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Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers
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Avg. $73 /night, 12/13 - 12/14
$104
per night
$89
per night
$73
per night
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5.0
#2 of 63 hostels in PuconLocation
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Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Trendy
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Internet
Bar / lounge
Canoeing
Hiking
BBQ facilities
Baggage storage
Laundry service
Shared kitchen
Sun terrace
Room features
Kitchenette
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Location
Roberto Geis 355 La Poza, Pucon 4920000 Chile
Name/address in local language
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 72 out of 100
72
Temuco Airport
70 km•
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Car Hire
17 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
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Detailed Reviews
I stayed at this place twice. Once in 2014 as a backpacker and once in 2019 as an overlander. What makes this place so incredible is the vibe it has. The attention to detail is amazing and everything is done with so much love. Sure, you might find a hostel somewhere in the world that may have more modern facilities. But personally, when staying at hostels, I am looking for a place that feels like home and not a clinic. And this place certainly delivery in feeling like home.
Be it the threehouse, the sunset bar, the ktichen chalet in the backyard or the VW rooms - everything is done with so much love.
On top of that, the owners of the hostel go out of their way to add as much value for the travellers as they can with regards to activities in the area. All tours that were recommended to us were absolutely fantastic and exactly like they were promised. A number of nearby free options are on offer that can be found in a huge folder ranging from hikes in the nearby national parks to activities around the lake.
The staff, James, Kris, Henry and all others were absolutely amazing.
We absolutely loved (and still love) this place and will definitely be back in the future!
Be it the threehouse, the sunset bar, the ktichen chalet in the backyard or the VW rooms - everything is done with so much love.
On top of that, the owners of the hostel go out of their way to add as much value for the travellers as they can with regards to activities in the area. All tours that were recommended to us were absolutely fantastic and exactly like they were promised. A number of nearby free options are on offer that can be found in a huge folder ranging from hikes in the nearby national parks to activities around the lake.
The staff, James, Kris, Henry and all others were absolutely amazing.
We absolutely loved (and still love) this place and will definitely be back in the future!
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Date of stay: April 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: The treehouses are THE most amazing rooms!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Really enjoyed our stay, unfortunately the sales guy James is over zealous and refuses to take comments on board. Please do not book their volcano trip I heard many times from guests that the equipment is sub standard and they rush you to climb the volcano. Ignore the guy and pick another company, these guys just want to get your money with no regard for your safety. If you want to reply James no problem but you are a blagger plain and simple. Good luck for the future but please remember not everyone falls for your amateur sales pitch
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Chili Kiwi for 10 days and really felt at home. The hostel is perfectly located (right in front of the lake, in the city center). It has great outdoor spots (notably a terrasse in a tree facing the lake - perfect for sunsets). Clean areas, well equipped kitchens. The personal is super nice! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone, and hope we can come back ! Thanks again for this amazing stay
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there! I would say this is a very nice hostel with good accommodation. The location is fairly good and it is close to a lake :) No complaints about the venue or most of the staff. Many seemed really nice in fact. What I would say is please ignore the activity salesman. He is very pushy about signing up to his activities yet thinks he is very subtle. My opinion (and several others in the hostel) is that he reels you in with free kayak hire for example to win your trust but he just wants to land the big fish and his big money earner which is you booking his volcano trip! There are better companies to hike with in Pucon so do look around. Check equipment and guide to client ratio. The hostel had second hand equipment and I was told they rush you up the mountain. I heard this from more than one person so I suggest you chose another company based in the town. I will not advise a particular company as the people in charge will try to say I work for them and cancel my review I think. I have to say a lot of these awards are probably down to their forcefulness in pushing for good reviews. They will ask you many times and approach you to book trips during your stay if you do not fall for it on the first day. Overall nice place to stay but its not as brilliant as they make out and be extremely careful with the salesman. If he wants to reply then feel free but I can see straight through your techniques and know it will be a load of hot air to make you look better and secure more money. This is an honest review and I hope not too hard however trip advisor is here to give different and accurate viewpoints. Thank you and enjoy Chile people. Kind Regards, Lauren
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chili Kiwi is my favorite hostel in Chile - and I’ve stayed in a lot of places. It is a great place to meet other travelers. The views from the treehouse were my favorite. I appreciated all the information they provided when I arrived and I felt at home immediately.
