Once the stately mansion of the brother of one of Paraguay's many dictators, few elements of the palace remain, namely the columned entrance, tall ceilings and shuttered balconies. The rooms while not fancy or especially clean, the floors were swept daily and the mildew in the shower was minimal, a tough task in Paraguayan heat. My room had a rather robust AC and through the duvet was a bit thread bear I welcomed it at night. What I did not welcome was the cacophony of traffic, car stereos and horns that would have woken me daily if I had not used ear plugs. A necessity here.

Breakfast was included in the price of my room, 190k PYG (about $40). Tons of fresh fruit, fresh juice, breads, meat, cheese, yogurt and frosted corn flakes. On the roof of the palace hotel there was a terrace with a few chairs where you could watch the sun wash asuncion in a pink glow before dipping behind the hills beyond the river Paraguay.