Following the Dream

Christian March 22nd, 2008

Argentina

Buenos Aires
Puerto Limon - This is a nice hostel in San Telmo. The double room with private bathroom was very nice. Ours was on the bottom level so you had the occasional person looking in your window from the courtyard, and some noise at night. The rooms can get hot in the summer, as with most hostel rooms in BsAs. We stayed in the dorm for one night. Our window was facing the street and this proved to be very noisy at night. It is a very clean hostel, with a spacious kitchen, wifi, and friendly people.
A double with private bath costs $35
A dorm bed costs $8

Hostel Inn Tango City - This is a good place to meet people. We met tons of other english speakers here. It has a decent location in San Telmo and is relatively cheap. The downstairs bar and kitchen area is nice and cool with the AC. The free internet is a plus, but proves to be slow. The kitchen is tiny, but has what you need to cook a meal. The dorms can get a little loud. The lockers are spacious and secure. The rooms have A/C, but they are turned off during the day. They also offer travel help and have planned events. It is often cheaper to do the same events or things yourself, but it is a good way to meet people.
A dorm be here costs $11

Hotel Carly - Hotel Carly left some to be desired. If they put some money into the place it would be good. It has a decent location, but needs new sheets and some plumbing work done. The kitchens were tiny and looked like a health violation. Our stay was only a few hours, since the Puerto Limon had dorms at the same price. It is a good place to go if you need a double and are on a very tight budget, as rooms are about 14-15 dollars a double with shared bathroom.

Bait Hostel - This small hostel is located in Palermo, which is the more ritzy part of the city. There are many parks near by. The hostel itself is nice, but not as nice as the photos. The 8 bed dorm rooms can be a bit loud from the noise from the courtyard and get very very hot in the summer. The double room is not bad for the price and some have a wifi signal. The breakfast is not very good, but the staff are a good source of information on where to go in the city. The kitchen here is tiny but relatively clean. Our double is very nice but the dorm rooms needed some attention many of the lights did not work, (the wiring was cut) and the lockers where extremely small and not very secure. The girls bathrooms are clean but there is only 2 for the whole hostel to share although we had no problems using the bathroom.

A dorm bed costs $7
A double with shared bath costs $28

Telmotango Suites- We were excited to find a double with a private bathroom on short notice and chose this one from hostel world. Upon arriving the lobby is very nice with small tables set up for breakfast which includes fruit, croissonts, hot beverages and of course Tang. There are 3 computers for internet but they are usually busy and its a very slow connection. Our room was very very small but the bathroom was clean and had plenty of hot water. We felt that it was a little overpriced at $30 a night but it was very quiet there and we had a nice fan to help keep us cool.

El Calafate
America Del Sur - This hostel is beautiful. It is located a 5-10 minute walk from the center. It has nice four bed dorms with their own bathroom. The hostel is very open in the common areas, and has a great view of the lake. The staff was tremendous, some of the friendliest most helpful yet. They book all of your excursions for you without a service charge. The kitchen is decent but does get crowded. It was great staying there.
A dorm room costs $ 11

El Chalten
Lo de Trevi - We were put in this hostel due to lack of rooms elsewhere. It is a small hostel. It is family run. The two brothers who work at the desk are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are simple and do not have lockers. The kitchen is small, but has everything you need. They also have a good selection of music that the brothers play in the common area. Once again there are only 2 bathrooms shared and shower time in the morning is at a premium.

A dorm room here costs - $12

Ushuaia
La Posta - The hostel itself is the cleanest and nicest we have stayed in yet. We received a double room in an “apartment”. The apartment shared a bathroom and kitchen with one other room which was a 4 bed dorm. Having our own kitchen, bathroom and TV made it feel like our own little home for the week we were there. Breakfast included croissonts and rolls and coffee. Not too bad at all (gotta love dulche de leche). The desk included some very helpful people and some that had no clue what was going on. Now that downfall…it was at least a 40 minute walk to the town center. Maybe 20 to the outskirts of town. The closest grocery store was about 8 blocks away but the bus line does stop right at the hostel and its only a little over $.50 for a ride one way.

