🇧🇴 Uyuni, Bolivia
Samay Huasi
📍 14, Avenida Potosí, Uyuni
Your stay — Samay Huasi
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Uyuni.
The Property — Samay Huasi
Samay Huasi is a straightforward three-star hotel on Uyuni’s main square, opposite the train station. The lobby is tiled, clean, and functional, with a small reception desk and a few couches — no frills, but reliable. It works well for travellers who want a decent night’s sleep before or after the salt flats tour, and don’t need boutique charm.
Chronicles of Uyuni
Uyuni began as a military outpost in the 1890s, then grew rapidly when the railway reached it in the early 1900s, acting as a gateway to Bolivia’s mineral exports. Its grid of low, brightly painted buildings remains largely unchanged from that era, with the iron train station and neo-Gothic cathedral anchoring the plaza. Today it’s a dusty, practical town of about 15,000 people, best known as the launchpad for tours of the Salar de Uyuni. Its identity is split between a fading railway past and a booming tourism present, with rough edges that give it a frontier feel.
Best Time to Visit
Full Uyuni guide →Best months
April, May, and October — clear skies, dry ground on the salt flats, and notably thinner crowds than July. Days are warm (15-20°C) but nights can still drop below freezing.
Peak / festival surge
July is peak dry-season month, especially the first two weeks when northern-hemisphere summer holidays coincide with the Aymara New Year (Willkakuti) around June 21 – the festival spills into early July. Hotel prices in Uyuni can nearly double in July; Samay Huasi typically charges 50-60 USD a night then, compared to 30-40 USD off-peak.
Budget shoulder season
March and November offer lower rates and reasonable weather, though March can see some lingering wet patches on the salar. November is sunnier and quieter than the July crush.
Weather & packing
Uyuni sits at 3,700m – the July daytime sun is fierce but the moment it sets, temperatures plunge to -5°C or below. Pack layers: a thermal base, fleece, windproof jacket, and a good sun hat, plus sunscreen and lip balm.
Live City Briefing — Uyuni
- The new Uyuni airport terminal opened in late 2025, cutting transfer time from the old runway to town from 40 minutes to 10 — flights from La Paz now land closer to the centre.
- Salar tours are still running the standard ‘1-day’ and ‘3-day’ routes, but operators now require all vehicles to carry GPS trackers after a 2024 incident where two jeeps got lost overnight.
- July brings the coldest nights of the year, so the salt flats’ famous mirror effect is unlikely — expect a dry, cracked surface instead. Bring a thermos for hot drinks if you’re doing a sunrise tour.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Samay Huasi, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the third or fourth floor facing the inner courtyard. These rooms are far enough from Avenida Potosí to cut street noise, and the upper floors avoid ground-level dust and foot traffic. The courtyard side is quieter than the street side.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room on the first floor, especially those facing Avenida Potosí. Street-level rooms get all the traffic rumble, dust, and early-morning sounds from delivery trucks and pedestrians. Also skip rooms near the stairwell or lift on any floor — the lift mechanism is old and clatters audibly.
Best views
The best view is from upper-floor rooms at the front (facing Avenida Potosí) — you get the dusty main street, distant salt flats on clear days, and the town’s low-rise skyline. But it comes at a noise cost. If quiet matters more, the courtyard view (small, with a patch of gravel and some planted cacti) is peaceful.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest. The hotel has no lift above the fourth floor (standard for this class in Uyuni), so top-floor rooms also dodge overhead noise from other guests.
🔊 Noise notes
The main noise source is Avenida Potosí itself — a main drag for motorbikes, buses, and diesel trucks. Morning trash collection starts around 6:30. The hotel’s bar and dining room sit on the ground floor, so music and clatter can drift upstairs until 10–11pm. No double glazing on most windows.
Insider tips
[1] Request a courtyard-side room on floor 3 or 4 when booking — the reception can often block one for you if you call ahead. [2] Bring earplugs regardless: the walls are thin and Uyuni’s roosters start at dawn in surrounding yards.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Samay Huasi
Free Wi-Fi in lobby and common areas. Guest rooms get weak to no signal; consider local SIMs for data.
No lift. Two-storey building with stairs only.
No newspapers. A small library of travel guides and magazines in the lounge.
Standard check-in from 14:00. Early bag drop allowed anytime. Late check-out until 12:00 costs BOB 50; after 12:00 charged as full night.
Free luggage storage at reception for day-trippers on Salt Flats tours.
No step-free access. Main entrance has two steps; no ramp. Not suitable for wheelchair users.
No on-site parking. Street parking available nearby; free but unguarded. Closest paid lot is at Uyuni Bus Terminal, BOB 15/night.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full advance payment required at booking; a BOB 100 incidental hold on a credit card at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Iglesia de Uyuni (326 m · ~4 min walk)
- Place of worship: Adventista del Séptimo Día (709 m · ~9 min walk)
- Place of worship: Jesucristo de los Santos de los úlitimos días (775 m · ~10 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Plaza Arce — 111 m · ~1 min walk
Museo Ferrocarril y Centro de Interpretación de Uyuni — 535 m · ~7 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Banco Ecofuturo — 135 m · ~2 min walk
Farmacia Dra. Ahorro — 149 m · ~2 min walk
Uyuni — 207 m · ~3 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Bolivian Boliviano (BOB)
Exchange at banks or casas de cambio in Uyuni town; avoid the airport (higher fees) and official tourist bureaux (poor rates).
