Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hostal República
,
with a wealth of clean, mildew-free, pastel-painted rooms facing onto a
brightenclosedcourtyard.Thewholeplacefeelsincrediblyspacious,wit
habl
ackandorange
colour scheme and faux-colonial lamps throughout. Breakfast included.
Bs180
EXPENSIVE
Hotel Osira
Av20deOctubre1494,PlazaSanPedro 022492247,
hotelosira.com
;
map
.
Formerly
Max Inn
, this has been re-modelled into a very pleasant mid-range hotel with a
colonial-lite theme (cod-medieval doors, gilt-framed religious art, etc), wonderfully sunny
rooms and a great buffet breakfast; the cumulative effect of which is almost enough to make
you forget you're within teargas distance of the notorio
us San Ped
ro prison. There's also wi-
fi, parking and a stylish bar/restaurant with live music.
Bs385 ($55)
Hotel Presidente
Potosí 920 02 2406666,
hotelpresidente-bo.com
;
map
.
That Ricky
Martin once bedded down here is the
Presidente's
abiding claim to fame, and though the
placeisstillfrequentedbyvisitingLatinAmericansingersandcelebs,it'sdebateablewhether
it's shagpile-tastically retro or simply shagged-out. Either way, it's worth a look for the lav-
ish 1970s vintage of its reception alone - all swaggering chandeliers and mirrored ceilings, a
jet set paralle
l to
Hotel Milton
. The heated rooms are less ostentatious but still comfortable,
nevertheless.
Bs1120 ($160)
Hotel Rosario
Av Illampu 704 02 2451658,
hotelrosario.com/la-paz
;
map
.
An older,
well-heeled clientele potters around the
Rosario's
warren of elegant heated rooms and ec-
centric little corridors, all crammed in around a series of cobbled, pot-planted courtyards. A
fair-trade shop and a great, sun-blushed rooftop café (with free internet) round out the ex-
perience, while the famous restaurant serves up such deluxe-native dishes as tro
ut with Ben
i
almonds and beef with Yungas pepper sauce. Bespoke breakfast buffet included.
Bs500 ($70)
EL PRADO, SAN PEDRO, MIRAFLORES AND SOPOCACHI
La Paz's more luxurious hotels are located just off the Prado and also further south in the
prosperous suburb of Sopocachi, home to most of the city's more fashionable bars and res-
taurants, and a pleasant place to stroll around in the evening. There are also a couple ofplaces
to stay in San Pedro and Miraflores, relatively less frenzied suburbs on either side of the main
thoroughfare.
El Consulado
Bravo 299 02 2117706,
cafeelconsulado.com
;
map
.
The majordomo
of the city's colonial conversions, this boutique hotel near the Prado - the one-time Consulate
of Panama - has a limited number of rooms, but what rooms they are, stylishly faithful to
the original decor and fittings in a way the competition hasn't quite managed. Period wallpa-
per and chequered tiles, antique baths and feather duvets impart an organic sense of luxury
you won't find elsewhere. You'd do well to avail yourself of the
restaurant
,
and there's also
artesanía
for
sale, free w
i-fi, a gourmet breakfast and the highly respected
Topas Travel
in
the basement.
Bs560 ($80)
