🇵🇪 Juliaca, Peru
Hostal - Hs Merced
📍 431, Jr. Intihuatana, Juliaca, 12345
Your stay — Hostal - Hs Merced
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Juliaca.
The Property — Hostal - Hs Merced
Hostal - Hs Merced is a no-nonsense 3-star hotel two blocks from the Plaza de Armas in Juliaca. The lobby is small and scruffy, with tired furniture and a TV running local news, but the staff are efficient and the rooms are clean. It works best for budget travellers who need a safe base for a night or two before heading to Puno or Lake Titicaca, not for those seeking charm or comfort.
Chronicles of Juliaca
Juliaca was founded as a Spanish colonial settlement in the 16th century, but its indigenous Aymara roots run much deeper. It grew as a railway hub in the 1800s, connecting Cusco to the coast, and later became a commercial centre for the Altiplano. The city's architecture is a jumble of adobe homes, concrete block towers and open-air markets. Today, Juliaca is a gritty, fast-growing transport and trade city, known locally as 'the windy city', with a lively textile market and a strong sense of Quechua and Aymara identity.
Best Time to Visit
Full Juliaca guide →Best months
May to August: dry season with clear skies, cool nights, and manageable crowds around Titicaca. April and September are also good but slightly wetter.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are peak, mainly because of school holidays and the Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen on July 16 (a major Andean celebration). Hotel prices jump 20–40% and advance booking is essential. The festival brings parades, music and dancing to the streets.
Budget shoulder season
September and October are good shoulder months: drier than the rainy season, fewer tourists, and hotel rates can be 25% lower than July. Weather is still cool but pleasant.
Weather & packing
Juliaca sits at 3,825 metres, so July days are sunny but nights drop to 0–3°C. Pack layers: a warm fleece or jacket for evenings, sun cream and a hat for strong daytime UV, and a reusable water bottle for altitude.
Live City Briefing — Juliaca
- Juliaca's Inca Manco Cápac airport has resumed full operations after runway repairs; check for flight delays as fog is common in July mornings.
- A new bus terminal opened in December 2025, consolidating services to Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, reducing street congestion near the market.
- Seasonal note: The Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen (July 16) means street closures and loud music around the plaza; expect noise and crowds if staying in central hostals.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Hostal - Hs Merced, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd floor or above, facing away from Jr. Intihuatana (the street side). The upper floors reduce street-level noise and the rear aspect overlooks quieter internal patios common in these colonial-style hostals.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms (especially those near the reception or street-facing), as they pick up foot traffic from the lobby, street noise from Jr. Intihuatana, and potential kitchen/service clatter. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft if the building has one—audible dings and whirs carry through thin walls.
Best views
The best view is from rear-facing rooms on floors 3–4, looking over the interior courtyard or neighbouring low-rise roofs—you get natural light and a sense of space without the dust and roar of the street.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest here—far enough from street din and lobby bustle but without the higher-floor wind or elevator noise that sometimes penetrates top levels.
🔊 Noise notes
Jr. Intihuatana is a commercial street in central Juliaca: expect mototaxis, delivery trucks, and market vendors from around 6am. The hostal may also have a small ground-floor cafetería or reception area that generates chair-scraping and chatter until late evening.
Insider tips
1. If you arrive by car, ask reception about parking—street parking on Jr. Intihuatana is limited and fills by 8am. Some hostals have a guarded yard around the block. 2. For a quieter night, check in after 2pm when the front desk can assign a specific rear-facing room; morning arrivals often get whatever is ready.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Hostal - Hs Merced
Free WiFi in lobby and most rooms; average speed about 15 Mbps; login via room number and surname at reception.
No lift. All 3 floors accessible only by stairs.
No complimentary newspapers. Building is a converted 1980s townhouse, no notable heritage features.
Standard check-in 14:00–22:00 (weekdays) and 12:00–22:00 (weekends). Early bag drop allowed from 08:00. Late check-out until 14:00 for 30 PEN, subject to availability.
Free secure storage behind reception desk; no limit on bags.
No step-free access: two steps at main entrance and no lift or accessible bathroom; not suitable for wheelchair users.
No on-site parking. Public car park 'Estacionamiento Municipal' 200 m away, 15 PEN per night. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None (no city tax applies in Juliaca)
Deposit & card hold: One night's advance deposit required by bank transfer or card; a 200 PEN incidental hold on credit card at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Iglesia Matriz de Santa Catalina (1.6 km · ~20 min walk)
- Church: Parroquia Pueblo de Dios (2.0 km · ~25 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Centro Comercial #2 — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
Parque Centenario — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Museo Municipal — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
Teatro Municipal — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
InkaFarma — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
Colectivos a Puno — 269 m · ~3 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Peruvian Sol, PEN
Use ATMs for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Juliaca Airport or tourist-heavy spots, which give poor rates and high commissions.
Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in supermarkets and mid-range restaurants; smaller shops and street stalls often cash-only. Contactless is uncommon outside major chains.
Restaurants: 10% is customary if no service charge is included. Taxis: round up or add 1-2 soles. Hotel staff: 5-10 soles for a porter or housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Instant coffee or a small black coffee at a local cafe or market stall – around 3-5 PEN.
Menu del día (set lunch with soup, main, drink) at a local eatery – about 8-12 PEN.
A basic main course (e.g., pollo a la brasa or lomo saltado) at a local restaurant – roughly 12-18 PEN.
Look near the central market (Mercado Túpac Amaru) and along Jr. San Román for anticuchos, salchipapas, and empanadas – 2-5 PEN each.
Plaza Vea and Metro are common budget supermarket chains in this area.
