Cabañas Cerro Torre

The room and shared kitchen were in terrible shape. Our bedding had visible white marks, there was thick dust and dirt around the sink and toilet, grime in the toilet hinges, and stains, residue, and mould on the shower floor. It didn’t look properly cleaned. The kitchen in the main building was run-down and dirty too. We had booked and paid for a twin room, but were given a four-bed room with two bunk beds. There was no toilet paper or shower towels when we arrived. Martin first said we needed to rent towels, then agreed to provide them after I explained we’d booked a private room and towels should be included. The cabin was poorly maintained as well. The heater had to be lit by hand with matches and didn’t work properly, so the room was very cold at night in the low outdoor temperatures. We had to ask Martin to come light it once. An inside door wouldn’t stay closed, so we had to wedge it shut ourselves. Getting checked in was disorganized from the start. No one was at reception when we arrived, and nobody answered when we called the contact number several times. Martin showed up about half an hour later looking unprepared, tried to check us in, then had to call someone about a problem. That took more than ten minutes. He said the room needed another 20 minutes, which seemed fair since we were early, but nearly an hour went by without him returning. Meanwhile, two young people we took to be staff were loudly messing around on the reception floor. Martin finally came back about an hour later, already half an hour past the official check-in time, and took us to the wooden cabin. He said cleaning had caused the delay, which was hard to understand given the state of the room. We stayed two nights in El Chaltén, Patagonia, and the wrong room, poor cleanliness, maintenance problems, and lack of organization made for an extremely disappointing stay. I wouldn’t recommend the property.

For what you pay, this basic cabin is a good deal. It was the cheapest option in El Chalten, so I’m not sure why some reviews are so negative. We had a private room, and the cabin is beside the terminal and some well-known trails. The kitchen is small but had everything I needed, and the shower got very hot. The host was great, always helping out and sharing local tips.

The bus terminal is a one-minute walk away, which was really handy, and shops and restaurants are close too. It’s about a 25-minute walk to the Fitz Roy trail. We stayed in a cabin for eight; the beds were warm and comfortable, and the shower was hot, though it could turn lukewarm when several people showered at once. Our only problem was that the toilet paper wasn’t replaced during our five-day stay.

Flor at reception was friendly and helpful, and staff turned the heaters on whenever we asked. The cabins are basic, but had what we needed, and there was always hot water. The kitchen is tiny, though you can use the stovetop. They’re very close to the bus station. For three of us, these cabañas were a great choice among the options in town. A kettle in the kitchen, softer seats in the living area, and working Wi-Fi in each cabin would make the stay even better. Each cabin has its own Wi-Fi box, but it doesn’t work and seems to just need another cable. You can’t always reach the main hostel reception, though fixing that sounds easy. I’m not sure why there are bad reviews.