Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
267
from 8:30am t o 1pm and fr om 5 t o 8:30pm, and Satur day from 9:30am t o 1pm.
Major banks, with ATMs that have Cirrus and PLUS access, are located around the
Plaza San Martín and along Avenida Sarmiento, including
Citibank,
Av. Sarmiento
20 (
&
261/449-6519
).
Emergency
F or an
ambulance,
dial
&
107
or 261/424-8000; f or
police,
dial
&
101
or 261/429-4444; in case of
fire,
dial
&
100.
Hospital
Hospital C entral
(
&
261/420-0600
) is near the bus station at Salta
and Alem.
Internet A ccess
Internet ac cess in most plac es c osts a meager 2 pesos (35¢-
65¢/20p-35p]) per hour . A number of c ybercafes run along A venida Sarmiento;
try
WH Webhouse,
Sarmiento 219 (
&
261/423-3398
), open daily fr om 8:30am
to 1am.
Telefónica
and
Telecentro
offices, located all over town, also offer Inter-
net use.
Pharmacy
Farmacia del Puente,
Av. Las Heras 201 (
&
261/423-8800
), operates
24 hours.
Post Office
The main post offic e,
Correo Argentino
(
&
261/429-0848
), located
at the c orner of A venida San M artín and C olón, is open w eekdays from 8am t o
8pm.
WHERE TO STAY
Mendoza has many new hotels opening, from new five-star chains, such as Sheraton and
Diplomatico, to apart-hotels. For those wanting to stay longer than a few nights, you best
bet will be out of to wn in Chacras de Coria (see later in this chapter). I r ecommend
spending a few nights in town, and then staying at a r ural inn amid the vineyards, for a
change of pace (see “ Touring the Wineries,” later in this chapter). More and more
bode-
gas
ar e opening up guesthouses, wher e r elaxation and wine ar e the top draws. P rices
quoted are for high season, which in M endoza is N ovember through March and J uly.
Hotel rates ar e often discounted 15% to 20% in the off season. P rices listed belo w do
not include the 21% tax.
Very Expensive
Park Hyatt Mendoza
Peering majestically over the Plaza de la Independencia,
the Park Hyatt is in the restored 19th-century Plaza Hotel and includes a modern seven-
floor tower of guest rooms out back. It's still, without a doubt, the pr emier place to stay
in town. Sweeping columns of granite and stone sho wcase the lobby, and an impr essive
collection of Mendocino art pays tribute to local cultur e. There's a warm, inviting pool
and a casual wine bar in the interior outdoor patio. Guest rooms, in general, are spacious
and contemporary, and the huge white-marble bathrooms are the real stars. The exquisite
spa incorporates M endocino wines in a v ariety of tr eatments. A w ell-equipped fitness
room, Jacuzzi, sauna, and steam bath ar e here, too. Serving as a cultural hear t of Men-
doza, the hotel hosts fr equent events, ranging fr om jazz and music sho ws to wine fairs
and flamenco dances. The breakfast buffet is no longer included in rates. Watch out for
overpriced extras such as minibar drinks and I nternet connections. N ext door , the
Regency Casino is M endoza's nod to Las Vegas. Be sure to check the hotel w ebsite for
Internet-only rates with a 10% discount, and r equest a nonsmoking r oom if y ou don't
smoke.
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