Copacabana, located in northwestern Bolivia, is a small, sleepy town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. It’s best known as a jumping off point to explore Isla del Sol, which is believed to be the birthplace of the Inca civilization. But Copacabana also has something else that’s very unique in its footprint—Hostal las Olas, a colorful property that’s bursting at the seams with whimsy and looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale.
If you’re interested in staying in this unique hotel, here’s my honest and unbiased review after staying at Hostal las Olas (and paying for it out of my own pockets), one of the most unique properties in South America.
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Overview of staying at Hostal las Olas
Here’s the TLDR on Hostal las Olas—it’s truly one of the most unique hotels we’ve ever stayed at, with each suite being its own intricate design. The property was designed by an artist/sculptor and it definitely FEELS like it—every last inch, from the railings to the hammock holders and sidewalks have thoughtful details that kind of make you feel immersed in some other magical world.
We stayed in a MASSIVE treehouse, with stained glass windows the shape of octopuses, jellyfish, and hummingbirds, which will definitely go down in history as the most *fun* room I’ve ever stayed in. And there are rooms that are even more unique than our suite—you can stay in an enormous conch shell, if you so desire!
Given its location in the tiny town of Copacabana and the fact that it refers to itself as a “hostal”, you might imagine Hostal las Olas to be lacking amenities. While it’s certainly not a five star resort, the rooms in this property have plenty to offer in this generally rustic town—heating or a wood-burning fireplace, hot water, and wifi in every room (these amenities are definitely not a guarantee in this part of the world!). And did I mention you can book a suite here for as little as $34 USD a night?
Plus, its location, perched outside of downtown Copacabana and on the shores of Lake Titicaca, could not be more perfect. One of my favorite moments of our month-long stay in Bolivia was watching the sunrise over Lake Titicaca from our treehouse, steaming mug of coffee in hand.
I honestly can’t think of many drawbacks to the property, other than it’s cash-only. It would also be nice if there was an onsite bar and restaurant, but there are plenty of bars and restaurants that are just a short walk away.
Otherwise, Hostal las Olas is such a special place to stay for a night or two. We actually stayed in Copacabana just for the opportunity to stay here and it was 100% worth it!
Location of Hostal las Olas
Hostal las Olas is located here, in the town of Copacabana, Bolivia, right next to the Peruvian border and on the banks of Lake Titicaca.
The property has an impeccable location. It’s located just a block north of the heart of downtown Copacabana, so you’re a quick walk to any restaurants or shops, while still being away from the town’s hustle and bustle (not that there’s much of that in this tiny town, anyway!).
Plus, it’s positioned on a hill, overlooking the colorful buildings of the city and the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca—it arguably has one of the best views in town!
Getting to Hostal las Olas
Obviously, in order to have yourself a pink conchshell suite for the night, you’ll have to first get yourself to Copacabana.
How to to get to Copacabana
There are a couple of options for getting to Copacabana.
Flying
Technically, Copacabana has an airport, but, from poking around Google Flights, it appears there are actually no flights here.
Otherwise, the closest airports are:
- El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Bolivia, which is a little over three hours away. From here, take a taxi to the La Pa bus station and, from there, catch a bus to Copacabana.
- Inca Manco Capac International Airport in the city of Juliaca, Peru, which is three and a half hours away. From here, take a taxi or a shuttle, like this private option or this option for groups, to the Puno bus station, where you can catch a bus to Copacabana.
By bus
Most visitors, including ourselves, usually include Copacabana in their Bolivia itinerary as they’re traveling around southern Peru or northern Bolivia. For example, we stopped here after exploring the Uros Islands in Puno, Peru and on our way to the largest city in Bolivia, La Paz.
If you’re bopping around these countries this way, your best bet of reaching Copacabana is by bus. There are several cities from which you can bus to Copacabana:
- La Paz, Bolivia to Copacabana (four hours away)
- Puno, Peru to Copacabana (four hours away)
- Cusco, Peru to Copacabana (11 hours away)
- Arequipa, Peru to Copacabana (ten and a half hours away)
We traveled all over Peru and Bolivia by bus for about three months and thought that it was an easy, affordable, comfortable, and safe way to zip around this area.
How to get to Hostal las Olas
Buses to Copacabana will drop you off here, at the town’s bus terminal. From here, it’s a six minute walk to the reception of Hostal las Olas.
The Buildings and Grounds at Hostal las Olas
As mentioned above, Hostal las Olas is built into a hillside, overlooking Lake Titicaca.
