Hotel Arenal, Santa Cruz

Hotel Arenal, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. My first trip to Santa Cruz in Bolivia took place last month just for a weekend (I left after my evening class at FIU on Thursday and I never teach on Fridays) and I was so enchanted that I am planning to return at the end of this semester, once I have finished correcting my students’ exams. When I arrived at 9 am on AA 922, the driver of Hotel Arenal was waiting for me at VVI airport, and fifteen minutes later we were in the hotel, right downtown. Add an extra $10 US for each trip. Hotel Arenal (four well deserved stars) is an outstanding place in this charming city, right in the center, on Calle Beni 340, between Caballero and Charcas. It’s only four blocks from the main square (“Plaza 24 de Septiembre”) right next to Parque Arenal and a sort of Flea Market on adjacent streets and less than three blocks from AA ticket office on the same Beni St. I got a smoking “Suite Panorámica” 801 on the tallest building in the area. This is a corner “suite” without division (in South America that’s how they call a very big room) with plenty of windows on each side and a great view over the main square and the cathedral to the left, and “Parque Arenal” on the side windows to the right. Even the closet has a round window! Besides the queen bed, there is a couch that we call “Méridienne Empire” in France with several cushions, a big round table and two stylish and comfortable club chairs a bit low to use the laptop on the table but I just put a couple of cushions and it was perfect. There is also a mini bar and a full bathroom with a spa tub that I didn’t try because I always take showers. Of course, the bathroom also has a window opening over the city and the mountains in the background. A TV hanging on the wall with several cable channels in English and Spanish (and even French TV5) swivels to be seen from bed, the couch or the club chairs. Although February 20 was in the middle of the summer, I didn’t try a big open pool on the roof of the main floor because I forgot to take my bathing suit. Now they are going towards the winter! Naturally, the suite has an individual AC/heater that functions very well. Finally, the buffet breakfast was huge with ham, cheese, croissants, fruits, yogurts, etc., and it reminded me of the one I have at Hotel Continental when I go twice a year to Montevideo. They also have a restaurant in premises but I didn’t try it. I will next time. Last but not least, from the driver to the waiter, all the staff was extremely friendly, polite and always smiling. At $70 (RAC) for two persons including taxes and breakfast buffet, this is an excellent value for money. That’s what I paid last week to sleep in a closet without breakfast in Paris, France, where I went to spend my Spring Break with my son Melvin, who is a French journalist in “The City of Light”. If I add that Hotel Arenal is in a charming city where you can have an 8 oz sirloin cooked on charcoal for only 45 pesos (less than seven dollars!) at the “Casa del Camba” on Ave. Cristobal de Mendoza (second ring), you now have a good excuse to make a detour by Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Our stay at this hotel was great! Staff was very helpfull and rooms were clean and comfortable. The town is a friendly and quiet place, with beautiful places to visit and VERY CHEAP!