San Salvador
Little El Salvador, with its dollarized economy, has scrambled to accommodate business and investment – and the corporate travelers that come with that. San Salvador is divided into zones. Zona Rosa is the liveliest.
Sleeping
Comfort Hotel Real Aeropuerto. Perfect for travelers on brief business trips: It’s 30 minutes from downtown and only five minutes from the airport. The restaurant is good, American breakfast is complimentary and El Hangar Bar is the place to hang out in the evenings. Room average $100. www.comfort-elsalvador.gruporeal.com
Eating
A Lo Nuestro. On Calle La Reforma in the Zona Rosa area, one of the best restaurants in town serves gourmet dinners made with local ingredients; phone: 503- 223-5116.
Hunan. San Salvador’s restaurant scene is multinational, and Hunan stands out for Chinese cuisine. (Chef Rollo Tsien also owns the Dragon’s Garden Restaurant in New Orleans.) Peking Duck is a favorite, but start with a Po Po Tray appetizer. On Paseo Escalón, Plaza Villavicencio; phone: 503-263-9911.
Drinking
Head to the Zona Rosa, the dining and nightlife epicenter of San Salvador. Aptly named Likwid specializes in cocktails. Edgy La Luna Casa y Arte, a multilevel bar/restaurant/club, is filled with contemporary art. Top Zona Rosa spots for dancing include Code, Jala La Jarra inside the Guadalajara Grille restaurant and La Cantina del Patron.
Shopping
A distinctive (and useful) souvenir is a Hilasal-brand beach towel. The jumbo towels depict paintings by local artists. They are sold in gift shops and artisan’s markets.