In a world where solo travellers are often penalised for having to stay in double rooms, it was a relief to get a genuinely single room. The staircases and hallway are somewhat shabby, not helping with first impressions, but there is nothing wrong with the cleanliness of the rooms themselves. On the minus side, there is a certain amount of street noise---even in my local London Borough of Lambeth the dustmen (trash men) don't come round at 2 a.m.! However the good value of the hotel makes up for the negatives. And why stay in Iquique?---well, the city is trying hard to put on a good image, with an attractive central plaza and some lively restaurants. There are some nice beaches nearby and it's a good base for visiting the Atacama---the ghost towns of Santa Laura and Humberstone in particular. Finally, the climate is brilliant; Iquique lies in one of the driest regions on the planet but even in summer the average maximum temperature is a very comfortable 27 degrees C (81 F). more