Mendoza

Chimbas - This hostel was pretty nice. It is in a colonial house. The dorm was a bit noisy since we were right next to the patio area where everyone stays up late. The staff could have been more helpful and the kitchen could have been a little nicer. There was only 1 stove that was tough to get to use since there are many people who were cooking. We met a couple of girls who said that they were eaten alive there by bed bugs. We did not experience this. Another thing about this place is there are tons of flys.

BOLIVIA

La Paz

The Adventure Brew Hostel- This hostel is tons of fun to stay at and has plenty going on. The top floor is a bar complete with its own microbrewery and you are given one free drink for each night you stay. Not to mention some decent happy hours. They also have a dinner each night for 35 Bolivianos/$5 U.S. which is really decent we ate it twice and it was great both times, with all you can eat side dishes. We had a double when we were there and it was spacious and had a very nice bathroom with tons of very hot water. A rare thing in Bolivia. There is no heat, but plenty of blankets on the bed to keep you warm. There is wi-fi in the bar area which was plenty quick for us to work on our blog and call home with skype. Did i also mention the all you can eat pancake breakfast!? yum! The desk is often packed with people so check out early!

Double $10 night with private bathroom each

Dorm (8-12 people) $8.50 night with shared bathroom

Hotel Fuentes- The adventure brew did not have room for us our last night in La Paz so we ended up here. Very nice location right in the middle of the witches market and shopping. The room was very spacious and included a TV with plenty of channels. Our bathroom was clean with a very small shower but lukewarm hotwater at best. It rained when we were there and the room was damp and cold, we had to huddle together under the covers to stay warm. There is free internet in the lobby and a breakfast of simple flat bread and beverages. The desk is not helpful and couldnt even call for a taxi. We were also overcharged on our room.

Double with private bathroom $22 a night for the room

Arthy’s Guesthouse- This quiet place to relax has a TV with over 200 DVD’s you can watch. There is internet but its about $.50 an hour. The small kitchen is nice for warming up something small to eat or drink and our room was nice with plenty of blankets for keeping warm. You do have to have a shared bathroom, but they were spotless. Unfortunately, there is hardly any hot water since they use electric showerheads to heat the water. Very nice for a quiet peaceful nights sleep.

Double with Shared Bathroom $8 a person per night

Uyuni

Hotel Julia-This 2 star hotel is recommended in Lonely Planet is fine for a night’s sleep. Our room was big with a nice bed and sunny view along with heat. The bathroom had plenty of hot water if a little outdated. The owners were nice and helpful although they did not speak english. Our TV only had one english speaking channel but that was enough to keep us happy. No internet but there are cafes everywhere although very slow since you are in the middle of nowhere. Very good for catching up on sleep after your tour of the salt flats.

Double with private bathroom- $20 for the room

Copacabana/ Isla del Sol

Inti Kala- The views from this hostel can’t be beat. The rooms overlook Lake Titicaca and from high up on the Island its a gorgeous view. There are 2 terraces with table and a restaurant that all share the view. Our room was decent with a comfy bed and nice bathroom, but no hot water and no heating means you have to snuggle at night to stay warm. Its quite a hike to the top of the island so you will be tired when you arrive but its worth it. There is no TV in the room or internet on the island.

Double room with private bathroom $24¨

PERU

Puno

Condor de Lemos-Located on the Plaza de Armas it has an excellent location to the pedestrian street with easy access to restaurants and ATM´s. This 3 star hotel was excellent. We had cable TV, WiFi in our room and best of all there was an actual bath tub in our bathroom with tons of hot water. Breakfast was also a buffet of eggs, potatoes, fruit, juice and bread. yum! Our double room was usually $70 a night but we booked on hostalworld.com and only paid $42. It was a nice splurge for us for one night.

