Isla de Margarita has hundreds of hotels and thousands of rooms. Visions of a tourist mecca led to the construction of massive resorts in the style of Cancún and the Dominican Republic. The tourists never arrived in large enough numbers, and the current political climate has further affected the industry. There's a glut of rooms, construction has been halted on a number of big projects, and several hotels have folded in recent years. The glut and desperate competition to fill beds is good news for travelers.
In general, all-inclusive packages here are a good bet and can often come quite cheap. Charter packages to Margarita from the United States, Canada, and even Europe, including round-trip airfare, can cost as little as $900/£442 per person for a full week. Another alternative is to book your tour in bolívares through a Venezuelan-based tour agency. Margarita hotels do about 80% of their business with national tourists, competition is steep, and if you exchange money at the black-market rate, you can get a real bargain. Try Akanan Travel & Adventure (tel. 0212/715-5433 or 0414/116-0107; www.akanan.com) or Cacao Expeditions (tel. 0212/977-1234; www.cacaotravel.com).
The prices listed here are the hotels' published rack rates. These tend to be the highest rate applicable, and as in Caracas, most hotels here sell very few rooms at the actual rack rate. Prices fluctuate radically according to season and demand. If you book direct, feel free to bargain -- it may pay off with some deep discounts.
Moderate -- There is a growing range of small posadas, bed-and-breakfasts, and condo rentals, particularly at the popular beaches. Two of the best are Casa Caracol (tel. 0295/416-8439; www.posadacaracol.com) and La Bella Luna Inn (tel. 0295/249-0127; www.labellaluna.net).