Cards accepted in mid-range hotels and some restaurants, but not in markets or taxis; contactless is rare.
Round up taxi fares; 10% in restaurants if service is good; hotel staff small change (5 BOB).
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Instant coffee or a small espresso from a hole-in-the-wall bakery stall ~5 BOB.
Menu del día at a local eatery (soup + main) ~25 BOB.
Grilled salteña or empanada with a soft drink ~15 BOB.
Street stalls along Avenida Ferroviaria and near the old train station selling salteñas and anticuchos.
No large supermarket chain on Avenida Potosí itself; nearby minimarkets stock basics like Coca-Cola, bread, and canned goods.
Alasitas market near the central plaza for cheap Andean hats and jackets; no high-street chains.
Walk everywhere in Uyuni (it's a small grid); from the airport, a shared minibus into town ~10 BOB.
Bring small denominations for tipping and street food. Eat almuerzo (set lunch) rather than dinner for cheaper meals. Book tours directly with a local agency on the day before, not online.
Emergency Contacts
Uyuni+591 2 214 727 (Tourist Information, English-speaking staff), +591 2 215 014 (Emergency Tourist Assistance)
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Uyuni, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Samay Huasi
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Banco Ecofuturo — 135 m · ~2 min walk — pharmacy · Farmacia Dra. Ahorro — 149 m · ~2 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Central Plaza (parada) → El Condorito (Av. Ferroviaria)
💡 Micros stop on Av. Ferroviaria near the hotel. Signal the driver by raising your hand. Pay when you get off. Carry small coins — drivers rarely have change.
Uyuni Airport (UYU) → Hotel El Condorito
💡 No rank outside arrivals. Call your hotel for a pre-arranged pickup; they'll send a trusted driver. Cash only, exact change helps.
Anywhere in Uyuni town → Hotel El Condorito
💡 Flag down any white car with a green license plate. Negotiate before you get in. Short hops are 5 BOB; from market to hotel maybe 7 BOB.
Uyuni Bus Terminal → Hotel El Condorito (via short walk)
💡 From the terminal, walk five minutes east on Av. Ferroviaria. Hotel is on the right, opposite the cement factory. Ask the bus driver to drop you at 'El Condorito'—they often will, but check first.
About Uyuni
Wikipedia ↗
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, with an area of approximately 10,582 square kilometres (4,086 mi2). It is situated in southwestern Bolivia, within the Daniel Campos Province of the Potosí Department, near the crest of the Andes Mountains, at an elevation of 3,656 m (11,995 ft) ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Samay Huasi?
Request a room on the third or fourth floor facing the inner courtyard. These rooms are far enough from Avenida Potosí to cut street noise, and the upper floors avoid ground-level dust and foot traffic. The courtyard side is quieter than the street side.
Which rooms should I avoid at Samay Huasi?
Avoid any room on the first floor, especially those facing Avenida Potosí. Street-level rooms get all the traffic rumble, dust, and early-morning sounds from delivery trucks and pedestrians. Also skip rooms near the stairwell or lift on any floor — the lift mechanism is old and clatters audibly.
Is Samay Huasi noisy?
The main noise source is Avenida Potosí itself — a main drag for motorbikes, buses, and diesel trucks. Morning trash collection starts around 6:30. The hotel’s bar and dining room sit on the ground floor, so music and clatter can drift upstairs until 10–11pm. No double glazing on most windows.
Which rooms have the best views at Samay Huasi?
The best view is from upper-floor rooms at the front (facing Avenida Potosí) — you get the dusty main street, distant salt flats on clear days, and the town’s low-rise skyline. But it comes at a noise cost. If quiet matters more, the courtyard view (small, with a patch of gravel and some planted cacti) is peaceful.
What are insider tips for staying at Samay Huasi?
[1] Request a courtyard-side room on floor 3 or 4 when booking — the reception can often block one for you if you call ahead. [2] Bring earplugs regardless: the walls are thin and Uyuni’s roosters start at dawn in surrounding yards.
What time is check-in at Samay Huasi?
Check-in at Samay Huasi is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Samay Huasi have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi in lobby and common areas. Guest rooms get weak to no signal; consider local SIMs for data.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Samay Huasi?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Samay Huasi?
Menu del día at a local eatery (soup + main) ~25 BOB.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Samay Huasi?
Walk everywhere in Uyuni (it's a small grid); from the airport, a shared minibus into town ~10 BOB.
When is the best time to visit Uyuni?
April, May, and October — clear skies, dry ground on the salt flats, and notably thinner crowds than July. Days are warm (15-20°C) but nights can still drop below freezing.
Top Attractions in Uyuni
💡 Best visited during the dry season (May to October) when the flats are flat and reflective. Be prepared for strong winds and extreme temperatures.
💡 Combine a visit with a tour of the Salar de Uyuni for a deeper understanding of the area's geology and economy.
💡 Be prepared for a challenging hike and strong winds. Bring plenty of water and sun protection.
💡 Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best light and fewer tourists.
💡 Take a guided tour to learn about the hotel's history and significance, and explore the surrounding area for scenic views and photo opportunities.