a fan. My room overlooked a gas station (open 24 hours which makes it noisy at night). Price includes breakfast. The hotel can’t be recommended for the drawbacks listed below. Drawbacks: 1) The security in my room was very poor. The lock on the door sticks and, therefore, doesn’t always lock. Tip: Before retiring for the night, I put a large table in front of the door for more added security. 2) The drapes are fairly thin and with the lights on, anyone will be able to see inside the room. 3) One of the windows doesn’t lock and there’s a walk around the ledge which would make it fairly easy for anyone to climb through the window. Tip: I put a night stand and a chair on top of the bed in front of the window that doesn’t lock for added security. 4) I requested another room (a room where all of the locks were working properly) but they wouldn’t give me one. SOROCABA, BRAZIL Name: Hotel Terminus Address: Price: $21 Rating: Mediocre Reviewed: 1992 Review: Adequate two star hotel located a good distance from the bus terminal by taxi ($3.50) and the downtown area. Rooms are clean and come with air conditioning and frigo bar. Not the friendliest staff. Barely recommended. Price includes breakfast. |
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