Arequipa

Case de Avila- We were quite impressed with our first stay at this hostel. Our room was $22 a night and included cable TV, private bathroom with hot water and WiFi access. We had a room on the 2nd floor which was newer and spacious, with a nice big bathroom, upon returning from the Colca Canyon we received a room on the ground floor which was noticibly older, and had a tiny TV and tiny bathroom. That was a little disapointing but the staff is very nice and helpful and there is a beautiful courtyard to relax in. They advertise a kitchen to cook, but its just a few burners on top of a counter and a fridge. Breakfast is included and you can order eggs, bacon, pancakes etc for a small charge.

Cusco

Samay Wasi Hostel- This place is very very basic. The room we had was very tiny but had its own private bathroom with hot water. The walls are paper thin and you could hear every conversation the people next to you had. Cusco is also cold at night and the rooms tend to be a little cold and damp, but this is true of most Cusco hostels. There is cable TV in the common room and one computer available for internet access. There was a kitchen but it always seemed to be in use by the owners who are extremely nice. But at $12 a night each you can find better in Cusco. Which we did…

Monte Horeb Hospedaje -We found this place on hostelbookers and decided to give it a chance. We had 4 days till our flight out so wifi and a TV were important to us. We got a private bathroom and breakfast included for about $30 a night for the room. The staff was super friendly and even had our bags waiting for us in our room when we returned from Machu Picchu. Very quiet and relaxing. Showers have limited hot water but what you do get is very hot! They also have heaters available for your rooms for when its cold for about $3 a day extra.

Ecuador

Quito

Hostel Revolution-This very basic hostel has a very nice kitchen complete with microwave, toaster, oven and stove. The room was clean and the bed decent. Shared bathrooms are very clean. No heat, some its a little chilly at night. There were only 2 other people staying here while we were there so its was a little too quiet. Staff is okay, not overly friendly and sometimes hard to find. Its location is right between Old Town and New Town so its a good place to explore from, just make sure you get a map with the bus stops on so you can figure out where you are going. We had wifi in our room and they have a good DVD selection to watch. At $8 a night each it wasn’t a bad place to stay and we would go back if it wasn’t so far from the airport.

Amazonas Inn- We found this place in our lonely planet guide book. Our room had only a skylight for light, and a glass sliding door to our bathroom. It did include cable TV, but you had to pay extra for internet and breakfast. It also smelled like stale smoke in our room even though it said no smoking. The staff was very nice and the location right in New town if fantastic. At $26 a night you can find cheaper and better places in Quito. Which we did…

Traveler’s Inn- Located in New Town its right by lots of restaurants and night life. Our room has a TV, wifi and includes breakfast. We do have a shared bathroom, but it is very clean. The staff is friendly and helpful but the bed is very hard and the hot water a little inconsistant but never cold. At $22 a night for the room, its not a bad deal. A private bathroom is $36 a night a little out of our price range.

Casa Helbling- We found this one in our Lonely Planet book too. For $20 a night you get a very nice clean room with comfy bed and a shared bathroom. There is also wireless internet in our room and a kitchen you can use. Its a few blocks out of the way from most nightlife and restaurants, but it is nice and quiet, and has plenty of windows to let the sun in. (of course it doesn’t shine that much in Quito)

Banos

Hostal Plantas y Blanco- This is a very nice hostel to stay at. We had a double room with shared bathroom for only $13 night. This also included a kitchen and internet access. They had a wonderful rooftop terrace with terrific views and good breakfasts you could buy. The staff was mostly helpful, some more than others, and very nice hot showers! Good location only 2 blocks away from the main street.

Tena

Hostal Limoncocha-This is one of a few places to stay in this small town. Modern with nice beds, kitchen access, & internet access. We paid $10 a night for a double room with shared bathroom. Nice bathrooms but no hot water even though they advertise it. But you are in the hot and humid rainforest a cool shower is needed. Its a little out of the main part of town, along dirt roads so you might want a taxi for $1 from the bus station to the hostel. A german family owns and runs the hostel, they are nice but sometimes hard to find when you need help.

