A great budget hotel in the heart of Buenos Aires

The hotel is within the bustling downtown area

Location

The first thing to mention about Hotel Milan is its great location. Just metres away from the centre of Avenida Corrientes, where many of the theatres, cinemas and restaurants are located, it is ideal for culture-lovers or anyone who wants to be close to the heart of the city. The hotel is in the ‘microcentro’ district and it’s here that you’ll find many of the main sights of Buenos Aires, such as the Obelisk and the Casa Rosada. The upmarket district of Recoleta – home to the famous cemetery, the resting place of Evita – is also within easy walking distance. Subte (underground) stops are handily located nearby for anywhere else you want to get to.

A standard single room in Hotel Milan

Rooms

There are double and single rooms available. The rooms are simple but pleasant, with a light and airy feel. There is adequate storage space, a safe, a TV and that all-important free WiFi access, a real plus. The ensuite bathrooms are small but perfectly formed, with everything you need. The only downside is that the street-facing rooms can be quite noisy – that’s the tradeoff you get for the great location, so consider packing your earplugs.

Computer area in the lobby

Service

The really outstanding thing about Hotel Milan is the service.

Every member of staff that I came into contact with during my stay was professional, friendly and helpful. This approach never faltered, even when I forgot the code I’d programmed into the safe – they simply sent up the maintenance man to sort it out right away!

The buffet breakfast included with the room price is the standard continental fare but it is plentiful and fresh and there’s enough hot coffee to get your day off to a good start. There are two computers available for use if you don’t have your own device with you. The staff at the front desk are always ready to answer any questions or requests you might have, although some have better English than others.

You can book your stay at Hotel Milan on www.budgetplaces.com, where rooms with breakfast included start at 30 euros per night.

Disclosure: My stay at the Hotel Milan was sponsored by budgetplaces, but all opinions are my own.

At first glance Hotel Cedran looks very unassuming.

It’s location is impressive just off one of the main traffic arteries of Granada: the Gran Via

Once you step inside, there is a small reception area. The receptionist was friendly and helpful.

The room was comfortable and clean.

Recently I suspect it has been redecorated so was clean, comfortable and quite minimalistic.

There’s a small TV in the corner of the room if you’re looking for some form of entertainment.

The key thing for me and my travelling mate : the awesome @theaussienomad was the Free Wifi-excellent signal and not one bother during our stay.

Plus it had a great, working AC unit. We were there in late June and it was baking inGranada-around 40C so this was great.

The bathroom is clean and equipped with good range of basic toiletries and clean towels.

Verdict

Overall for a price of just 40 euros for a double via BudgetPlaces.com for the price, location this is a great budget hotel option in Granada.

Highly recommend.

Disclosure: My stay in Hotel Cedran was sponsored by BudgetPlaces.com

The views and opinions expressed by me here are entirely my own.

Hotel Cedran

C/ Cedrán 5
Granada

Amongst the rickshaws and crowds of Old Delhi, travellers might be forgiven for forgetting Delhi has a sky, let alone the Yamuna River. But go north, to the New Tibetan Colony, and you can stay by its very edge.

Majnu ka Tilla, Tibetian Colony in Delhi

Accommodation here is not expensive. This writer stayed in a twin room at the Wongdhen with a river view for Rs. 375. The scope for bargaining, however, is lower than Pahar Ganj and there are far fewer hotels to choose from. Travellers should also be prepared for the narrow, twisting lanes of the settlement.

While the original purpose of the Colony was simply to house refugees, today it has become an outpost of Tibetan culture.

Prayer flags dominate the skyline, and every second person seems to be a monk.

In general, restaurants here retain a distinctly Tibetan menu and are clean, cheap and good.

As well as chow mein, try momos (stuffed dumplings), thukpa (chow mein in soup), shabalay (spring roll cum Cornish pasty), fing (vermicelli) and tingmo (a steamed bun eaten with gravy).

For the genuine Tibetan experience, it’s impossible to escape trying Tibetan tea (tea with yak butter).

The Colony is situated outside of the centre, and travellers should be aware that the Colony lacks some conveniences, not least an ATM (the nearest is at Delhi University).

From personal experience, this writer ventures that monsoon is not the best time to stay: river flooding caused all Internet facilities to shut, and at one point part of the street was shut off due to the fact a stray wire had electrified the puddles.

Nevertheless, for more leisurely budget travellers the quieter atmosphere can be worth the journey.

The area of Majnu Ka Tilla is not without charm: colonial buildings fester away in the undergrowth, boys play cricket on the road, and Delhi University is close by.

Furthermore, a rickshaw to the nearest metro, Vidhan Sabha metro costs Rs 15 local price but it is also possible to walk.