Budget Travel - Budget Hotel at CCS (Venezuela)!

Hi, I am traveling to CCS for 5 days and 4 nights. The thing is I will be arriving on a thursday morning, and hotels are incredibly expensive. On Firday, my family arrives and we booked the Embassy Suites for $199 a night for 3 nights. The thing is they want $400 USD for a weekday night (Thursday night). Anyone here knows a cheap and safe place to spend the night in CCS on thursday?

Also, what is the safest way to travel from the airport to downtown Caracas?

Thanks in advance.

test.

Hi, I am traveling to CCS for 5 days and 4 nights. The thing is I will be arriving on a thursday morning, and hotels are incredibly expensive. On Firday, my family arrives and we booked the Embassy Suites for $199 a night for 3 nights. The thing is they want $400 USD for a weekday night (Thursday night). Anyone here knows a cheap and safe place to spend the night in CCS on thursday?

I gather you aren't in the market for a real hardcore budget hotel. $200 is quite a bit of money in Venezuela. I've stayed in the Hotel Coliseo (http://www.hotelcoliseo.com.ve/) which was nothing special, but it was clean, spacious (I did stay in the "semi-suite"), and with pleasant service. For the semi-suite, it's showing rates of 500BsF, which is over $200 using the "official" exchange rate.

Another good alternative could be one of the Hoteles Cumberland (http://www.hotelescumberland.com/) properties. The Caracas is a bit more central, the Chacao is in a more upmarket neighbourhood, both should be good. I 've not stayed at either but the chain's got a good local reputation, and I've stayed at their hotel in MAR and have been very pleased.

DO NOT under any circumstances stay overnight in anything that's to the West of Colegio de Ingenieros metro station. It's a rough area...bustling in the daytime, and it's alright for a walk or some bargaining in the little shops, but it gets dodgy in the night. AFAIK, no nightlife or anything either.

Also, what is the safest way to travel from the airport to downtown Caracas?

There are "officially licensed" massive black 4x4s parked outside the terminals, or you can call and pre-book a taxi from one of the city's lineas de taxis (http://www.caracas24.net/Caracas-Taxis.htm). The one in Pza Venezuela is always manned and was the cheapest of the 3-4 I asked around Sab. Grande, but YMMV as that was in 2005! :p
Lineas de taxis are as safe as the black SUVs, and a fair bit (30-50%) cheaper, too. Plus their white Hyundais etc don't scream "mafia boss/dodgy gov't official".

Thanks graraps!!!

I emailed Hotel Cumberland Caracas for rates and their web page states they are in the 200 BSF range. Also, thanks for the TAXI tip ("lineas de taxis en caracas").

no problem. Enjoy CCS and report back with your experiences. :D

My budget recommendation is Hotel La Parada, located about 5 minutes from CCS in Catia Del Mar. Clean, perfectly adequate for an overnight layover. It's directly under the flight path, so you WILL know when one of the few late night arrivals come in. A couple of years ago it cost me ~$30 (US) for a single including airport transfers. No on-line booking. I called from arrivals and they came right over.

* Telephone: 212 351 2148
* Email: hotel_la_parada@hotmail.com