Maracaibo Hotels and Accommodation

(Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela)



Maracaibo has nowhere near the accommodation options of Caracas and the better known beach areas, although there are several high-end hotels in downtown. If you need a good bed, you will have to go for at least a three-star hotel, as the beds here are notoriously hard in the cheaper places.

Although five-star lodging options are naturally expensive, they are cheaper than in Caracas, plus Maracaibo also has a good complement of local guest houses (posadas). You can really save money with this type of accommodation and these local guest houses don't usually need to be booked ahead of time.


Where to Stay

Most of the accommodation in Maracaibo is clustered around Calle 77 (north of the city centre) and towards the city's edge at the lake. This is where you will find the better chain hotels. These hotels are best booked ahead of time and, if you do so online, there is a good chance of receiving a sizeable discount.

At the lower end of the scale are the posadas - Venezuelan guest houses. These are akin to bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), being family-run, individual, and with breakfast and possibly even dinner. Prices vary widely for this type of accommodation, as does quality.

Backpackers are best off going for posadas, as youth hostels are thin on the ground, plus the budget end of the accommodation spectrum in Maracaibo usually puts you in an unsafe area. Levels of crime in Maracaibo are on par with elsewhere in Venezuela, meaning high.

For the cheapest decent hotels, you will likely need to stay in the northerly suburbs, with little choice of budget accommodation in the historic centre. However, both the Plaza Baralt and the Avenida El Milagro come with affordable lodging.

Popular hotels in Maracaibo include the Hotel Union (mid-range) on Calle 4, the even better Aeropuerto, with its pool and restaurant, and the top-end Crowne Plaza. The latter is more a business-type hotel and is not far from the airport.