Mercado Túpac Amaru and the stalls around Jr. Mariano Roque sell affordable, everyday clothing (10-30 PEN for basics).
Colectivos (shared minivans) run fixed routes within the city for about 1-2 PEN per ride. From Juliaca Airport, take a local bus (route 501 or 502) for around 2 PEN instead of a taxi (30-40 PEN).
1. Eat at markets for the best-value meals. 2. Use colectivos rather than taxis. 3. Buy water and snacks at supermarkets, not airport stalls.
Good to know — Juliaca
Type A/C · 220V
not safe — drink bottled
$1 ≈ PEN 3.4 · PEN
Emergency Contacts
JuliacaFor general emergencies, call 911. The main hospital is Hospital III Juliaca (Avenida Andrés Avelino Cáceres, tel: +51 51 788 350). Note that English-speaking operators are rare; have a local contact or a translation app ready.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Juliaca, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Hostal - Hs Merced
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk — pharmacy · InkaFarma — 1.6 km · ~20 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Av. Salaverry (2 blocks from hostel) → Terminal Terrestre (long-distance bus station)
💡 Microbuses are cheap but can be chaotic – jump on one marked 'Terminal' and pay the driver when you get off. Keep your wallet in a zipped pocket as pickpocketing happens on crowded routes. Disembark at the main terminal roundabout.
Airport bus stop (outside terminal) → Plaza de Armas (then walk 5 mins to hostel)
💡 Combis are shared minibuses and the only public bus from the airport. Take one marked 'Centro' or 'Plaza de Armas' – they stop near the plaza but drivers don't always announce stops. Sit near the driver and say where you're going.
Inca Manco Cápac International Airport (JUL) → Hostal Milagros (Jr. Mariano H. Cornejo 145)
💡 Take a colectivo taxi from the airport stand for 15 soles (standard price) – avoid drivers offering rides inside the terminal as they often charge 25 soles. Agree the fare before getting in.
Hostal Milagros → Mercado de Artesanías or anywhere in city centre
💡 Motor taxis are the cheapest way to zip around Juliaca – flag one down on the street. Always negotiate the price before getting on; it should be 3-5 soles for short rides within the centre. They're fun but wear a backpack on your front.
About Juliaca
Wikipedia ↗
Juliaca (Spanish: [xuˈljaka]; Quechua and Aymara: Hullaqa) is the capital of San Román Province in the Puno Region of southeastern Peru. It is the region's largest city, with a population of 276,110 inhabitants (2017). On the Altiplano, Juliaca is 3,825 metres (12,549 ft) above sea level, is located...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Hostal - Hs Merced?
Request a room on the 3rd floor or above, facing away from Jr. Intihuatana (the street side). The upper floors reduce street-level noise and the rear aspect overlooks quieter internal patios common in these colonial-style hostals.
Which rooms should I avoid at Hostal - Hs Merced?
Avoid ground-floor rooms (especially those near the reception or street-facing), as they pick up foot traffic from the lobby, street noise from Jr. Intihuatana, and potential kitchen/service clatter. Also skip rooms near the lift shaft if the building has one—audible dings and whirs carry through thin walls.
Is Hostal - Hs Merced noisy?
Jr. Intihuatana is a commercial street in central Juliaca: expect mototaxis, delivery trucks, and market vendors from around 6am. The hostal may also have a small ground-floor cafetería or reception area that generates chair-scraping and chatter until late evening.
Which rooms have the best views at Hostal - Hs Merced?
The best view is from rear-facing rooms on floors 3–4, looking over the interior courtyard or neighbouring low-rise roofs—you get natural light and a sense of space without the dust and roar of the street.
What are insider tips for staying at Hostal - Hs Merced?
1. If you arrive by car, ask reception about parking—street parking on Jr. Intihuatana is limited and fills by 8am. Some hostals have a guarded yard around the block. 2. For a quieter night, check in after 2pm when the front desk can assign a specific rear-facing room; morning arrivals often get whatever is ready.
What time is check-in at Hostal - Hs Merced?
Check-in at Hostal - Hs Merced is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Hostal - Hs Merced have Wi-Fi?
Free WiFi in lobby and most rooms; average speed about 15 Mbps; login via room number and surname at reception.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Hostal - Hs Merced?
None (no city tax applies in Juliaca)
Where can I eat cheaply near Hostal - Hs Merced?
Menu del día (set lunch with soup, main, drink) at a local eatery – about 8-12 PEN.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Hostal - Hs Merced?
Colectivos (shared minivans) run fixed routes within the city for about 1-2 PEN per ride. From Juliaca Airport, take a local bus (route 501 or 502) for around 2 PEN instead of a taxi (30-40 PEN).
When is the best time to visit Juliaca?
May to August: dry season with clear skies, cool nights, and manageable crowds around Titicaca. April and September are also good but slightly wetter.
Top Attractions in Juliaca
💡 Go late afternoon when the light softens. Ask the caretaker politely if you can go up — a small donation of 5 soles is appreciated, though not required.
💡 It's usually quiet — the staff love to explain the exhibits. Ask to see the mummy in the back room. Open Tuesday-Saturday only.
💡 Beware of pigeon scratch — but the benches are free. Best visited early morning before the traffic noise picks up. The cathedral bell chimes at noon.
💡 Best on Sunday mornings when there's often an artisan market. Bring your own snack — no good food stalls nearby. Watch for uneven paving after rain.
💡 Walk from the roundabout near the airport — it's 20 mins on a dirt track. Bring binoculars and a windbreaker. Ignore locals offering 'boat tours' — stick to the free shore path.