From the main road, you can't miss the Rancho Grande Hostel, as it is a mammoth hostel painted bright yellow. It's also the main bus stop and office for the El Chalten Travel agency -- hence the reason the place can accommodate so many people. This is definitely a party hostel, and it is loud, packed, smoky and crowded. The size though, allows it to have an in-house bar, cafe, and restaurant which offer decent meals if you don't feel like cooking in the mediocre kitchen.
The rooms are kept very clean and someone makes your bed everyday when you are out having fun. It's warm and very comfortable in the rooms. The doors, however, don't lock and we didn't see any lockers provided anywhere so security could be an issue.
The bathroom is the worst thing about the hostel. The toilets are a bit small, so you have to really cram in there. Most disappointing though is the showers were ice cold! This seemed to be a normal thing, and this did not impress us, as after a 12-hour day hiking, a hot shower is one of the things you
will look forward to. The staff did not seem too bothered by this.
Overall, this hostel is a cold, informal place that operates much like a big motel. If a bed is all you want, or a party atmosphere, then you will get it here, but don't expect the comforts of home.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
May 2005
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