Salta, Argentina Hostel Comparison Table

Name and my page on the hostel if I have visited it	Min Price Per Pers in High Season Jan - Feb	Free Internet?	Blocks from Main Plaza	Blocks from Bus Terminal See note about transfers	Free Transfer from Bus Terminal?	Notes
Acllahuasi	18	yes	3	9
Andaluz	18	yes	2	5	yes
Los Cardones	17	yes	6	18	no
Corre Caminos	18	yes	5	11	yes
Condor Pass	22	no (note)	2	8	yes
Duende de la Posta	20	yes	12	23	yes
Estación Balcarce	22	yes	9	20	yes
HI 1 - "Home" (members/ non members)	24/28	yes	10	13	yes
HI 2 - "City"	24/28	yes	1	9	yes
HI 3 - "Soul"	24/28	yes	5	8	yes
Horizonte	20	soon	7	5	yes
Hostel In Salta	25	no	9	12
Iguana	18	yes	6	10	yes
Inti Huasi	17	no	12	4
Kaskai	20	yes	10	23	yes
La Maison de Olivier		no	6	18	yes
Las Rejas	17	yes	2	14	no
Pacha			7	19
Pachamama	15	no	5	4	yes
Paila	15	no	5	8	no
Prisamata	20	yes	6	20	yes
Puesto Viejo	18	yes	5	14	yes
Quara	18	yes	6	11	yes
Salamanca	15	yes	7	3
Sol Huasi	18	yes	2	14	yes
Tilian	20	no	5	8
Terra Oculta	20	yes	4	6	no
Yatasto	18	yes	4	12	yes

Name and my page on the hostel if I have visited it	Min Price Per Pers	Free Internet?	Blocks from Main Plaza	Blocks from Bus Terminal See note about transfers	Free Transfer from Bus Terminal?	Notes
Hostel In Salta	20	1.50 / hr	8	12	yes

Planning to put in 8 computers with one being free and the others at 2 pesos per hour.

One of the many things that makes Salta great for backpackers is that most hostels will pay for your taxi ride to the hostel (but unfortunately not back when you leave!). At the bus terminal just tell the cab driver the name of the hostel and then when you get to the hostel, tell the person at the reception desk that you came from the terminal by taxi and they will typically pay the fare. To check on which hostels are offering this, check the hostel comparison table or check with the hostel to be extra sure.

Types of Breakfast - What they call breakfast (desayuno) is usually coffee/tea/milk and a little bread. Usually there is not even any butter or jelly. This is what I call "S" for Standard Breakfast.

S+ means there is something a little better, like croissants, which they call Media Lunas (half moons) here

Kitchen Star rankings - This is based on things like whether there are pots, pans, silverware, can openers, wine bottle openers, matches to light the stove, microwave, cleanliness. Three stars is the max possible.

Hostal Condor Pass is conventiently located close to the centre of Salta. Finding it is relatively easy, simply locate Avenue San Martin from the bus station, walk down for about six or seven blocks then turn right for two block until you reach Urquiza, turn left and walk down until you see it at number 675. Alternatively, follow the instructions given in the listing above and catch a bus or taxi, both of which are relatively inexpensive.

The hostel comprises rooms in a range of sizes, from a five bed dormitory, to a least one double room. The beds are comfortable and the rooms relatively spacious.

Facilities include a kitchen and internet. There is no lounge or space to otherwise chillout, other than in the kitchen, which only has space to seat four people, maybe six at a squeeze. The internet facilities are excellent, five computers, however the cost per hour is double that available at the many internet cafes which are readily found nearby.

There are three bathrooms, which vary from spacious (complete with full size bath) to extremely cramped, such that your clothes are likely to get wet if you dare to take them in with you if you shower. The bathrooms are however generally clean, as is the hostel as a whole. One should note however that the hostel is also home to a dog and birds. The birds are caged, so don't pose a problem, but the dog, who belongs to the owners, lives indoors and has free run of the house, including the bedrooms. For people allergic to animals, this could pose a problem.

The hostel also has a laundry service. Care is however needed when negotiating prices as our experience was that the prices quoted tended to be half of what they actually charged, which poses problems if you're on a tight budget. To their credit, the hostel did back down when challenged them on this one, but similar discrepancies were observed several times during our visit so we don't believe this to be an isolated incident. With luck, this problem will disappear in future.

The hostel has plans to expand in the future. Unfortunately, their future plans still don't allow for a lounge or any sort of relaxed communal space. That's a shame as this is probably the biggest downside for this hostel, which consequently has a fairly down-beat atmosphere and, in our eyes at least, doesn't qualify as being a good place to meet other travellers. That said, it's certainly a cost-effective and comfortable place to stay for a short time while visiting Salta.