Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [385]
Aniversario de Tarapoto The anniversary of the town is the city’s biggest fiesta, with music, dancing and frivolities in the streets. Uvachado, made by steeping macerated grapes in cane liquor, keeps the party fueled. The fiesta lasts for an entire week around the anniversary (August 20).
Sleeping
BUDGET
Hostal Pasquelandia (52-2290; Pimentel 341; s/d without bathroom S10/15) It’s a dirt-cheap, beat-up, wooden affair with cold water.
El Paso Texas II (52-3799; Calle de Morey 115; s/d/tr S20/25/30) Don’t ask us where Paso Texas I is. All we know is this place has basic digs with private bathrooms and a few cheesy paintings that liven things up. The front rooms are noisy, while the rear rooms are a little dark.
Alojamiento Grau (52-3777; Grau 243; s/d S20/25) Family-run and friendly, this place has quiet, clean, elementary rooms, all with exposed brick walls and windows to the inside. A very solid budget option.
Hospedaje Misti (52-2439; Prado 341; s/d S20/25) The typically modest rooms here are redeemed by the skinny, leafy courtyard and a laid-back cafe. Tiny bathrooms with cold water leave little maneuvering room, but you get a TV and ceiling fan – good shoestring value. Discounts are available for groups and monthly rentals.
Alojamiento Arevalo (52-5265, 52-7467; Moyobamba 223; s/d S27/45) The best thing about this quiet hotel is the large rooms – there’s space enough to swing a couple of cats. Each has a cold shower, cable TV, fan and mini-fridge. A large public area with tables adjoins a lush courtyard.
Alojamiento July (52-2087; Calle de Morey 205; s/d/tr 30/40/60) Cheerfully painted rooms with electric shower, cable TV, mini-fridge and fan are OK for the price. Every wall here is covered with jungle murals, endless rows of beads and knickknacks clank in the hallways, and the whole place is run by a gregarious Imelda Marcos type. Ask for a room on the top floor.
El Mirador (52-2177; San Pedro de la Cruz 517; s/d S45/60) This spic-and-span hotel has 13 rooms, all with big fans and great mattresses. Some of the rooms have hot showers and doors have linen curtains that can be left open for a cool breeze (but little privacy). Being a few blocks away from the center cuts down most of the mototaxi noise. You can take breakfast on the rooftop terrace with views of the city one way and treetops the other.
Hostal Luna Azul (52-5787, lunaazulhotel@hotmail.com; Manco Cápac 262; s/d S45/65, s/d with air-con S54/74; ) So clinically clean you could eat off the floors, the Luna Azul is a modern hotel with comfortable, small rooms, some with air-con. Hot water, direct-dial phones, grinning staff and cable TV put it close to the midrange class. It has a snack bar.
La Patarashca (52-3899, 52-7554; www.lapatarashca.com; Lamas 261; s S50, d S60-75, all incl breakfast) Don’t miss this little gem of a hospedaje (family inn). Tucked away between a couple of restaurants, some rooms have hot-water showers and cable TVs, while nice bits of furniture and crafty lamps make them feel homey and welcoming. There’s a green lounging area under a giant thatched roof, hammocks, couches and some English-speaking staff. Look out for the bilingual talking parrots, which, while cute initially, can be a little annoying at 6am. Best of all, you can get room service at a discount from the identically named restaurant next door.
Hostal la Cumbre (52-9987; Circunvalación 2040; s/d incl breakfast S54/74) This friendly family-run affair, 3km (an S2 mototaxi ride) northwest of town, gets good reviews from readers. It’s in a modern building and good-sized rooms come with TV and mini-fridges. The garden area with great views of the surrounding misty mountains is good spot to relax. The best thing is the Amazonian breakfast.
MIDRANGE
Tarapoto has fewer midrange hotels than most cities its size but every option in this range has cable TV and hot water.
La Posada Inn (52-5557, 52-2234; laposadainn@latinmail.com; San Martín 146; s/d incl breakfast S45/79; s/d with air-con S55/80; ) This quaint hotel has beamed ceilings, traditional ironwork and