Review Argentina: Puerto Iguazu – Hostel Inn Iguazu (accommodation)
Thursday, April 10th, 2008Name: Hostel Inn Iguazu
Location: Puerto Iguazu, Argentina
Address: Ruta 12, Km 5 – Puerto Iguazu; Telephone: 54-3757-421823 / 54-3757-420156
E-mail: reservasiguazu@hostel-inn.com
Website: http://www.hostel-inn.com/
Review: Hostel Inn-Iguazu is one of a consortium of hostels all over Argentina including Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Tigre and El Calafate. The grounds of HII are amazing…there is a beautiful and clean swimming pool…the main building is airy, spacious and complete with couches, free internet, pool tables, a restaurant, tables for lounging at and a travel desk. The reception desk was efficient and helpful and insisted we sit by the pool to relax as we filled out our paperwork. Shortly thereafter someone from the travel desk came to talk to us about the available tours, transport and activities in the Iguazu area. He was helpful and not too pushy with the tour selling so we didn’t mind so much.
One great thing about this place is the standard buffet they have every night for 25 pesos though twice a week there is an Argentinian BBQ for 30 pesos and includes free caipirinhas (yum!). The lunch menu is limited but adequate and prices aren’t too bad considering you’re sort of stuck for easy meals since Hostel Inn is 5 km outside of town. There’s also a full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and coffee.
Transport is easy and cheap…about 3 pesos into town in a city yellow bus that goes by every half and hour or so. You can pay for private transport to the falls or take this city bus or a cab. To get to the Argentinian side it was worth it for the five of us to take a cab for 25 pesos (5 pesos each) as the bus to the falls is about 4 pesos. The transport with the hostel is maybe 15 or 20 pesos roundtrip…but you must be ready to leave the falls by 4 pm. When we decided to go to the Brazilian side, paying for the hostel transport at 30 pesos was totally worth it because the driver knew what to do at the various border crossings.
The two downfalls of this place is that it’s a little bit outside of town and I really did not like our room. Lots of accommodations tend to be outside of town and since there’s a bus it’s no big deal. We didn’t really hang out in the town (aside from the bus terminal) so it wasn’t too big of a deal…plus there is a taxi stand at the hostel so it’s easy to get a cab as well and they’re pretty cheap. I don’t know if we just got a bad room or what but our 4 person private was so, so cramped we couldn’t all be in there at once unless we were sleeping. No one else complained about their rooms so it could just be what we got stuck with but if they had just bunked two of the beds it would’ve been SOOO much better. There was A/C though which was a necessity as it is boiling hot in Iguazu in March.
Would I book with them again: Yes, definitely.
Stacey