Hotels in San Juan

San Juan is a sunny, orderly city in Argentina's arid west, rebuilt on a modern grid after a devastating 1944 earthquake, and the capital of a province better known for what surrounds it: Syrah vineyards, the moonscape of Ischigualasto, the Valley of the Moon, and some of the clearest night skies in the country.

It is not a tourist city, which is part of the appeal; prices are gentle and the welcome genuine. International rugby comes to the Estadio del Bicentenario on the outskirts, a modern 25,000-seater. Stay in the compact centre around Plaza 25 de Mayo; hotel stock is limited, so book well ahead for test-match weekends.