San Ignacio’s accommodations and food are improving but lag well behind Puerto Iguazú and even Posadas.

Some distance south of the ruins, Hospedaje El Descanso (Pellegrini 270, tel. 03752/47-0207, US$8 pp) has earned high marks for cleanliness and basic comforts. It also has camping spaces.

There are no extravagances at Hotel San Ignacio (Sarmiento 823, tel. 03752/47-0047, hotelsanignacio [at] arnet [dot] com [dot] ar, US$19 s, US$24 d), but it has fairly complete services.

On sprawling woodsy grounds, the best new option is the Adventure Hostel San Ignacio (Independencia 469, tel. 3752/47-0955, www.sihostel.com, US$10 pp dorm, US$26 s, $US37 d, with private baths). It occupies the former Automóvil Club motel, which, though it’s stylistically superannuated, makes it a great hostel, with sleeping areas well separated from the pool, bar, pool table, Ping-Pong, and foosball facilities. Some rooms have air-conditioning.

Opposite the ruins, Hotel Portal del Sol (Rivadavia 1105, tel. 03752/47-0005, www.portaldelsolhotel.com, US$22 s, US$32 d) has upgraded its facilities to include luxuries (by local standards) such as flat-screen TVs; there is also a pool. Its restaurant, La Misionerita (Rivadavia 1105, tel. 03752/15-57-8895), is reasonably priced for river fish.

Three blocks south of the ruins, Pizzería la Aldea (Rivadavia s/n, tel. 03752/47-0567) serves fine pizza with varied toppings and has attractive sidewalk seating to boot.

Restaurants near the ruins may be assembly-line operations geared toward large tour groups, but the standard Argentine menus are by no means bad if you can tolerate the crowds and swarms of urchins who want to wash your car and drag you to their kickback restaurant of choice.

Opposite the entrance to the ruins, try Don Valentín (Alberdi 444, tel. 03752/47-0284).

Opposite the exit, there’s Liana Bert (Rivadavia 1133, tel. 03752/47-0151) or La Carpa Azul (Rivadavia 1295, tel. 03752/47-0096) just to the north.