Hotel has charming, antique character
Iconic location at the entrance to the Ciudad Vieja
Walk to harbor, restaurants, and museums
Rooms are tidy and private, with small balconies and
stunning city views
Computer station with free coffee in the mornings
Free Wi-Fi
Twenty-four hour front desk
Neighborhood can feel dodgy at night
No on-site restaurant or breakfast
Lack of outlets in rooms
Bathrooms are dated
The 15-room Hotel Palacio is a value option at the
edge of the Ciudad Vieja with old-school rooms featuring flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning. It’s a historic hotel, and one whose age-old charm is as emblematic of the district as the surrounding museums and architecture. The classical factor has some drawbacks: there are limited outlets in rooms, rickety floors, outdated bathrooms, and no on-site restaurant. The location is ideal for those who want the best
starting point for exploring Montevideo’s most picturesque district by day, but those looking for dining and nightlife should consider Intercity
Premium in the elegant Punta Carretas neighborhood -- it's a more sophisticated
(and pricier) alternative.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Simple, historic hotel with old school charms
Hotel Palacio is on the corner of a vibrant intersection at
the entrance to Ciudad Vieja, where during the day the street buzzes with
vendors hawking their wares, tourists wandering around, and businesspeople
heading to work. It’s an iconic spot that’s fitting for this European-style
hotel with a long history: Hotel Palacio’s tenure here started in the early 1900s. The grand wrought-iron elevator that greets
guests at the entrance is a reflection of the hotel’s ability to stand the test
of time, and to do so with a certain grace. Overall, though, the hotel is a humble affair, with a small wooden lobby and a handsome computer room making up the extent of it's common areas. The simple property is best suited for couples, friends, and families that appreciate location over on-site features.
Location
Area buzzes with daytime activity and history, but can get sketchy at night
Hotel Palacio’s location at the entrance to Montevideo's scenic Ciudad
Vieja is one of this hotel's strengths and one of its weaknesses. During the day, the hotel provides a perfect base to explore Montevideo's most historic neighborhood -- there’s a bakery around the corner, the
seafood restaurants by the harbor are only 15 minutes away on foot, and there are museums, parks, and cathedrals sprinkled throughout this
charming district. Yet at night Ciudad Vieja
is a ghost-town, and the deeper into the neighborhood you go, the sketchier it
gets. Because Hotel Palacio stands right on the border of this district, it’s a
bit tamer, but still night-time ambience is lacking overall. Cabs to
other parts of Montevideo are easy to find here, and most of the nightlife and swank dinner spots are located elsewhere, in neighborhoods like Punta Carretas or Pocitos, a 10 to 15-minute ride from the hotel. The international airport is about 40 minutes away via taxi,
and ferries to Buenos Aires depart from the Terminal Fluviomaritima, a 15-minute walk from the hotel. The Tres Cruces Bus Station is a 15-minute drive.
Rooms
Basic and clean, with antique details and dated bathrooms
Rooms here are basic, but private and impeccably clean, while the hotel’s age is reflected in details that are both charming or frustrating -- real
keys open the huge room doors (rather than key cards), plus there are creaky hardwood
floors and handsome antique pieces like desks with marble tops, and a serious lack of electrical outlets. Rooms feature tube-style TVs, as well as
mini-fridges, desks, and air-conditioning. Cream colored walls are hung with antique lithographs or sketches, and beds are made with bedspreads underneath simple wood headboards. The look is decidedly old school. More importantly, sleeping here is
peaceful, as the wooden shutters
keep out much of the noise and light from outside. Requesting a Superior Room on one of
the top floors is definitely worth it: the balcony views of the harbor and Ciudad
Vieja offer a truly charming perspective of Montevideo. Bathrooms, though, look dated as opposed to deliberately old, with tan or blue tiling, curtained stand-up showers, and pedestal sinks with no counter space.
Features
Free Wi-Fi and computer room with free coffee
The features are extremely limited at the Hotel Palacio, even for being a budget hotel. There is no on-site restaurant and breakfast is not served. The attractive computer room off the lobby has free coffee and there are some books to peruse as well. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The front desk is manned around the clock.
