Rooms at cheerful but cramped Hotel della Cruz (Aníbal Pinto 240, tel./fax 0412/240016, US$40/54 s/d with breakfast) all have private bath, and there’s ample parking. Rather better, and just a little more expensive, are Hotel Alborada (Barros Arana 457, tel. 0412/911121, www.hotelalborada.cl, US$51/59 s/d with a buffet breakfast) and the contemporary Hotel El Dorado (Barros Arana 348, tel. 0412/229400, www.hoteleldorado.cl, US$56/61 s/d), a contemporary downtown hotel.

Only a short stroll from the plaza, the modern Hotel Alonso de Ercilla (Colo Colo 334, tel. 0412/227984, fax 0412/230053, www.hotelalonsodeercilla.co.cl, US$39 s–US$50/63 s/d with breakfast) has comfortable but undistinguished rooms with private bath, cable TV, covered parking, and good service. The lower rates correspond to smaller “B” singles.

In the process of converting a large private residence into a four-story hotel, Hotel Murano Centro (Aníbal Pinto 180, tel. 0412/936825, www.hotelmurano.cl, US$22–33 pp) needs to finesse the details, but seems likely to improve. The lower rates correspond to 4th-floor rooms, reached by a narrow spiral staircase, with shared bath. It has friendly and efficient service; amenities include an unremarkable breakfast, wireless Internet, and limited parking.

An exception to a generally stagnant hotel scene, Germania Suites & Apartments (Aníbal Pinto 295, tel. 0412/747000, www.hotelgermania.cl, US$61/69 s/d) has reinvented and upgraded itself for business-oriented visitors.

Rates at business-oriented Hotel Terrano (O’Higgins 340, tel./fax 0412/240078, US$58/73 with breakfast) include gym and sauna access. Downtown Hotel Carrera Araucano (Caupolicán 521, tel. 0412/740606, carrera.araucano [at] chilnet [dot] cl, US$83/91 s/d) has nonsmoking rooms; rates include an airport pickup.