THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 114

snaking between dowdy rooms (some of which are en suite) with semi-carpeted walls, var-
nished wooden ceilings and an antique, sequestered feel. Rooms at the front can also be in-
credi bly n oisy, although there's no denying its convenience for the bus terminal if Arthy's is
full. Bs120
Lion Palace Hostel Linares 1017 02 2900454, lionpalacehostel.com ; map . Opened in
early 2011, this is one of the newer budget places in La Paz, a mini riot of Neoclassical-
pillared, mock-colonial kitsch complete with plaster lion heads and a lurid blue and orange
colour scheme. The parquet floors are already looking slightly tattered and some walls could
do wi th a lick of paint but it's comfortable and clean enough, and decent value for the price.
Bs110
Loki La Paz Loayza 420 02 2119024, lokihostel.com ; map . The raucous La Paz branch
of this Peru-based chain is located in a dandy pink, red velvet-draped townhouse formerly
hosting the Hotel Viena, and it's probably worth staying here for the gilt-trimmed showpiece
bar alone, located in the old Viena ballroom and the focus of the hostel's no-curfew, party-
hard philosophy. Rooms are clean and comfortable with duvets, there's a small, soon-to-be-
extended roof terrace and the twenty-something clientele a re do ubtless g lad o f a breakfast
that's served till the uniquely generous hour of 1pm. Dorms Bs40 ; doubles Bs130
Posada El Carretero Catacora 1056, between Yanacocha and Junín 02 2285271, el-
[e-mail] ; map . Blessed with the warmest, most welcoming and eccent-
ric dueña in all Bolivia (the diminutive Sandra), this 50-year-old La Paz institution probably
meritsUNESCOheritage status.Basic,jovialandrambunctious, withsharedbathrooms(also
afewprivate),kitchenandlaundryfacilities,anddecoratedwithdecadesofmultilingualgraf-
fiti, it's akin to lodging in a funky - if surprisingly clean - squat. No sur prise that it recently
featured in a film about Yossi Ginsberg's infamous jungle disappearance. Bs70
Wild Rover Comercio 1476 02 2116903, wildroverhostel.com ; map . La Paz's other big
gringo party hostel, centred on a pleasantly open air, canary yellow-painted courtyard and
an in-house bar that keeps the Guinness flowing till well into the wee hours. They claim
they have “the comfiest beds in South America”; given the firm emp hasis on living large,
however, chances are you won't spend much time in them. Dorms Bs44 ; double Bs160
MODERATE
Arthy's Guesthouse Av Montes 693 02 2281439, arthyshouse.tripod.com ; map . The
best non-hostel option in the evirons of the bus terminal, this peaceful, welcoming, pot-
planted retreat offers clean, white wash ed, carpeted rooms with bedside lamps, as well as a
TV room and communal kitchen. Bs160
Estrella Andina Illampu 716 02 2456421, [e-mail] ; map . Bright,
fun and incredibly friendly, this place has recently expanded its reach, both upwards with
an Illimani-eye-view roof terrace and sideways with the adjacent Hostal Sol Andino . Decor