Eight unique and quirky places to stay in South America

Published on: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Eight unique and quirky places to stay in South America -

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South America is one of the wilder continents and some of the places you can stay are equally outlandish. We choose 8 of the quirkier ones

Welcome to the wilder half of the Americas, home to the Amazon rainforest, the Andes and the Galápagos Islands. To see South America’s bewildering landscapes, sprawling cities and ancient ruins is, for many, the adventure of a lifetime. So why not stay somewhere every bit as unique as the setting?

Budget
Under £150 ($200) a night

Hosteria Mandala (Ecuador)

You can’t get much closer to heaven on Earth than by lounging on a hammock-strung porch overlooking the South Pacific Ocean. This beachside hotel is set among an oasis of flowering plants in the charming fishing village of Puerto Lopez. Each cabin is built from wood, bamboo and stone in its own unique design and from these private quarters guests can explore Ecuador’s Parque Nacional Machalilla. The nature reserve is known for its nesting turtles, armadillos, monkeys and migrating humpback whales that pass the shoreline between June and September.

www.hosteriamandala.info

Cabo Polonio Hostel (Uruguay)

A stay here has been quite aptly described as the “Robinson Crusoe experience”. The Cabo Polonio Hostel sits on its own secluded section of beach, with sand dunes running right up the door, and though all four rooms enjoy sea views they have very little in the way of mod-cons. You will get a hot shower and 12-volt lighting at night, though, thanks to solar panels on the roof. All this makes for the ideal retreat for the digital detox you’ve been promising yourself.

www.cabopoloniohostel.com

Mid-range
£150-£300 ($200-$400) a night

Cabañas Morerava (Easter Island, Chile)

One of the most isolated places in the world, Easter Island sees a modest number of tourists each year. The majority enjoy roleplaying as Poirot and taking their turn solving the great mystery of the Moai statues and how they came to be. This makes the remote wood-built cottages of Cabañas Morerava the ideal place to give your grey matter and Sherlock smoking pipe a rest. The row of solar-powered blocks may look basic from the outside but they’re fitted with flat-screen TVs, private bathrooms and Wi-Fi. Guests are a 20-minute drive from Hanga Roa – the island’s sole town – but most choose to embrace the self-sufficient vibe here and cook for themselves, utilising the onsite kitchen and BBQ facilities.

www.morerava.com

Palacio de Sal Hotel (Bolivia)

At the edge of Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flats, this hotel is truly one of a kind. Built almost entirely of salt blocks, Palacio de Sal Hotel offers 30 climate-controlled rooms with private tiled bathroom and complimentary Wi-Fi. A bar and top floor dining hall have panoramic views over the salt flats, and liquid refreshments are available to quench any salt-induced thirst.

www.palaciodesal.com.bo

Entre Cielos (Argentina)

Entre Cielos consists of a series of space-like cabins on stilts that sit above the hotel’s very own vineyard deep in the grape-growing regions of Mendoza. Oenophiles are treated to regular Malbec tastings, wine baths and spa treatments, including a body exfoliation using grape seeds. Guests can soak in the landscape when taking a bath on their private terrace, or enjoy a starry-skied spectacle at night through the rooftop window of their room. The mountainous regions of Argentina dominate the horizon and from here you’re spoilt for opportunities to hike, cycle or ride horses through Andean climes.

www.entrecielos.com

Luxury
£300+ ($400+) a night

Treehouse Lodge (Peru)

Pack the pyjamas and live out a childhood fantasy with a stay in a treehouse. High up in the canopy of the Amazon rainforest, the Treehouse Lodge is two hours from Iquitos, considered the capital of the Peruvian Amazon, and guests arrive by boat to an isolated tree-hung paradise. Daily excursions include piranha fishing and pink dolphin spotting. The less intrepid traveller can choose to chill in the hotel bar and spot monkeys, sloths and parakeets just outside their window.

www.treehouselodge.com

Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa (Chile)

Vistas don’t come more wild and raw than those from the balcony of the Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa in Chile. The hotel’s futuristic wooden structure, with views of Lake Sarmiento and the Torres del Paine National Park beyond, is accompanied by an all-inclusive service almost unrivalled anywhere in South America. Leave the spa treatments and heated infinity pool behind to discover the surrounding park, protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1978. Its soaring mountains and bright blue glaciers stretch for miles as wild adventure calls you.

www.tierrahotels.com

Skylodge Adventure Suites (Peru)

Those with a fear of heights need not consider a night at the Skylodge Suites. These transparent capsules come strapped to the mountainside of the Sacred Valley of Peru – the ideal spot for stargazing and escaping the hum of nearby Cusco. Reaching your capsule requires a challenging 400 metre climb up the side of the valley, with help from a Via Ferrata. Sleep in a comfy single or double bed, and enjoy dinner and breakfast atop the capsule. Transportation from Cuzco is included, as is the professional guide who keeps you safely tethered to the rock-face throughout.

www.airbnb.co.uk