Hostal Las Olas — Hotel in Copacabana

I've stayed at a range of vacation lodging, from greasy youth hostels to Ritz and Four Seasons properties. I've enjoyed a number of places that provided exceptional comfort and service, and a handful that paired those traits with beautiful natural settings. But I can't think of another location that combined all of the above with the complete sense of magic and wonder that we found at las Olas. This is a one-of-a-kind experience. It is so obvious that every corner, every detail, each stained glass window or balcony ledge, was thoughtfully and lovingly conceived and constructed. We described it as Gaudi meets Suess. In the best way imaginable. Strolling through the property, happening upon the inquisitive alpaca, watching the sun set over the lake from our balcony, or waking in the night to see the moon on the water. All magic, all the time. And if that weren't enough, the attentiveness and service were incredible. I made the mistake of leaving in my cabana a painting I had purchased earlier in my travels. The staff reached out to me as soon as they found it , but I was already on a flight to Lima. Martin, the creator/owner of las Olas, promptly offered to take it with him to La Paz when he went the following week. On his own initiative he purchased a sturdier shipping tube than the one it was in, took it to the FedEx office, and reached out to me over WhatsApp to patiently navigate the process of packing and shipping it to Chicago. It arrived safe and sound last week. Completely above and beyond. In short, don't leave your belongings in your cabana. But do visit las Olas if you are anywhere near Copacabana. You will...

If you’d like a new experience, this is the place to stay! |The hotel is located above the city with practically every cottage giving a perfect view of the lake and/or city. |Very short walk just 2 blocks down a steep hill to the central part of town. Or you can take a taxi as it’s only 100 bolivaros ($1 dollar).|Each cottage is made of wood and stone and some boulders. |There’s a small kitchenette too. |Showers are all stone but comfortable. ||Many are duplexes with beds at top and bottom.|Also a cute touch are the llamas walking all over the property. Four of them passed right in front twice while here. You can walk among them.||The fireplace is also fantastic. Real clay and they prepare it for you each day. ||There’s much more to detail but it would take multiple pages to give you the right feel. |I recommend looking at all the photos and read more reviews. ||You probably will meet the owner, Martín. He’s a super friendly guy and willing to help with anything you may need.||The prices are very, very reasonable as are all hotels in Bolivia! ||I’ve traveled to almost 90 countries now and this will be an experience like no other. |Just think of the cartoons from the 70’s called “The...

We arrived in Copacabana right on the 16th of September 2024, when many protests and road blocks were slowing things down in Bolivia: no taxis back the border, no boats to Isla del Sol, no busses to and from La Paz...

Staying in the Las Olas Hostel was incredible for three reasons: It is stunningly beautiful, and we could have stayed for a week just chilling at this resort Considering that you can cook for yourself, this still allows one to live quite budget friendly. (Especially if you like coffee) Martin (the owner) is an absolute gem. He really cares about his costumers, and used his private contacts to organize private boat shuttles to Isla del sol, and also back to the peruvian border. We met so many people that had to walk the 11km with baggage, because there was no other way.

We are incredibly grateful for Martins help, if it wasnt for him, we would have not seen Isla del Sol, and we wouldnt have had the most incredible accomodation of our three month journey --- and that for a very...