I’ve had the good fortune of staying in some pretty amazing places over the years, but I’ve got to say that a night in Luna Salada was a stay unlike any other… Yes, it’s an entire hotel constructed from blocks of salt, along the edge of the Salar de Uyuni — the world’s largest salt flat.
Driving around the Salar de Uyuni should be on every traveler’s bucket list — it is a strange and other worldly experience where you can play with and distort perspective and witness some of the most beautiful sunsets you’ll ever see.
While spending a night or two out in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni is something you must do, your experience wouldn’t be complete without a night in a hotel made entirely of salt, it was most definitely something we knew we had to add to the experience.
Luna Salada Salt Hotel Bolivia
The Luna Salada Salt Hotel sits a few kilometers outside the town of Colchani, Bolivia — which is the primary point of access to the Salar de Uyuni, not the town of Uyuni as many believe (which is only 30 minutes away).
After a night of camping on our own private “island” in the middle of the Salar, we pulled up to the Luna Salada Hotel…
The hotel sits away from it all, on a small hill that offers an elevated and commanding view of the Salar — unlike most of the other salt hotels which sit at ground level along the main access road to the Salar (ie lots of traffic).
While the hotel appears modest from the outside, we were immediately struck by the subtle opulence of the lobby.
The floor was made entirely of coarse, loose salt that crunched under foot like snow.
The lobby was ample with a cozy fireplace (important for these cold nights above 12,000 feet) and plenty of seating.
Salt Hotel Rooms
We were greeted by the friendly staff of the Luna Salada Hotel and promptly checked into our room. We had two twin beds, the bases entirely made of salt, along with the walls of the room, and the loose salt along the edge. We had complimentary salty chocolates and water bottles (free of salt, thankfully) available in the room.
The rooms are also equipped with heating and air conditioning, controlled to your temperature preference to moderate the heat of the day and take the edge off those cold nights.
The room was surprisingly modern and full of amenities, especially if you’re thinking that a salt hotel in Bolivia would be rustic. The rooms were secured by electronic keycard access, there was a huge desk where you could work, even a safe to protect your valuable cash, passports, etc.
There wasn’t a TV in the room, but that’s fine by me, because the point of being here is to take in the view and enjoy a unique experience in a salt hotel. We were also advised that the internet only functioned in the common areas of the hotel, but we found that our room, relatively close to the lobby featured fast and reliable internet.
The bathrooms were modern and nice — with a huge shower and plenty of lotions, shampoos, and so forth, which Andrea loved.
Exploring the Luna Salada Hotel
After a quick shower we noticed out the window that the sun was about to set over the Salar so we ran outside to take in the spectacular scenery as the sun dropped down over the edge of the massive Salt Flat.
We hung around on the outside decks a little more before the cold drove us back inside.
We decided to wander through the hotel before dinner and we were blown away by all the comfortable common spaces throughout the rest of the hotel. In our wing of the hotel (the south side) We had the bar, game room, and jacuzzi.
But the bar never opened during our stay — nor did the spa and jacuzzi, as advertised. But the game room was free access, where you’ll find a spacious room with foosball, pool, TV, and ping pong.
We wandered past the lobby into the northern wing of the hotel, and were surprised to find room after room of common areas — full of couches, cozy chairs, hammocks, and so forth.
Luna Salada Restaurant and Meals
Eventually we found our way into the restaurant when it opened at 7pm. Meals are typically buffett style, and cost around $20 for the meal, but we opted to get a plate of Milanesa de Pollo, which included a few sides from the buffet, because we weren’t overly starving.
Then we were shocked when we received a HUGE portion of food, but the food was delicious and we both ate every bit of it (even Andrea!) which left the both of us absolutely stuffed.
We had to head to the game room for a bit of ping-pong in order to burn off the massive meal.
But we were tired from a big day exploring the salt flats and were eager to tuck into the cozy beds built of salt.
The next morning we were up early for the breakfast buffet — included in the room — which offered up a bit of everything. Certainly one of the better breakfast buffets I’ve seen in Latin America. They had waffles, eggs, meat, tons of juices and fresh fruits, and plenty of yogurt, cereales, and little baked goods to choose from.
I got my fill along with a few cups of coffee and we waddled back to the rooms before check out at 11am.
I needed to get a bit of work done for a client so I took the chance to go hang out in the common areas on the north side where I could work with fast internet and peace and quiet. Then we headed back to the restaurant for another delicious lunch overlooking the Salar de Uyuni before we headed back for another night in the Salar.
Visit the Luna Salada Salt Hotel Bolivia
All-in-all the Luna Salada Salt Hotel in Bolivia was one of the coolest, most unique hotel experiences I’ve ever had. It was a treat of luxury in the middle of a harsh and unforgiving environment — the incredible Salar de Uyuni at 12,000 feet above sea level.
If you are planning to visit Bolivia, a trip to the Salar de Uyuni is an absolute must — but I’d also add that you should take the opportunity to stay in a salt hotel in Bolivia. It’s something you don’t see very often, and a stay in the Luna Salada Salt Hotel in Bolivia will be a luxurious treat to cap off your stay that you will undoubtedly cherish for years to come.
When to Visit?
Honestly, the Salar de Uyuni is impressive at any time of year, but if you are looking to visit when it filled with water and creates the famous mirror effect, then you are going to want to visit during the rainy season of January or February.
Traveling to Uyuni, Bolivia on your next trip? Reserve your room at Luna Salada on Booking.com today!
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Read Next: How to Stay in Luxury Hotels for Free
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Ryan
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