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simply the best. Good prices, perfect location, amazing social community, clean and nice facilities, very helpful staff, comfortable beds… I could go on forever. I had the best time here. This is an excellent location for solo travelers.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chili Kiwi hostel's tree house room was cosy and comfortable. My husband and I stayed there and we agreed that it offers a fantastic view of the lake. However, there is a lot of work to be done for the safety of the hostelers. On 30 Nov 2018, I almost lost my life due to electric shock from the water heater in the bathroom located in the main kitchen. It was NOT a panic attack. I was holding on to the shower head with my right hand when electric currents suddenly ran through my body multiple times. I could not let go of the shower head when it happened..I could only screamed for help as loud as I can before I go unconscious. Im glad some people broke into the bathroom in time to remove me from the water and shower head. It was a traumatising experience. I'm writing this review because I do not want the hostel to sweep it under the carpet. I hope that this will not happen again to another person. I must say Im super fortunate. Cuz if I was not saved in time, I could have died. Im thankful to the Australian nurse and one lady from the hostel (according to my husband) who saved my life. Btw, even though the owner visited me in the hospital, there was no follow up on this and this is disappointing. What is the cause of this? I really hope to have a closure.
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Date of stay: November 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James G, Owner at Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers
Responded 5 Dec 2018
Dear guest, I have emailed you, and provided multiple forms of direct personal contact. Please reach out as soon as you can. We are so sorry that this event took place. In regards to closure, we thought there was some after talking to you directly following the event and of course always planned to send a follow up email. Since the event we have been so busy with multiple electricians doing a complete check of the hostel. We in no way wanted to brush what happened under the rug, and want to explain to all concerned what occurred. A couple of weeks ago we called in an electrician who was recommended to us to fix an outlet which was causing a cut to the circuit board. It turns out that the electrician had done a very poor job and had not fixed the situation at all and in fact made it worse. This caused static currents to occur around the hostel. We have had multiple electricians come in to find the problem, fix it and check everything. Guest safety is of paramount concern for us. (It might be worth mentioning that none of our showers are electric, they all run on gas.) I would like to point out how we reacted to the situation, as I believe that is very important. Peter and I (owners) were called immediately and rushed into the hostel. Peter personally accompanied you to the hospital and waited with you assisting with translations and offering comfort. During this time I was at the hostel doing everything I could to ensure all was well managed and safe. Peter brought you back to the hostel and we talked before you went to bed. I believe that perhaps you were unaware of how seriously we took everything after the event as you had to leave early the next morning to get to Argentina. As I mentioned we by no means wanted to downplay this event and the use of the words panic attack came from an English doctor in the hostel who saw to you as well as the doctors at the hospital. We certainly took the whole thing seriously and have rectified the situation. I invite any future potential guests to email us with any concerns as we are certain now the problem has been fixed. We put our hearts and souls into this hostel and would never run a place that we thought was unsafe in any way. We once again apologise for the event that occurred.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maybe I'm too idealistic but it seems like so many hostels these days make more money from the commission they get when you take a tour than from the rooms they rent. Chili Kiwi is a great place in many ways but the atmosphere is really impaired by the overwhelming amount of tour pushing that goes on. Some of the volunteers also push sales of food and it can be uncomfortable to be asked multiple times about buying a dinner or a piece of cake and having to say no repeatedly. I also have never stayed anywhere and heard so many travelers complain about bad experiences with staff. No less than four different people related their stories to me about how they were treated by the young volunteers on staff and it seems like a pattern - people paying for tours get better service than those who decline tours.
Aren't hostels about creating community for travelers? When did it become all about the money? I really enjoyed the physical space at this hostel - the building is lovely. My fellow travelers were great, it was easy to make friends. Location is amazing. Maybe if management is reading this review a little soul searching can occur at the next staff meeting - are we in business purely to make money? Do we have an obligation to create community? What is the mission exactly? Do we treat right guests differently based upon what they purchase? I'm writing an honest critique because I think this place has the potential to be really amazing. I hope this is helpful, it's meant with only the best of intentions. Chris thank you for your warmth and kindness.
Aren't hostels about creating community for travelers? When did it become all about the money? I really enjoyed the physical space at this hostel - the building is lovely. My fellow travelers were great, it was easy to make friends. Location is amazing. Maybe if management is reading this review a little soul searching can occur at the next staff meeting - are we in business purely to make money? Do we have an obligation to create community? What is the mission exactly? Do we treat right guests differently based upon what they purchase? I'm writing an honest critique because I think this place has the potential to be really amazing. I hope this is helpful, it's meant with only the best of intentions. Chris thank you for your warmth and kindness.
