Ibis Montevideo - Montevideo, Uruguay     

Pros: - cheap (US$ 44 per room; hotels of the same category in Montevideo are usually around US$ 65, US$ 70 per room) - modern building and furniture (most hotels in Montevideo are old and have a decadent overall aspect) - clean - nice breakfast (although charged separately: US$ 5) - near the "Rambla" (a mixture of beach and lake where people go jogging, walking or running) - near Aladi's and Mercosur's offices (which could be great depending on the nature of your trip) Cons: - away from shopping malls, restaurants and clubs - internet conection doesn?t work properly and is highly overpriced (US$ 6 per day or US$ 2 for 30 minutes) Overall evaluation: excellent cost-benefit relation.

While the rate was great and we were allowed access to the room early without an additional charge, the memory that stays with me is the strong mildew smell. The hotel is a 20-30 minute walk to the center of town. So, unless you are prepared to walk, you must take a taxi wherever you go.