Hostal Michel — Hotel in Vicuña

Each February or March that we have been returning to Vicuna we all invariably make a point of staying at Hostel Michel. The Hostel has many positive aspects to it which appeals to the backpacker / traveller. By far is the wonderful Garden and the presence of seating to enjoy same. When we were there this year they were placing a wire canopy up to plant more grape vines. They now have a gas stove operated on/off with electrical lighter. Kitchen facilities are average to above average. Sink needs attention and please Michel REPLACE those 2 horrible frying pans.. don’t buy aluminum..should not cook in aluminum. I made the following recommendation last year and do so AGAIN - unplug the older Refrigerator,open the ice box door on top and let it Defrost. The walls are covered with 4 - 5++ cm think ice...making for a very inefficient unit. Place a warning sign that indicates food NOT labelled with name & Date of Departure will be discarded. Far too much space being occupied by guests who have since departed. In the off season / winter ( in Chile) attend to plastering those ugly scars in at least one unit that has a balcony. Cf my pics for suggestions. It is those smaller matters that would have me awarding the Hostel 5*’s but otherwise the 4 *’s are given in no small part due to the Garden. That being suggested we say Thanks again for an...

An oasis behind star-decorated walls just 2 minutes from the plaza.||Well-maintained up to many tiny details by the friendly team around the host, who's been quite a bit around in this world and obviously likes to spend time to chat with his guests.||There are so many options - and all of those appealing - that it may be a good idea to stay for more than one night to enjoy at least some of them:||Enjoy the serenity of your room, chill in the garden or on the roof terrace, prepare your meal in the hostel's clean kitchen or stroll into town, follow the hosts recommendations for walks or bicycle trips (you can hire bikes) ... or or or ...||Another way to describe it: Get there...

We were very taken with this hostal, and I was surprised when I read some of the negative reviews just now. The owners and all staff were super nice, the rooms were clean and made up every day, the kitchen was well equipped, and the unevenly shaped outdoor space was the highlight of our 4-day stay. The Friday night communal BBQ was an additional opportunity to chat with other travellers. We had a ball! And there is so much to do in Elqui Valley. We would have liked to stay a...