Just got back from PaP yesterday. I stayed at the Oloffson and, while not luxorious...it was fine without western goggles. $100 a night was my rate (booked 3 months prior), an Argentine who booked two weeks before paid $120. He had a suite with no TV or aircon, I had a regular room (Charles Adams) with TV, aircon, and hot water, although my ceiling leaked quite a bit in several places during a tropical depression. If you're gonna stay in PaP, this is THE place. And Kurt said Thursday nights are awesome, he's right. Richard Morse and his wife play every Thursday (the group is RAM, his initials), although they hadn't played in over a month since Arcade Fire came and surprised everyone in early May I think.
Listen, PaP isn't that bad anymore. I'd stay the fuck away from Cite Soleil, but that's about it. You can walk around the Oloffson's immediate area in the evenings, but it might be pushing it a little. Certainly not near any of the camps at night, but during the day the camps are fine, again, except Cite Soleil. If you want to stay somewhere nice where you can walk around at night, stay in Petion Ville...it's like 30-45 minutes east of PaP and where the nice places to eat and stay are. $100 there will get you an American style spa type of place. Baby Doc hangs out at the nice restaurants...supposedly people come up and try to serve him warrants, saying he murdered their husband or made their father disappear. He just sits back, smiles, and says "Prove it."
From the airport, make sure you use a guy with an ID around his neck. The hustlers don't even bother with those. You'll probably meet a guy as soon as you leave the airport's front door, agree on a price with him, and he'll hand you off to someone else. To PaP proper $30 is high, $20 is better, $10 and you're a badass, tap tap and you're fucking crazy.
I had a guy through the Oloffson, his name was Evens (Evans). Great guy, good English, nice clean 4x4, and honest pricing. A prince among princes, (509) 3754-3659 or 3488-9301, email him at
ravixevens@yah.com (could be yahoo.com and that would certainly make more sense...so call and don't bother with email...or send two if the first one doesn't work, I can't hold your hand the whole way). We went to some cool places, especially the Croix de Marche.
Haiti needs your money. And you'll come back alive. Be the pioneers to get this place going again. Shit, you could go to Cap Hatien or Jacmel and you really wouldn't have anything to worry about. Evens can help you get there, too, if you want to pay him. Alternatively, he has contacts all over the country. Message me if you have any other questions.
Don't wear open toed shoes here, Q gave me that advice. I wore some Keen H2s and was covered in shit after walking in some of the camps. My feet were burning when I got back to my room, serves me right for not wearing boots.
And the original question was cheap place to stay...$20 may be pushing it anywhere. St. Joseph's Home for Boys is $40, but they don't serve beer or liquor and you're surrounded by church folks. Coming in hammered late night might be frowned upon. I think that includes two meals and free internet, in Petion Ville.