The Best Budget Hostels and Hotels to Book in Iquique, Chile

Backpacker’s Hostel Iquique stands in a plum location: right off Playa Cavancha, with good-value restaurants, cafes and shops just outside the lobby. Bus stops are a five-minute walk away. Mixed- and single-sex dorms are decorated in a light color palette and come with laminate floors and wooden bunks (note that there aren’t privacy curtains). There are also boxy singles and more spacious doubles, decorated with tribal art; some have floor-to-ceiling windows. But the hostel’s stand-out feature is its rooftop balcony lounge, with basket chairs, tables and wonderful beach and ocean views.

B3 might not be beachside (even though the sand is just a short walk away), but it has a pool and a balmy sun deck. Doubles as well as four- and eight-bed dorms (none of which are gender-segregated) are simple – with white palettes and wooden beds or bunks squeezed tightly in – and there’s a communal locker room for your peace of mind. Best of all, the hostel is in Iquique’s nightlife quarter, with bars bang on the doorstep. There’s even a karaoke machine in the hostel itself, so you probably won’t spend much time sleeping.

With much-loved Playa Cavancha only a five-minute walk away, El Faro Hostal is in a great location. Step out, and you’ve got stacks of restaurants, supermarkets and shops right there, as well a bus stop opposite. Unlike other hostels in Iquique, which can feel cramped, El Faro has plenty of space – with a large patio garden and a cozy bar-restaurant. Large, airy doubles come in soothing shades of white and cream, and family rooms have the advantage of ensuite bathrooms. There’s a shared kitchen and no party bar (so stays are quiet), and prices include breakfast.