US$10–25

Open January–mid-March only, the improved municipal Camping Olegario Mohr (tel. 064/204860, US$12 per tent) occupies wooded grounds on the banks of the Río Damas just across the Panamericana. In addition to grassy sites with picnic tables, fire pits, clean toilets, and hot showers, it now has swimming pools for adults and children, and tennis courts. Eastbound buses and taxi colectivos on Avenida Buschmann pass within a couple hundred meters of the site.

East of the bus terminal, Hospedaje Sánchez (Los Carrera 1595, tel./fax 064/ 232560, crisxi [at] telsur [dot] cl, US$9 pp) is modest but acceptable.

US$25–50

Two blocks east of the Plaza, standard rates at shingled Residencial Schulz (Freire 530, tel. 045/237211, US$26/37 s/d) include private bath, but there are some slightly cheaper rooms with shared bath.

Four blocks south of the terminal, Hotel Villa Eduviges (Eduviges 856, tel./fax 064/235023, www.hoteleduviges.cl, US$26/41 s/d with breakfast) occupies a rambling older building that’s been haphazardly modernized; the shower stalls, in particular, are tiny, but it has the advantage of a less congested and quieter neighborhood than some other places.

Under the same ownership, Hostal Bilbao Express (Bilbao 1019, tel./fax 064/262200, US$26/37 s/d) and the Hostal Bilbao (Juan Mackenna 1205, tel./fax 064/264444, US$32/ 45 s/d) are among the best in their range. Rates at Hostal Rucaitué (Freire 546, tel. 064/239922, hrucaitue [at] surnet [dot] cl, US$33/48 s/d) include breakfast, TV, and private bath.

Since its original 1930 incarnation as the Hotel Burnier, the 65-room Gran Hotel Osorno (O’Higgins 615, tel. 045/232171, granhotelosorno [at] entelchile [dot] net, US$37/46 s/d) may have seen better days, but the Deco landmark has spruced up a bit; the ample rooms, with standard amenities such as private bath, telephone, and cable TV, are still good value.

US$50–100

Hotel Pumalal Express (Bulnes 630, tel./fax 064/242477, pumalal [at] entelchile [dot] net, US$37/56 s/d) is a recent addition to the scene.

Hotel Lagos del Sur (O’Higgins 564, tel. 064/245222, www.hotelagosdelsur.cl, US$72/91 s/d) is a nearly new hotel with handsomely decorated rooms.

US$100–150

Hotel Waeger (Cochrane 816, tel. 064/233721, hotelwaeger [at] telsur [dot] cl, US$73/100 s/d) is a classic German-style regional hotel.

The contemporary Hotel García Hurtado de Mendoza (Mackenna 1040, tel. 064/237111, www.hotelgarciahurtado.cl, US$98/122 s/d) is one of the city’s best, but its rapidly rising prices are open to question.

© Wayne Bernhardson from Moon Chile, 2nd edition