Instead of just having one large hotel, the property consists of more than a dozen small buildings, including the 13 guest suites (most of which are housed in totally separate buildings from one another), reception, and a changing room for the hot tub, which are sprinkled across multiple tiers built into the hillside.
Each of the buildings are unique—some look like a gnome or fairy should live there, whereas others look like some sort of oversized version of ancient pottery.
While the designs are all unique, the lush landscaping and whimsical outdoor details, like colorful, asymmetrical sidewalks and lizard-designs on gateways, somehow make the entire property feel cohesive and intentional.
The Rooms at Hostal las Olas
As mentioned above, there’s a variety of different suites at Hostal las Olas, which accommodate anywhere from two to nine guests.
Each of the suites have a different whimsical design and overall feel, but have some common traits, including a wood-burning fireplace (except the two treehouses, I assume for fire safety reasons), electric heaters, some sort of terrace or outdoor space with a hammock, and HUGE windows overlooking Lake Titicaca.
They each have a small kitchenette area, with features like a hot plate, sink, fridge and electric kettle, plus there’s a communal lounge that you can cook in, with coffee, tea, sugar, and other staples that are free to use. To be honest, this shared kitchen space is really the only thing on this property that I can think of that has “hostel” vibes to it.
Overall, the property is beautifully designed and immaculately maintained—it’s clear that the owners take great pride in this place!
The Service at Hostal las Olas
We were generally very impressed with the service provided by the staff at Hostal las Olas.
To be honest, I initially didn’t have super high hopes. When we checked in, the attendant told us that the suite we booked was being remodeled and unavailable, which was disappointing to hear. BUT the attendant immediately said that we could have our pick of the rooms that weren’t booked for the night. Accordingly, we got to stay in this massive treehouse, meant for nine(!!) people, for just $70 USD a night!
There were other displays of thoughtfulness and kindness.
For example, you have to pay around $7 USD per person per hour to use the hot tub. Even though we used the hot tub for two hours, the attendant only charged us for one. And, while we were using it, an attendant came down a few times to make sure the water temperature was warm enough for us.
This isn’t a luxury resort, so you won’t find any room service or an other features that are super service-forward. But, if you want an attentive staff that seems to care about whether you’re enjoying your stay, I think you’ll be pleased!
The Amenities at Hostal las Olas
Hot tub
There’s a propane-heated hot tub that you can reserve, by the hour, on the morning of your reservation. It costs around $7 USD per person per hour.
The hot tub is centrally located on the property, but still manages to feel pretty private, surrounded by lush greenery. The view from the tub is STUNNING, overlooking Lake Titicaca and the surrounding Andes Mountains. I’d highly recommend trying to score a reservation around sunset to enjoy seeing the last rays of the golden sun kiss the waters of Lake Titicaca!
Alpacas
The two resident alpacas are definitely one of the most unique aspects of Hostal las Olas. They’re generally chilling in the “garden” area, to the left of the shared kitchen and lounge space, but it’s my understanding they can, at times, roam around the property.
Additionally, I believe you can pay a nominal fee and have them brought to graze outside of your suite—if we weren’t in the treehouse, we would’ve definitely done this!
Wifi
There’s decent complimentary Wifi throughout the property.
Our room was pretty far away from the reception area (where I assume the router is), so the signal could have definitely been stronger. Still, we were able to stream a Netflix show just fine as we were going to bed.
If you happen to be reserving one of the rooms that border the edges of the property, I probably wouldn’t recommend scheduling any super important meetings over Zoom, but, otherwise, the Wifi works just fine!
The Crowd at Hostal las Olas
Because the suites are separate, the experience of staying at Hostal las Olas feels pretty private, so we honestly didn’t meet that many other guests. The ones that we did interact with tended to be travelers in their 20s and 30s or older parents that were traveling with their grown children.
I wouldn’t stay here if you’re primarily looking for a party vibe, but otherwise, I think most travelers will find themselves right at home here.
Hostal las Olas Review
So, would we recommend staying at Hostal las Olas during your time in Copacabana?
Absolutely—it was easily one of our favorite hotels in all of South America. Between its whimsical design, incredible location offering stunning views over Lake Titicaca, and its unique amenities, I honestly think it’s worth stopping in Copacabana just to stay a night or two at the hotel!
The only kind of traveler that I would recommend against staying here would be if you’re expecting a luxury property. To be honest, if you’re looking for a bougie vibe in general, you might want to consider skipping Copacabana all together!
I hope you have a better idea of what to expect during your stay at Hostal las Olas. Do you have any questions about this quirky property? Let us know in the comments below!
