La Casa Piola

The hostel's interior design was a pleasure, and there's a lovely terrace too. It has a well-equipped kitchen, roomy bathrooms, lockers, and outlets by the beds. Staff were friendly and helpful. The location works well, near both the big supermarket and the centre. I definitely recommend it!

I paid $160 USD for one night, after asking to change my booking from two nights to one. The change was accepted, but the total price barely came down. Even allowing for the public holiday, that one-night rate felt inflated. Sure, the city gets popular and they may be able to charge that much, but I still think it's greedy, and I rate the property based on what I paid. Thanks for replying to my earlier comment. If my review affects your staff, that's your responsibility, not mine. The curtains do reach the floor and cover the window.

The beds were warm and really comfortable, with one proper comforter instead of a pile of blankets. I slept better here than anywhere else in Chile. Breakfast had homemade bread and jam, fruit, and cereal, though 9-11am felt late when I was heading out to explore and catch the sunrise. The terrace is great, but smoking is only allowed there and most people smoke, so I had to get away from the cigarette smoke a couple of times. Laundry was quick and cheap. Wifi could be unstable when the hostel was busiest. Up on Calle Ecuador, bars, restaurants, and fruit and veggie markets are close, and you can walk around and take in Valpo's bohemian charm. All in all, a great place.

Nico was friendly and had good advice, but the WhatsApp number for questions never answered me, and reception often seemed unattended. The hostel itself is beautiful and clean, with comfortable beds and some of the nicest, clean bathrooms I've seen in a hostel. The room setup felt strange: there was a couple in a double bed and another guest and me in bunk beds in the corner, like we were intruding on their private room. Separate rooms for couples and dorm beds would make more sense. The shared bathrooms sometimes ran out of toilet paper or were being cleaned when I needed one. Breakfast was just bread with jam and cereal, and the cherries and peaches were mostly moldy; none were replaced during my three days. It was also served late, around 9.30am, and the small kitchen got crowded, so a longer breakfast window might help. On New Year's Day no one got up to prepare breakfast, though it could have been made the night before. The little oven for toasting bread didn't work properly, so a toaster would help. There's a small kitchen and the hostel is a short walk from lots of bars. I paid around £70 for three nights over NY Eve, about three times the usual price, and expected more from what is usually a budget hostel. Valpo itself felt dirty, with dog poop, broken glass, graffiti, and a bad smell. It seemed neglected and had gone downhill since the 2019 riots, though there is also amazing street art among the mess. I was told it's Chile's pickpocketing capital, so keep an eye on your belongings.