An air of relaxed sophistication greets you as you venture into the lobby of Hotel Nilas. Peruvian businessmen sit behind the building’s slightly retro facade, calmly chatting in the comfortable reception area with its flowery chairs, ceramic pots and paintings of local life. Occasional gringos flit in and out, braving the heat of the day or returning to the air-conditioned oases of their spotless rooms.
If you’re looking for somewhere safe, comfortable and well-appointed – and located right in the center of town – Hotel Nilas is definitely worth considering.
A 3-Star Tarapoto Hotel in the Center of Town
It may be above the budget of most shoestring backpackers, but Hotel Nilas is a good option if you want the modern amenities and level of service so often lacking in Tarapoto’s cheaper hotels and guesthouses.
All rooms come complete with highly effective air conditioning, cable TV, mini-bar, telephone, Wi-Fi and hot and cold water. Tiled floors and white walls keep the rooms bright and airy, while subtle splashes of decorative colour prevent things from feeling stark.
The hotel staff, meanwhile, goes about its business with quiet efficiency, ensuring that you return from your daytime wanderings to find your room as spotless as the day you arrived. The hotel itself is family-run; Javier Saavedra, the owner’s English-speaking son and general manager of Hotel Nilas, is a friendly and approachable man and a good source of local information and advice.
The Pool and Recreation Area
Another noteworthy feature of Hotel Nilas is the pool and recreation area. It’s a relaxed spot for a swim – at least when there are no screaming children nearby – or you can lounge around on a reclining chair surrounded by small palms and pot plants. Nearby you’ll find a pool table, a foosball (table football) table and a small gym, but all three have seen better days (missing pool balls, not all gym equipment works). Despite that, the pool area remains a focal point of the hotel and a comfortable place to relax in the heart (and heat) of Tarapoto.
Eating at Hotel Nilas
Like most hotels in Peru, Hotel Nilas prepares a free breakfast for all its guests. Unlike many Peruvian hotels, however, the breakfast at Nilas is actually worth getting up for – even with a hangover. Along with standard items such as bread, fruit and coffee, you can choose from breakfast-sized Peruvian specialties like juanes, humitas and tacu tacu. The hotel restaurant also serves food throughout the day, a handy option if you don’t feel like venturing out for a meal.
Hotel Nilas, Tarapoto: Rates and Further Info
Rooms at Hotel Nilas don’t come cheap, at least not when compared with many of Tarapoto’s smaller, simpler hotels and guesthouses. Bear in mind that the following rates are flexible, with these prices representing the higher end of the spectrum:
| Room | Price |
|---|---|
| Simple | S/. 130.00 |
| Double | S/. 180.00 |
| Triple | S/. 190.00 |
| Matrimonial | S/. 170.00 |
| Matrimonial + Sala | S/. 190.00 |
Hotel Nilas has special promotions as well as non-published rates for companies and individuals who are long-time frequent guests. There’s also a good chance that you can arrange a significantly reduced rate for longer stays, especially during low season.
Contact details:
Hotel Nilas
Address: Jr. Moyobamba 173 Tarapoto Peru (half a block from the main square)
Tel: 51-42-527331
Email: reservaciones@hotelnilas.com
Website: www.hotelnilas.com
If you have stayed at Hotel Nilas, feel free to write a review (long or short, positive or negative) in the comments section below. Thanks!
I am visiting Tarapoto for the third time and would not consider staying in another establishment. The overall friendly atmosphere makes one feel at home. I have stayed at other hotels and find the Nilas in a great location close to the heart of activity in the city and supplies what I want in a hotel. I was able to negotiate a better rate than the published one. They will work with you!
As well as being friendly they are honest as well. While having my laundry washed I left a s/10 note and a pocket knife in my pocket by accident. Both were handed back to me by the maid with a smile when the laundry was returned.
There is also free airport shuttle that runs to meet all departures and arrivals. This is a big help considering the other option is hiring a mototaxi to haul your gear. They are great for getting around town but not for suitcases.
This place seems really good, and I’ll definitely check it out on my next visit to Tarapoto. I had an excellent experience at the Hotel Lily during my last visiit to Tarapoto a few years ago. I’ll be interested to discover which one is a better buy for the money. Thanks for the post
I made my first trip to Tarapoto in September with my beautiful wife. We went to celebrate our 1st anniversary. We stayed at Hotel Nilas and it was great. The room was very comfortable and with a/c. It is perfect location ,close to the main square and anything you need ..supermarket..drugstore…restaurants. The staff were friendly and we felt very comfortable there. The morning breakfast (included) was more than usual. It was a full breakfast .
The pool was a real plus for us. Everyday soaking a little sun and getting in the pool to cool off.
I recommend the Hotel Nilas for anyone travelling to Tarapoto and I will definately be back.
My wife is from Tarapoto. We have been married for 37 years and live in Virginia. Whenever we go to Tarapoto we stay at NIlas. The comments about the staff are very correct. We have stayed at the Hotel Nilas 4 times over the years (when we don’t stay with family). My wife has become accustomed to A/C and none of her family have it. We are familiar with the owner and when ever we stay there he always invites us and some of my wife’s family for almuerzo. The Staff treat us like family and we know most of them by name. We love the breakfast and the other meals. But we also like the fact that is in the center of the city and close to my wife’s family. We love the pool and since we are long time guest, we do get a special Rate. We don’t even ask for it. We will be back next Summer for the 233 Anniversary!
Hi Joe and Blanca. I’m a big fan of Nilas — it has a nice vibe. It’s undergoing some fairly extensive renovations right now, so might be suffering from some additional construction noise. But the end results should be well worth the effort.