Canoa
Hostal Bambu-If you make your way to this small fishing town, I would reccomend this place located right on the beach. Unfortunately, they dont take reservations unless you want a private bath. So we showed up and where told none of the $10 shared rooms were available but we could have a “cabana” with a shared bathroom for $16 a night. The cabana had a small balcony with hammock and a loooonngg walk to the bathroom. We asked every morning of our 3 night stay to see if a cheaper room opened up, but were told no, although numerous people left everyday. A little suspicious if you ask us. But it was a very nice place to stay with decent hot showers, good restaurant with decent prices, a great happy hour and a beautiful spot on the beach.
Panama

Panama City- I would rather like to forget about where we stayed, Zuly’s Backpackers. We looked and looked for cheap lodging in Panama City but could find few choices so we ended up at Zuly’s. We were shown to a dorm room with a small fan and a very scary bathroom. We shared the room with 5 other people which wasnt bad, but it was so hot even with the fan and in the morning there was no water to even take a shower. The people who work there are nice and do provide lots of info, and there is also a scary little kitchen and a supermarket nearby. Later we were told by other people staying there that they found worms in their bed! Needless to say we only stayed one night and got the hell out!

Bocas del Toro- We stayed at a nice little place called the Dos Palmes. This place is a little off the main drag but that means its nice and quiet. Our room had A/C, TV, and a private bath. There was also a nice back deck to relax on overlooking the water. The family was very nice who owned it and we really enjoyed our stay there. Our double was $29 night.

Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo- Cabinas Guarana-This place is about 2 blocks from the beach but only one block from lots of restaurants and shops. The owners are super nice and helpful. There is a nice kitchen, and wi-fi in the lobby for free. Our room was very spacious and had a nice big fan (much needed since it is hot there!) our private bathroom was very nice, and had some so so hot water. Would definitely recommend this place! Our double room was $28 a night.

La Fortuna/Volcan Arenal- We stayed at a not so great place that was recommended in Lonely Planet and by some others on the internet. It was the Cabinas Sissy. Our “cabina” was a very small room, with a very small private bathroom, small TV, fan, and lots of ants! The people were nice who ran it and helped us with our questions, but there are definitely better options available. Our room was $20 a night.

Monteverde-We stayed at Hostel Santa Elena. This is a definite backpacker hangout, but the staff is super friendly and helpful. The place has a kitchen, free internet access and wifi. There is only 2 shared bathrooms, but we never had a problem. It was a little noisy at night, but quiet time was at 10 and it usually settled down by 11. For the price it was a great stay at only $12 night.

Tamarindo-La Botelle de Leche was recommend by our guidebook. Not sure i would say the same. It says its only 100m from the beach, try about 1000m from the beach. It is a long dusty walk down a dirt road to the main part of town, and it is hot! The place just needs some TLC. The paint is old, but the beds were fine. Our bathroom was okay minus the cockroach i saw. We did have wonderful air conditioning in our dorm room but on the way down side our room was infested with bugs! There are tons of options in town, and I am sure you can find a better deal. Our dorm room was $10 a person a night

Honduras

Roatan, Bay Islands- We stayed at the Posada Arco Iris. We enjoyed a studio apartment complete with our own kitchen. The room was spacious with hardwood floors, ceiling fan, big windows, optional air conditioning, and a nice bathroom with good hot water. The only thing missing was a TV, but hardly needed with the beach right out the front door of the hotel, and a great bar right down the street. They also had wi-fi available but not in the rooms. We really enjoyed staying here and would love to go back. Our studio was $40 a night, but we also got a 10% discount for staying 7 nights or more.

Copan Ruinas- We stayed at the Iguana Azul. Its about 4 blocks outside of town, but not a bad walk, only 5 mins to more everything in town. The bathrooms are out back, but are spotless, and have decent hot water. Our room was very simple, a bed, fan, desk, but a decent size, and had screens on the windows to keep the bugs out. It was $12.50 for a double room, pretty good value, although there was no TV, internet, or kitchen, so you didn’t get much for the price.

