Hostal Caracol

Hostal Caracol is located in Cerro Bellavista. Valparaiso is a city of hills (called cerros in Spanish) and to get from one hill to another, you usually need to go down and up using the many stairs or (paying) funiculars. The city centre is quite busy with traffic and stray dogs but the hills are quiet residential areas, giving you a taste of the authentic local life. Hostel Caracol is a stylish place near Pablo Neruda's Valparaiso house, La Sebastiana. It's also in the open air museum, which is an area of Cerro Bellavista that has many mural paintings. There are several little convenience shops around that the hostel staff will be able to direct you toward.

The Location

The hostel is located about a five- to ten-minute, uphill walk from Plaza Victoria and about twenty minutes from the main bus station (do keep in mind the hostel is on a hill and the bus station is at sea level!). You can take a bus form the main bus station to Plaza Victoria and then walk to the hostel. The directions from the hostel's website are excellent -- taking the Spiritu Santo elevator (which does have a fee each way) you will have no problem finding the place. You can also take the really steep roads or several stairs leading to this neighbourhood, but for the first time you visit, following the hostel's directions is easier. If you come by car, you would need one that can drive up really steep roads and with very good brakes. There is reasonable on-street parking (not from the hostel).

Rooms and Bathrooms

The rooms are really stylish -- high ceilings; a mixture of white and bright, bold colours on the walls; nice fresh covers on the beds; and clean modern bathrooms. The hostel has two double rooms, two twin rooms, one triple room and a seven-bed dormitory that has individual chests (with locks) for each bed. All the rooms have private bathrooms (obviously in the dormitory you share your bathroom with seven people). The walls are surprisingly soundproof.

You are given 2 keys on a string necklace -- one for your room and one for the hostel entrance door. Everything is provided, except shampoo -- sheets and covers (and very nice ones!), towels, soap.

Common Spaces

The common spaces are so nice in this place. Again, it's brightly yet stylishly coloured, with a wooden or tiled floor, it's clean and newly renovated and definitely comfy! You can easily feel at home here. There is a nice kitchen with a large table and a fridge for your convenience. Plates, cutlery, and pots and pans can be found in the cupboard. In the morning, cute plates and cups are set on the breakfast table and you can help yourself to cereals, fresh bread, jam, honey, milk, coffee. No need to wash the breakfast dishes. Breakfast is included in the price.

The kitchen opens up onto the patio area, which is a garden/courtyard with barbecue and a couple of tables for relaxing outside on sunny days. Smoking is outside too. The living room has comfortable armchairs and has a TV, DVD player, books you can borrow. This is definitely a quiet place. You can party, but calmly -- no mad rave parties here. In the evening the hostel owners/staff cook and eat in the kitchen, mingling with the guests in a very relaxed and civilised way (no crashing your beer can on your forehead).

With only eighteen beds, the hostel never feels crowded, and in any case, the common areas are nice and roomy. There is also free internet, and they plan to get an extra computer and printers too (meanwhile you can ask the reception nicely if you can use their printer). The reception is happy to keep your luggage for you (not in a very secure way -- it is left in the reception area, but non-guests have to ring the doorbell if they don't have the key).

Summary

This is a stylish, feel-at-home hostel. It's a warm quiet place, very colourful, in a nice area of Valparaiso -- a cosy place to put your feet up whilst enjoying a barbecue in the patio area or a cup of coffee in the living room.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review