I wasnt sure what to expect, travelling on a budget I needed to stay in a hostel, I am a grandmother and not into surfing, but I loved it. Nicole and Kurt and superb "hosts" and all the staff were friendly and honest. I was there for almost 2 weeks and felt safe and comfortable. Met some wonderful other travelers from all over the world. It is nice to share a bottle of Chilean wine with others in the common area, and there are many restaurants nearby. On Sundays half a block away is an open air market with great bargains. Took a tour to the nearby Parque Lauca, and Nicole arranged everything.

The surf house is a great place to stay, the rooms were a little choice in places but the beds were comfortable and the communal areas were well equipped and clean. The problems start when you leave the surf house, Arica was awful; I think it may have had something to do with the time of year we visited but the lack of sunshine left us with absolutely nothing to do. I don't understand how a coastal town can be cloudy all day everyday in the winter and have only 0.76mm of rain. That aside, if you're visiting in the summer then take in a surf lesson that can be booked through the surf house. In winter, stay here for a nights rest but don't stay any longer.

The dorm in this place is just super, so spacious!
great communal area, Tv, sofas and a large kitchen, onlt 3 blocks from the centre of town. Cheap with fast wifi.

very relaxing atmosphere, but service was a little dull and the price was a bit high for a dorm. Kurt is quite nice though, when he's around that is.