El Cocuy Hotels

• richiecdisc
• Reviews: 5866

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Casa Munoz: a bit higher end

Hotel Casa Munoz is right on the main square and offers a more modern room but it comes with a fairly hefty price tag of 60,000 COP ($30) for a double. We had been turned away our first night in town due to it being full and it seems to cater quite a bit to tour bus groups. We were desperate and prices quoted in the most recent guidebooks were half what they were charging. I guess El Cocuy is getting on the tourist map!

I did check their rooms and they were much nicer than anything else we saw in town. It is very conveniently located with the bus nearly stopping out front.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Related to: Luxury Travel, Food and Dining, Photography
• Written August 7, 2010

the charming courtyard of Casa Munoz

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• richiecdisc
• Reviews: 5866

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Villa Real: the fresh smell of breakfast

Hotel Villa Real was our first choice in El Cocuy but on arriving three hours later than planned due to a bus detour, it was full. Though not as cheap as the no namers popping up in competition, it is a bonafide very authentic South American hotel. Don't expect modernity but you can expect hot water for a shower as well as fairly clean if spartan rooms.

Ironically, after showing up twice looking my best with all their rooms full, I had to somehow get a room after over a week without a shave or shower returning from our trek. The owner eyed me up but perhaps remembered me in better form and mercifully gave me a room. We had, after all, eaten nearly all our meals here on our previous stint in town and were likely to do the same. It's certainly THE place to eat in town with little competition.

It is a bustling place to don't expect total peace and quiet at meal times but this is part of the convenience of the place too.

It is a bit over priced at 30,000 ($15) for a double but its convenience and bustling atmosphere make it worth the price of admission.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: Photography, Budget Travel, Food and Dining
• Written August 7, 2010

the rooms surround the dining area

1 more images

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• richiecdisc
• Reviews: 5866

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Hotel Los Andes: the fresh smell of kerosene

Due to our bus arriving three hours later than planned and it being dark, our original choice of room was already full so we had to wander dark streets in search of something else. There wasn't much to choose from and eventually we stumbled upon Hotel Los Andes. We were led up to a fairly shabby room but it was cheap and with it was late so we just took it rather than face walking the streets all night or sleeping outside in the square. Once in the room on our own, we noticed a very strong chemical smell so I opened the window despite how cold it was outside. It wouldn't stay open and as we lay there we realized it was kerosene which they use to clean the wooden floors in South America. Fearing suffocation, I propped open the window with a piece of stray wood and this helped a bit. It was however too cold for the blankets provided so we broke out our sleeping bags and sought refuge in them.

We made it through the night and I went out in the morning to see if our original choice had a room and the owner couldn't say for sure. With only one more night in town before heading into the National Park, I went back to our place to see if they had a better room which they did. This one wasn't any nicer looking though a bit brighter and fortunately they hadn't just recently done the floors so no kerosene small either!

Though not nearly as bad as the electric showers in Bolvia, the ones at Hotel Los Andes were not the most welcoming. There seemed to be a big problem with water supply and often I found myself naked in the cold bathroom with no water, cold or hot.

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Related to: Budget Travel, National/State Park, Photography
• Written August 7, 2010

never got a pic of it but this is the street

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