Despite being more than 50 years old, the Pepita is one of the best budget hotels on the island. The blue-and-white facade is painted frequently, as are the rooms. Wooden shutters cover screened windows that keep out the bugs (who thrive happily among the courtyard's many plants and shrubs). Cable TV, refrigerators, and air-conditioning are surprising pluses given the low room rates. Shelves in the lobby are stacked high with novels in several languages, and German and Dutch are as common as Spanish and English during conversations over free coffee around the long wooden table in the courtyard. There are no kitchen facilities, but plenty of small markets and cafés nearby. Pros: untouristy neighborhood; amiable staff. Cons: buggy (keep doors closed); no phones in rooms; some staff speak Spanish only.
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