Hotel Aranjuez is tucked away in the wealthiest residential area of Cochabamba. Although it's far from central activities it seems like a great setting for visitors who simply come to Cochabamba to relax. For our one-night stop, it was no problem.

Jose Jordan and the rest of the staff welcomed us warmly. After all of our e-mails and IMs, it was great finally meeting Jose face-to-face. The young porter was intrigued by our visit to Torotoro, a location considered remote by most people. The kind staff all spoke English, and was helpful in getting us to the airport the next morning. The hotel is only about 10 minutes away.

Lobby of Hotel Aranjuez

Our room--$59/night is a big step up from a hostal!

The hotel offers free internet, although there's only one computer—a very slow iMac. Still, free is free, and we definitely made use of it. Jose claims the hotel restaurant is the best in town, although truthfully in Bolivia the range is pretty small. We had a wonderful dinner there, but it did not open early enough for us to get breakfast before leaving.

I refer to Hotel Aranjuez as "the fancy hotel" because its price was 5 times more than our usual hostals and pensions, but it was hardly oppressively high-end. Simply, the hotel had character.

Our room featured two firm and comfortable double beds, cable TV (with American programming!), plenty of hot water, storage space and dark wood detailing. There was a pretty outdoor pool surrounded by greenery, but unfortunately not heated. Jose said they're working on that. The mid-sized dining room was very gracious.

Jose and his 12-year-old daughter Camela treated us to dinner; sadly, his youngest daughter was sick so his wife stayed home as well. Bolivia is hardly known for its cuisine, so after 3 days in Torotoro, we relished the chance to eat non-traditional food.

Camela in her new American skirt

All the options on the extensive menu sounded delicious, especially the way Jose described them. In the end all four of us ordered the "Chicken Aranjuez," a breast fillet stuffed with herbs and cheese, wrapped in bacon and served with shoestring fries. Add some Fanta and it was heaven. We also polished off two baskets of garlic toasts, which were delicious, and finished up with sundaes, which were not. Bolivians do not understand the concept of ice cream.

Unfortunately Jose would not be coming to work the next morning until after we'd gone to the airport, so we had to say our goodbyes after dinner—with a big hug from Camela who loved the denim miniskirt I'd brought her.

Hotel Aranjuez is highly recommended to anyone who is going to Cochabamba. Although it's definitely not a budget option, it's also not out of reach. The main reason to stay there is the wonderful manager Jose, whose family built the hotel. His generosity, kindness and enthusiasm for sharing his country with visitors truly touched me, and showed me a different side of Bolivia.

Hotel Aranjuez

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