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Date of stay: February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James G, Owner at Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers
Responded 24 Feb 2016
Thanks for staying at the hostel and for taking the time to write a review. It´s a shame to hear about your disillusionment with hostels. Your comments are a bit surprising as we are a hostel owned and run by backpackers for backpackers. We created this place out of a love for travelling and it is more about the lifestyle than making money. We wouldn´t be doing this if we just wanted to make money. We balance our information about what to do here with free things, things you can do on your own and of course tours as well. The reality is that most people who come here want to get out and explore the area, and a lot of the tours are the best way to do this. This is the adventure capital of Chile! We are really excited about the new dinner and drinks service we offer, but are not intending to be really pushy. The volunteers are indeed volunteers and do not make any money, so I would be surprised that they seemed overly sales oriented rather than enthusiastic. We are indeed trying to make a fun, comunal atmosphere here. Maybe the staff forgot that they had already asked if you were interested, and therefore asked more than once. Sorry about that. You stayed here for just one night, so it´s a bit hard to get an idea of what we´re about from that. I wonder if you mistook our enthusiasm for salemanship, but overall it can be seen in other reviews that most people appreciate our honest, informative nature about what you can do here.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
About climbing the vulcano:
The hostel sells a vulcano trip for a good price however the guides are horrible !!!
It was our (my girlfriend and I) first “volcano climbing” and we were a bit not slowly than the more experienced ones. The guides ran in front of the group and after 7 hours walking they just left us away in the middle of the rain forest without any assistance for almost 1.5 hours.
We had lucky that we could find the way (alone) and finish the trip without any major problem.
When I talked to the guide in order to understand why he left us alone, he just said that he does not take care of kids… (I just asked to have a guide lose to us in case of any emergency).
About the hostel:
Nice people working there
No breakfast
Room without curtains (sunlight at 7am)
The hostel sells a vulcano trip for a good price however the guides are horrible !!!
It was our (my girlfriend and I) first “volcano climbing” and we were a bit not slowly than the more experienced ones. The guides ran in front of the group and after 7 hours walking they just left us away in the middle of the rain forest without any assistance for almost 1.5 hours.
We had lucky that we could find the way (alone) and finish the trip without any major problem.
When I talked to the guide in order to understand why he left us alone, he just said that he does not take care of kids… (I just asked to have a guide lose to us in case of any emergency).
About the hostel:
Nice people working there
No breakfast
Room without curtains (sunlight at 7am)
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Date of stay: March 2015Trip type: Travelled with friends
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: No Wifi in the rooms just in the shared room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was lucky enough to truly experience what this hostel has to offer.
From the abundance of equipment for cooking in the kitchens (3 of them), necessary cooking spices always stocked, hot showers, fantastic location on the lake (sundown with a craft beer in hand) and the carefully picked hostel recommended tourist activities.. this place stands out from any other hostel I have ever stayed in.
What this place does better than any other hostel is that it GENUINELY CARES. If something is broken, it gets fixed. The staff and owners provide relevant information about Pucon, the do’s & don’t’s which saves you time wandering the streets aimlessly for a good restaurant or tourist activity.
Out of my experience here I would have to recommend trying Skydiving, climbing the Volcano and the Geometric thermal baths above all other activities!! Make sure you book through the hostel they manage to book you in at below the tourist agency prices on the Main Street!!
Thanks team for a great stay!!
From the abundance of equipment for cooking in the kitchens (3 of them), necessary cooking spices always stocked, hot showers, fantastic location on the lake (sundown with a craft beer in hand) and the carefully picked hostel recommended tourist activities.. this place stands out from any other hostel I have ever stayed in.
What this place does better than any other hostel is that it GENUINELY CARES. If something is broken, it gets fixed. The staff and owners provide relevant information about Pucon, the do’s & don’t’s which saves you time wandering the streets aimlessly for a good restaurant or tourist activity.
Out of my experience here I would have to recommend trying Skydiving, climbing the Volcano and the Geometric thermal baths above all other activities!! Make sure you book through the hostel they manage to book you in at below the tourist agency prices on the Main Street!!
Thanks team for a great stay!!
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Date of stay: April 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
"The rooms with more people are actually more secluded and feel a bit like a share house."Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
$71 - $102 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ChileAraucania RegionPucon
NUMBER OF ROOMS
9
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Claim Your ListingCHILI KIWI LAKEFRONT BACKPACKERS | Hostel Reviews & Price Comparison (Pucon, Chile) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers
Which popular attractions are close to Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers?
Nearby attractions include Catamaranes Doña Ida (0.2 km), Turismo Trancura (0.4 km), and Witraltu Mapu (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a lounge, and laundry service.
What food & drink options are available at Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers?
Guests can enjoy a lounge and barbeque facilities during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers?
Conveniently located restaurants include Pizza Cala, Cafe de la P, and Sabor a Mar.
Is Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 1.0 km away from the centre of Pucon.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Does Chili Kiwi Lakefront Backpackers have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the harbour view available here.