Altiplano Ski Vacations

You might want to think twice about staying here. This was one of the most challenging hotel stays I’ve had in a very long time. I stayed during the winter in August, when nights in Uyuni get quite cold. I arrived around noon and found my room quite cold. When I asked about the heat, I was told it was only available between 4:30 pm and 11:00 am. Even when the heat was on, though, my room never got warmer than about 11–12°C (around 55°F). When I got up for breakfast at 8:30, the heat was already off. My room was uncomfortably cold throughout my stay. Things got worse on my second day. When I returned to my room, there was a very strong and unpleasant chemical or exhaust-like odor. I believed it might have been coming from the furnace or heating system. The smell was strong enough that I began getting a headache, so I asked to move to another room. I was told that wasn’t possible. I then went online to look for another hotel and noticed that Hostal La Magia de Uyuni itself was showing rooms available. So, as far as I could tell, they could have moved me but chose not to. I wasn’t comfortable spending the night breathing those fumes, so I left and booked another hotel a few blocks away. It ended up being cheaper, nicer, and, most importantly, much warmer. The night manager I dealt with was rigid and showed very little concern for either my comfort or the situation with the fumes. Hospitality and guest safety did not seem to be priorities. Stay here at your own risk.