Choluteca is the hottest city in Honduras, so springing for air-conditioning here might be a wise choice.

Of the less expensive hotels in town, Hotel Santa Rosa (tel. 504/782-0355, US$5 s, US$8 d with fan, or US$12 s, US$18 d with TV and a/c), next to the old market, is the best value. There are hammocks lining the inner patio, perfect for a midday break from the heat.

Hotel Bonsai (tel. 504/782-2648, US$14 s with fan, US$20 d with a/c, all with TV), half a block south of the square, has a nicer courtyard, but in some rooms the bath is only partially enclosed.

On the east side of the Mercado Viejo is Hotel Flamingo, an absolutely spotless hotel with a friendly manager (tel. 504/782-4342, Hotel_flamingoch [at] yahoo [dot] com, US$18 s, US$24 d with TV and a/c). Both Santa Rosa and Hotel Flamingo face the market, and many buses leave from spots around there.

There are several motel-style hotels along the Panamericana, convenient for those traveling through with a car and popular with people in Choluteca on business. The Southern Paradise Hotel (tel. 504/782-9291, www.paradisehotel.cholutecaenlinea.com, US$37 s, US$53 d) along the road heading to Guasaule is modern and nicely furnished. All rooms have air-conditioning and TV, its pool is the cleanest in town, and it has a small restaurant.

Two kilometers farther south is the Hotel Casa Real (tel. 504/782-8529, US$40 s US$58 d). Its spacious rooms are perhaps showing a little age, but that’s more than made up for by the large pool with three slides and the free Internet (two computers in the lobby and wireless Internet throughout the hotel). There is a restaurant as well.

For something homier, try the Las Tres Marías (tel. 504/9985-2369 or 504/782-3363, memp1116 [at] hotmail [dot] com, US$30 s, US$40 d), a family-owned bed-and-breakfast that opened in early 2009 in the Brisas del Sur neighborhood, on 1 Calle (from the Instituto Jose Cecilio del Valle take a left and go 2.5 blocks). The home is comfortable, and the family has a property on the beach as well for those interested in soaking up the sun.

By far the classiest and most expensive setup in town is Hacienda Gualiqueme (tel. 504/782-2750, fax 504/782-3620, www.hotelgualiqueme.com, US$67 s, US$90 d), just across the suspension bridge on the highway toward Tegucigalpa, on the right side. Rooms are spread across extensive grassy grounds, each with stained wood beams, tile floors, and high ceilings. Besides the standard amenities, there is a pool and children’s play equipment. At the time of writing, the restaurant served breakfast, but lunch and dinner were available only for groups.