Cheap hotels in Hurtado

ktl92 United States

The Hacienda is a hidden gem in the Hurtado river valley a couple hours away from any attractions listed in the Lonely Planet guidebook. It is a destination in its own right. We spent three nights and seriously considered adding a fourth. Patricia, the owner was a warm and charming host made us feel at home (truly, it was like staying with your favorite family) and was a delight to chat with. The 4 mile circuit hike into the hills from the Hacienda was one of our favorites in Chile. The astronomy tour given by Elke, making use of the 8 inch refractor telescope in one of the hacienda's 3 hilltop observatories was unbeatable. It was so easy and relaxing to take all our meals (good, honest home-style cooking) and not worry about finding and choosing a restaurant and deciding what to eat. The more touristy areas of the Elqui Valley can be reached via a gravel road over the mountains separating the two valleys that takes about 1.5 hours but gives stunning scenery and a feeling of true remoteness (we passed only a single other vehicle the entire time).