Esperanto Cafayate Hostel

The hostel volunteers were incredibly kind and could see we were uncomfortable. They lent us a fan to help us get through the night. The rest of the experience was terrible. Everything felt cramped, from the kitchen and bedrooms to the bathroom, as if squeezing in as much as possible had backfired. It was unbearably hot inside our room, around 40 degrees when it was 26 outside. My partner and I were only staying overnight; after a tiring day trip we came back hoping to shower, but there was no water. It had returned by morning, but it wasn't hot. It isn't worth the price and is overrated.

The volunteers were the one bright spot: they cared about how we were doing, gave us a fan because the room was unbearably hot, and were always kind. I wouldn't return or recommend this hostel. We paid 300 pesos a night, and it wasn't worth it; for 100 pesos more you can get a four-person shared room that's cleaner and better organized. The place is in terrible condition, poorly maintained, and unhygienic. Rooms are overcrowded, with seven beds where there should be no more than five, and there are four rooms like that. Mattresses and pillows badly need replacing. There are no room lockers, and the wiring seems questionable. There are only two showers for men and two for women across the hostel, and the campsite behind it means sharing those showers. Hot water never worked, and for a while there was no water at all. The kitchen can't serve the number of guests, with just two stovetops and a table with five chairs.

It's a good, simple place with young, lively staff, and people come for that simplicity. It's very inexpensive compared with other hotels nearby. If you want somewhere quiet, peaceful, and spotless, though, a hotel is probably a better choice than a hostel.

The worst part was the noise: loud music and people talking went on until 4 AM, then the music started again at 8 AM. The hostel was packed, with people camping in the courtyard as well as staying in the rooms, so breakfast space was short and the bathrooms weren't adequate. Our room was small, had no fan, and barely ventilated, so it got very hot.