7 Best Hotels in Sucre, Southern Bolivia

Truly unique accommodations are not common in Bolivia, but British/Canadian couple June and Ed have created just that in Sky Hacienda, which took nearly three years to complete. Every detail of this modern, stylish countryside retreat 25 minutes from Sucre is carefully curated, and most of it was dreamed up and handmade by the owners. From the first footfall on the polished earth floor to the monumental Gaudi-esque pillar that anchors the circular living area, the design is personal, funky, and intriguing. There are only two rooms, and they are world-class in style and comfort; they may have the best beds in Bolivia. Activities range from lazing around the hot tub with cocktails to hiking in the nearby countryside, or even trips farther abroad. Although it's isolated from the city, a free shuttle into town is offered daily. Meals are all prepared by June, who whips up professionally finished home cooking. Lunches, dinners, and drinks are not included in the price.

When you notice the colorful wood ceiling in the reception room—a reproduction of the original painted by a Jesuit priest—you know instantly that this family-owned hotel is a gem. Built as a private home in the late 17th century, the gleaming white colonial structure with a handsome rooftop terrace has large, airy rooms with sunlight streaming in through tall windows. The top-floor rooms are the best, and are worth the extra cost. All the outdoor spaces are inviting, particularly the upper terraces and the sundeck that offers excellent views of the entire city.

This is the typical Sucre hotel experience of an old colonial-style mansion-turned-hotel, but La Posada rises to the top thanks to its recent renovation and expansion and its location not half a block from the plaza. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with new finishes; unfortunately they are a little dark because of the small windows that come with the old architecture. Those on the second level, overlooking the ancient apricot tree in the courtyard, are the best, with nice open spaces to relax in.

Calm and soothing, the well-kept lobby that greets you as you walk into the Hotel Monasterio sets the perfect tone for this beautiful hotel, once a 16th-century monastery. Though a couple of the rooms have rather overbearing decor (the blue room and the gold room, in particular), most are nicely decorated and comfortable.

These four independent cottages are scattered around a lively but well-kept garden with views over the city. The price of the views (and the absolute peace and quiet) is a location a fair way from the central plaza and up a lung-busting flight of stairs if you’re walking. It's probably not the best option if you have only a few days in the city with plenty of hurried exploring to do. The exterior garden spaces encourage plenty of lazing about, and the rooms mirror that welcoming charm.

This hotel has a serious claim to the top spot in Sucre to spend your tourist dollars. Details throughout the hotel blend traditional colonial architecture with a colorful Bolivian finish. The manicured central courtyard garden and the expansive bougainvillea that flows down from the third floor will definitely grab your attention, but it's the little things that will win you over: the option to try a traditional breakfast with bread made in a wood-fired oven; the comfortable and colorful lounging area; the luxurious and modern rooms decorated in colorful good taste.

This impeccable hotel offers something different in a city full of hotels set in colonial-style buildings. Here, you'll find a stylish, modern take on mid-19th-century neoclassical, republican architecture. The central courtyard with its tall red columns surrounding a pleasant fountain wows as you walk in, and the rooms more than deliver on this initial promise. They are all tastefully decorated and unassumingly luxurious, and always respectful of the surrounding historic building. The best rooms are on the ground floor overlooking the spacious and beautiful garden out back, but all are a pleasure to be in.