Refugio Chalten Hostel

Felt like home, with a great vibe. Clean place, nice owner, good location and price. Totally recommend! 😊

The hostel works well and is good value, and Gabriel is a good host. But when we arrived, the sheets were quite dirty, so we had to ask for replacements. They also charge 5000 pesos to leave luggage during the day, just to leave it unattended under the stairs. Honestly, that feels like such a basic service that could be free.

We didn't feel welcome and chose not to stay, even though we'd booked three non-refundable nights, at roughly 60€ per night for a double room with a shared bathroom. Everything was dirty when we arrived, including stained sheets and, especially, the fridge. When we complained, we were told this was a hostel, not a hotel, and that this was the quality to expect. They then said we'd have to pay for 1.5 nights, cash only. After taking that money, they asked for more to cover booking fees. I'd already canceled through the website, so I asked for the 15% back in return. Of course they said no. Interesting logic. We eventually stayed at two other hostels in the north of El Chalten for the same 60€ a night, and got a clean double room with a private bathroom and breakfast. In three months of travel through South America, I'd never come across a hostel this bad. The price for what you get and the staff's attitude just aren't right here. Stay somewhere nicer.

The rooms are modest, but the people I met made a big difference. I got to El Chalten at 10 AM, well before check-in, and they kindly stored my bags so I could fit in a quick hike to Chorrillo del Salto. I was completely unprepared for the trek I planned the next day, but Gabriel, the caretaker, lent me his hiking pole. My roommate also gave me a fantastic debrief on the Laguna Hija & Madre trail. That advice helped me do both Laguna de los Tres (near Mt. Fitz Roy) and Laguna Torre (near Mt. Torre) in one day! The rooms were often full, as it's one of the more affordable options in Chalten, but Gabriel and Martha did a great job keeping the kitchen, bathrooms, and dining hall clean. El Refugio was a big part of making my experience at Chaltan memorable.