Hotel Cecilia

Wood floors run through every room at Hotel Cecilia, laid decades ago and kept polished under tall windows facing the street. The hotel holds a well-known corner in central Asunción, steps from Plaza Uruguaya and within walking distance of the sacred art museum and the old train terminal nearby. Rooms are simple and European in feel: a Single at 30 square metres with a double bed and desk, a Family Room of 45 square metres across two bedrooms, and an Executive Suite with sound-proofed windows and a jacuzzi bathroom. Several rooms look toward the bay. On the roof, a terrace and pool open onto views over the city; downstairs, Restaurant La Preferida has served meals here since 1946. You can hear the traffic of the historic centre from a front-facing room, then step down for chipa or a coffee at a nearby café. Function rooms range from a small eight-person salon to the 217-square-metre Gerardo Wagner hall, which seats up to 160 for events. The hotel keeps a gym, a business centre and 24-hour reception, along with secure parking. It is a compact, well-placed stay for guests who want the museums, shops and plazas of central Asunción within a short walk, in a building that still carries its mid-century character.