Puerto Mercado Hotel

The hotel’s classy, cheerfully decorated interior stands out in Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja, perhaps because the modern, functional-chic vibe is in direct contrast to the colonial-era architecture all around. The lobby features clean black and white lines and contemporary white love seats while a wall-sized water fountain splashes gently in one corner. Overall, the hotel is simple and sharp, and rises above expectations -- many similar offerings in the area are stuffy and outdated. Details throughout are given plenty of attention. The impeccably clean cafeteria is beyond tidy; the seating layout is perfectly symmetrical and everything arranged in an array of pink, cream, and orange. The bar is the highlight -- literally, it’s lit from underneath -- and colorful liquor bottles are artfully arranged behind it, adding a further appealing element to the space. For an alternative place to relax, drinks can be taken to a couch in the lounge where a fireplace is a particularly cozy touch alongside coffee-table books and free newspapers. For the reasonable price, it all feels quite lovely. The rates and location typically attract single travelers, some international tourists, and those traveling on a budget.  

This hotel is located in the charming historic district of Montevideo known as the Ciudad Vieja, just by the Merdao del Puerto, which is a big tourist stop in the city that's filled with all manner of goods and gastronomic delights just a three-minute walk from the hotel. The area is lively during the day, with a diverse blend of locals and tourists strolling the mostly pedestrian-only streets lined with colonial gems. The hotel's street is a partially pedestrian thoroughfare, where during the day pedestrians, taxis, and motorcycles squeeze by each other in both directions -- it’s really a bustling, vibrant mess of traffic. But at night the opposite happens -- the whole neighborhood turns eerily empty and it can be unsafe. In fact, officials have installed cameras on street corners in this part of the city to try and minimize crime. That aside, various restaurants, shops, and innumerable museums are within a two-minute walk, and Plaza Independencia and Teatro Solis will take 15 minutes to reach on foot. The trendy Punta Carretas neighborhood, filled with boutiques and nightlife, is a 15-minute cab ride away. The international airport takes 40 minutes to reach by car or taxi, while the Tres Cruces bus terminal is a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

Compared with many of the hotel offerings in the neighborhood, Puerto Mercado's rooms are a nice change of pace. The modern rooms vary a bit depending on their category, but the look across the board is fresh, with dark wood veneer headboards and vivid red or orange accents plus abstract multicolored art that match the patterns in the soft furnishings. The rooms are tasteful and tidy, with dark furniture that has clean lines and plenty of storage space. Some rooms can be small, and in the Double Standard Room that we visited the bed takes up most of the room. Additionally, a few of the rooms only have windows that open onto the corridor, so while they’re quieter than those facing the main street below, they’re also much darker. All rooms feature mini-fridges, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, safes, and a decent amount of storage space. The air-conditioning and heating systems can be individually controlled. Bathrooms are sharp and contemporary, though predictably compact, with clear-glass paneled showers, small vanities with vessel sinks, hairdryers, bathrobes, large mirrors, and bright lights. Hardware is all sleek and modern and toiletries are provided. The hotel has additional room categories available that make it stand out from the competition, like hypoallergenic and handicap-accessible rooms.

The hotel is small, but it does well with the little it has on offer -- like the breakfast cafeteria, which doubles as an informal cafe and then turns into a subdued bar scene at night. Shiny white countertops, flowers on every table, and tasteful artwork transform a relatively bland space into something a bit more inviting. A breakfast buffet is served here and included in the room rate -- while it includes things like eggs and meat, the offerings aren't great and the hotel doesn't serve lunch or dinner.

The bar area is tiny, but has a welcoming ambiance. It’s next to the cozy lounge area next door, which is equally inviting, with comfy couches surrounding a gas fireplace and a flat-screen TV. The sun-lighted roof ensures that the space remains bright all day long. A few computers line a far wall for guest use, and Wi-Fi is also free throughout the hotel, though it can get spotty in the rooms. There’s a conference hall that can house up to 150 people, and the roughly 6500 square foot room may be divisible into three different spaces. A gym and spa are in the works here, too -- extras that will certainly up the value here even more. Airport transfers can be arranged for a fee.