Hotels in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

If you're in town for the International Trade Fair (held annually in late Sept), you won't find a better place than Buganvillas, Av. Roca Coronado 901 (tel. 0103/551-212; www.hotelbuganvillas.com). The hotel complex is right next to the convention center (although it is about a 15-min. ride from the center of the city). The beautiful rooms actually are all fully equipped apartments. The complex has three pools, a spa, several restaurants, and a minimart. Rates range from $109 for a one-bedroom apartment to $199 for a five-bedroom apartment.

If you're looking for budget accommodations, I recommend La Siesta Hotel, Calle Vallegrande 17, near the corner of Ayacucho (tel. 0103/3330-146; lasiesta@infonet.com.bo). The rooms aren't fancy ($35 for a double), but they have cable TV and air-conditioning. Plus, when it gets hot here, you can relax by the pool.

The stunning Senses Hotel Boutique, Plaza 24 de Septiembre and Sucre (tel. 0103/339-6666; www.senseshotelboutique.com), opened at the end of 2009 in the all-brick La Pascana center across from the Catedral. It's the first true boutique hotel in Bolivia, with 49 design suites and a room personalized with your preferences in fragrances and music. Rooms start at $220 for doubles.

The best hotel in all of Santa Cruz, however, is Hotel Los Tajibos, Av. San Martín 455 (tel. 0103/3421-000; www.lostajiboshotel.com), which is a 10-minute taxi ride from the center of town. If you stay here, you can walk to the many bars and restaurants on Avenida San Martín and take advantage of its lush pool area and first-rate restaurants. Rooms run from $144 to $160 for doubles, $235 for suites.