This was a pretty cheap hostel and we weren't expecting much. Isaias on reception was very friendly and helpful, when we couldn't get any money from the ATM, he offered to pay up front for our Dune Buggy tour for us.
Our room was pretty large and basic, we had a private bathroom, but it wasn't ensuite so we had to go outside our room for it. Shower was big and hot! Read a lot of reviews about no hot water but we had no problems at all.
The restaurant attached to the hostel is good and we enjoyed our meal there.

Its hard to review a place in Huacachina. The little town on the lagoon needs a massive scrub! But I guess the locals don't care about it as tourist still come to enjoy the good weather and the fun activities on the sand dunes (which are totally worth it). This said, Hostal el Barco fits perfectly in that Huacachina feeling: staff could not care less about you, there's no Internet available, no breakfast included and the rooms are not cleaned (didn't care that much about that but at least empty the communal toilet bin!!), the swimming pool is so manky you can't see the bottom and the deck around it is pretty much non existent. Bright side of things: a double room is only 50 soles.

Our surf instructor in Lima told us about this little family-run, oasis side hospedaje. Gino, the owner, and his entire family are adorable. Rates were reasonable. But, I was pretty grossed out by the linens. The comfortor in the "matromonial" room we stayed in looked like it had blood on it, which freaked me out. And, I was doubful that the pillow cases had been changed before our arrival. So, we put t-shirts over our pillows, and my boyfriend told me to suck it up. We had a private bathroom with plenty of hot water. I just can't seem to understand why toilet paper is in such short supply in this place, and most every hostel we visit.

We thought the breakfasts were free and included, but they are not, and were in debt and had no money when we we checking out to pay them for breakfast, so ended up having to make an emergency/RUSH ATM run in town before catching our bus back to Lima.

Ica and Huacachina by far had the WORST coffee. But, we found this EXCELLENT place down the street next to La Suiza called the Bamboo House, that had just opened that week. Owned by a lovely Brittish woman and her fiance. They were so hospitable, and it was so refreshing to have REAL coffee, served in a french press, with these cute little homemade cookies they gave us, too.

Taking a buggy ride with Gino is a MUST. They start arund 4 p.m. and were certianly the highlight of my trip to Huacachina/Ica.

We also hired a taxi driver named Alberto to take us for a tour of Ica and the surrounding bodegas, churches and other cool local sites, like the home of the renowned Tejas de Rosalia. We didn't much like the pecan candies, but since the pope did, we thought we better buy some, too. We gave them to the housekeeper's kid's when we arrived back to Lima the next day.