Ittaí Hotel

The argument on our last day really soured the stay. The owner or manager confronted us about speeding in the parking lot. From the photos, it’s clear how small the space is, and I don’t see how anyone could drive over 10 km/h there. I told them several times I’d been going under 10 and had even stopped to let their gardener pass with a hose. They still said I was lying and claimed I could have killed a child or a small pet. It’s hard to enjoy a vacation after an accusation over something you say you didn’t do. A desert town that depends on tourism should at least treat visitors respectfully. The rest of the hotel didn’t justify the price either. The pool looks pretty in pictures, but the water isn’t heated and nobody uses it. There’s no air conditioning, the gas-fired heater felt quite dangerous to use, and breakfast was poor in both quality and quantity. Given all that, I’d find it hard to justify paying more than $25 a day. After 17 days in Chile, we’d come to expect little hospitality or kindness from tourists’ hosts, but Ittai Hotel managed to make that impression worse. Chile has rules for everything, and the pandemic probably made things even tougher, but this was a particularly bad experience.

It’s so quiet here, even though the main street is within walking distance. Coming back after dinner, you can see the stars. The rooms are cosy, the mattresses very comfortable, and breakfast and service were excellent. A lovely place to stay. The hotel’s name has changed from Geiser del Tatio to Ittau.

The pool stays cold, even around midday. It’s about a ten-minute walk to San Pedro’s main street, and breakfast was normal.

Coming back after dinner was unsettling: the hotel was completely dark, with the entrance and gate lights off, everything closed, and nobody at the entrance or reception. The lobby was dark too, which made the place feel unsafe. The road is very dark and the access feels dangerous, so walking there at night doesn’t seem advisable. There was also a bad smell from horseback riding and garbage next to the hotel. I was especially concerned that we locked our room and two other doors when going out, then found those doors unlocked when we returned. I found that irresponsible. They also asked me to hand in the room key every time we left, even though our stay wasn’t over. I’ve never had that happen at another hotel. The room was much too large for the small, distant TV, whose picture was barely visible from the bed. The closet couldn’t hold clothes for two people, and there was no safe, mini-fridge, air conditioning, basic amenities, information cards or welcome gifts. In the bathroom, there were no toiletries or glasses, too few towels, no hairdryer, and some of the poor-quality towels were torn. Breakfast was very basic, with little variety or food. Several plates were broken or chipped, which I found shameful. I also ordered takeaway breakfast for an early tour to the El Tatio Geyser. It was just a ham and cheese sandwich on sliced bread wrapped in plastic, plus yogurt that hadn’t been kept cold for a long time. That was really disappointing and unacceptable for a hotel. There wasn’t even a coffee machine or anything to drink in the lobby for guests, especially when arriving thirsty. They should offer at least some complimentary drinks or basic amenities. The reception staff didn’t seem attentive or concerned about guests, and the customer service was awful. For what it offers, this hotel is very expensive. I didn’t like it, and the whole stay was unpleasant. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT AT ALL!!!