El Beaterio

El Beaterio Review

As you sit in the coral stone lobby, with high ceilings, brick archways, and Spanish wrought-iron chandeliers, you're enmeshed in 500 years of history. Once a convent, this boutique hotel has beautifully quiet (albeit petite and dark) second-floor rooms with stone floors and small windows. In each room hangs a unique painting done on linen-like fabric. The once-heavy lobby furniture has been elegantly reupholstered, and better still, the ugly bedspreads in the rooms replaced with cream-colored satin ones and paired with earth-toned drapes. Using the same linen-like fabric, an artist has made a unique painting for each room. A French owner (absent) and French-speaking staff make El Beaterio attractive to Francophiles. In addition to the tranquil courtyard, there is also a rooftop terrace with a bar. You'll pay an extra $17 per night for air-conditioning, but room prices include tax and service.