Where to stay · Montevideo · Uruguay
Where to stay in Montevideo
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Ciudad Vieja. The old port peninsula of colonial and art deco streets, museums and parrillas. Best alternatives — families: Parque Rodó; budget: Centro; nightlife: Cordón.
Key facts
- First visit
- Ciudad Vieja
- Families
- Parque Rodó
- Budget
- Centro
- Nightlife
- Cordón
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Ciudad Vieja | The old port peninsula of colonial and art deco streets, museums and parrillas |
| Families | Parque Rodó | A lakeside park, an art museum and bars near Playa Ramírez |
| Couples | Ciudad Vieja | The old port peninsula of colonial and art deco streets, museums and parrillas |
| Budget | Centro | Avenida 18 de Julio's art deco façades, shops, cafés and theatres |
| Luxury | Punta Carretas | A leafy point with a lighthouse, a golf course and a mall in a former prison |
| Nightlife | Cordón | University streets, the Sunday flea market and craft-beer bars |
| Solo travellers | Cordón | University streets, the Sunday flea market and craft-beer bars |
| Shopping | Centro | Avenida 18 de Julio's art deco façades, shops, cafés and theatres |
| Quiet stays | Pocitos | Apartment towers above the city's favourite beach and Rambla |
| Beach | Parque Rodó | A lakeside park, an art museum and bars near Playa Ramírez |
Montevideo neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and couples
Ciudad Vieja
The historic peninsula west of Plaza Independencia holds the Mercado del Puerto, the Cabildo, the cathedral and most of the city's museums, linked by the pedestrian Peatonal Sarandí. Boutique hotels occupy restored 19th-century buildings, and the Buquebus ferry terminal to Buenos Aires is at its edge.
- Good
- Walk to the historic sights; Atmospheric architecture; Close to the ferry port
- Watch out
- Many streets are quiet after dark and on Sundays; Few beaches nearby
- Nearby
- Mercado del Puerto, Plaza Matriz, Museo Torres García, Teatro Solís
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and shopping
Centro
The Centro runs east from Plaza Independencia along Avenida 18 de Julio, the main commercial street, lined with art deco buildings such as the Palacio Salvo and the Palacio Santos, traditional cafés and cinemas. It has many mid-range hotels and is where carnival's opening parade passes.
- Good
- Central with buses in every direction; Good-value hotels; Walk to the Ciudad Vieja
- Watch out
- Busy traffic; Less charm than the old town or the coast
- Nearby
- Plaza Independencia, Palacio Salvo, Plaza Cagancha, Palacio Municipal
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Cordón
East of the Centro, Cordón is a student district around the University of the Republic, with bookshops, inexpensive bars and the Sunday Feria de Tristán Narvaja, a sprawling flea and produce market. Hostels and short-term rentals are common.
- Good
- Inexpensive; Local bars and cafés; Close to the Centro
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Some run-down blocks
- Nearby
- Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Universidad de la República, Avenida 18 de Julio
$$ · Best for families, nightlife, budget and beach
Parque Rodó
Built around the park of the same name, this district has the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales, a small amusement park, a boating lake and Playa Ramírez on the Rambla. Bars and restaurants around the park fill with a young crowd at weekends, and the Teatro de Verano hosts carnival murga contests.
- Good
- Park and beach on the doorstep; Lively but relaxed bars; Midway between Centro and Pocitos
- Watch out
- Weekend noise around the park; Limited hotel choice
- Nearby
- Parque Rodó, Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales, Playa Ramírez, Teatro de Verano
$$$ · Best for families, beach, couples and quiet stays
Pocitos
Pocitos is a dense residential district of mid-century apartment blocks fronting a curved sandy beach, with cafés, ice-cream shops and restaurants along the Rambla and inland streets such as Avenida Brasil and Bulevar España. It is a comfortable base for longer stays and beach time in summer.
- Good
- Beach and Rambla at your door; Many cafés and restaurants; Feels safe and residential
- Watch out
- Twenty minutes or more by bus from the Ciudad Vieja; Busy beach in January
- Nearby
- Playa Pocitos, Rambla, Punta Carretas Shopping
$$$ · Best for luxury, couples, shopping and quiet stays
Punta Carretas
Between Parque Rodó and Pocitos, Punta Carretas juts into the river at its lighthouse, with the Club de Golf del Uruguay, quiet residential streets and Punta Carretas Shopping, built inside a former prison. Upscale hotels and restaurants make it a calm, polished base.
- Good
- Quiet, attractive streets; Close to the Rambla and beaches; Good restaurants
- Watch out
- Far from the old town; Few budget options
- Nearby
- Faro de Punta Carretas, Punta Carretas Shopping, Playa Pocitos
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families and beach
Carrasco
Carrasco, at the eastern end of the Rambla, is Montevideo's most affluent district, with large houses, tree-lined avenues, a long beach and the restored 1920s Hotel Carrasco. It is about 10 minutes from the airport but 30–40 minutes from the Ciudad Vieja.
- Good
- Wide clean beaches; Close to the airport; Calm and green
- Watch out
- Far from the main sights; Car or taxi needed
- Nearby
- Playa Carrasco, Hotel Carrasco, Parque Rivera
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and families
Prado
North of the centre, the Prado was the 19th-century retreat of wealthy families, and its mansions and parks remain. The Rosedal rose garden, the Jardín Botánico and the Museo Blanes in a Palladian villa make it a peaceful half-day, and the Rural del Prado grounds host Expo Prado and the Semana Criolla.
- Good
- Green and peaceful; Historic architecture; Seasonal gaucho events
- Watch out
- Few hotels or restaurants; Bus or taxi needed to reach the centre
- Nearby
- Rosedal del Prado, Jardín Botánico, Museo Blanes, Rural del Prado
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Ciudad Vieja | $$$ | Mercado del Puerto, Plaza Matriz, Museo Torres García, Teatro Solís |
| Centro | $$ | Plaza Independencia, Palacio Salvo, Plaza Cagancha, Palacio Municipal |
| Cordón | $$ | Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Universidad de la República, Avenida 18 de Julio |
| Parque Rodó | $$ | Parque Rodó, Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales, Playa Ramírez, Teatro de Verano |
| Pocitos | $$$ | Playa Pocitos, Rambla, Punta Carretas Shopping |
| Punta Carretas | $$$ | Faro de Punta Carretas, Punta Carretas Shopping, Playa Pocitos |
| Carrasco | $$$$ | Playa Carrasco, Hotel Carrasco, Parque Rivera |
| Prado | $$ | Rosedal del Prado, Jardín Botánico, Museo Blanes, Rural del Prado |
Getting to your hotel
Carrasco International Airport (MVD) is about 20 km east of the centre. Intercity buses stop outside the terminal and run to the Tres Cruces bus station in about 45 minutes; taxis and remises (pre-booked cars) take about 30–40 minutes to the Centro or Pocitos.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Montevideo for first-time visitors?
Ciudad Vieja. The historic peninsula west of Plaza Independencia holds the Mercado del Puerto, the Cabildo, the cathedral and most of the city's museums, linked by the pedestrian Peatonal Sarandí.
+Where should families stay in Montevideo?
Parque Rodó: Park and beach on the doorstep.
+Which area of Montevideo is best for a budget stay?
Centro ($$): Avenida 18 de Julio's art deco façades, shops, cafés and theatres.