Guatemala

Antigua- We first stayed at the Hotel Posada San Vicente. This place is way overpriced, and was empty as a result. I think only 2 other rooms were occupied. It was a Lonely Planet recommendation and we would definitely not go back. Our room was okay, we had a TV, bed, table, and private bathroom with hot water, but no water pressure. The room had tiled floors which were cold, and mold on the walls. The worst part was that a family lived on the premises, and their kids, dog, and bird were running around screaming and playing at all hours of the day, You could barely hear the TV over the screaming and yelling half the time. The pet parrot had been taught to talk, and screamed “Help Me!” over and over until you wanted to kill it. The kids ran continuously past our 2nd floor room playing giving you no peace. At $36 a night a huge ripoff! Tons of better value places in Antigua

After a quick trip to Panajachel we came back to Antigua and stayed at the El Hostel. Our room was a little dingy but huge, and the beds and pillows some of the best we have had in a long time. The first night we stayed was very quiet and we got a good night’s sleep, we were not so lucky on the 2nd night; the staff decided to have about 4 friends over and stay up drinking beers and talking in front of our room till 2am, I finally had to ask them to move so we could get some sleep! We also enjoyed wifi in our room, and breakfast was included and actually good. The bathrooms are clean but the water is lukewarm at best. It was only $20 a night for our double.

Panajachel- Hospedaje Tzutujil was a Lonely Planet recommendation and found down an alley off the one main road. Our room was nice enough and the bed not too bad, we did have a TV too and a view of the lake from a rooftop terrace. The bathroom was the problem; its tiny, and the shower consists of a shower head hanging over the tolite and sink, with a drain in the floor. Water would have gone everywhere since there is no curtain or basin to catch the water. Since we only spent one day there we opted to shower back in Antigua. The room was $20 a night.

Flores-We stayed at “Los Amigos” a definite backpacker hangout. We were lucky enough to get a private double room which was built up in a tree. Our room had no windows just curtains, so when it rained we got a little wet. The bed and pillows were lumpy and you could see through the floorboards to the people walking below. We took it in stride, and the bathrooms were a steep set of stairs away. (Cold water only but decently clean) There is a restaurant in the hostel, and internet that you have to pay for. It was a little hard to find the staff once in awhile. It was only $10 a night for our room. Beware of the dorms, some of them simply have clear plastic for walls so everyone can look in and see you sleeping.

Belize

San Ignacio-We stayed at the Venus Hotel. It is one of the larger hotels in town. The bed was decent, showers decently warm, and lots of TV channels to entertain ourselves with. The staff was nice, and location was great. It was $30 a night for a room without A/C. ($40 with A/C)

Caye Caulker-Tina’s Backpacker Hostel gets a lot of mixed reviews on the internet. So we were not sure what to expect when we stayed here. We were lucky enough to grab one of 2 double rooms they have. It is dark with only one small window, but does have a screen door to let in some sun and air, and one very nice rotating fan.  After that is goes downhill. The bathroom has not been cleaned in the 3 days we have been here, except to empty the trash (thank god!)and frequently is out of toilet paper.The kitchen has had no soap to wash the dishes for the last 3 days, although we see tons of people cooking every night. The question being how are they washing anything? If you are a backpacker its only $10 a night for a dorm, but if you are a couple its $25 and you could easily find better accomodation on the island.  Its okay for a night or two, since it does have a nice pier and some hammocks to relax in, but thats about it.

Mexico

Playa del Carmen- Maya Bric

United Kingdom

London-Comfort Inn at Harrow

The Netherlands

Amsterdam-Youth Hostel at Vondelpark

Belgium

Brussels-”2Go4″

France

Paris-Spendid Hotel Tour d’Eiffel

Rennes

Nice-

Italy

Cinque de Terre

Florence

Rome

Naples-Fabric Hostel

Venice

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