San Salvador is El Salvador’s capital, set beneath the San Salvador volcano, and the base for exploring the country’s surf beaches, Maya sites and the flower-lined Ruta de las Flores. The city has a good choice of well-priced business hotels.
Finding cheap rooms in San Salvador is easier when you know where to look. We compare live hotel rates across the top booking sites and point you to the neighborhoods where hotels are cheap but the location is still great.
Rooms come in more shapes than hotels — in San Salvador you can also compare apartments with kitchens, vacation rentals for families, B&Bs and budget hostels in one search.
The main hotel, dining and nightlife district, with museums nearby.
An upscale neighborhood with restaurants, malls and hotels.
The cathedral, National Palace and restored plazas — best explored by day.
A surf village on the Pacific coast, with cheap guesthouses and beach bars.
Zoom and pan the map to compare hotel prices by neighborhood; rates come live from the booking sites.
November–April is the dry season; May–October brings afternoon rain but good surf and lower rates.
Zona Rosa, San Benito and Escalón are the most popular areas for visitors, with most of the city’s hotels.
The surf beaches around El Tunco are roughly an hour’s drive from the city, depending on traffic.
The Ruta de las Flores, Lake Coatepeque, the Maya site of Joya de Cerén and the volcanoes are popular day trips.