If there’s one place you need to treat yourself to an overnight stay, it’s at the Hotel La Cupula in Copacabana, adjacent to the Hotel Las Olas. We tested out a suite with an incredible view of Lake Titicaca and the port of Copacabana.
Hotel La Cupulacreated 20 years ago by Martin, a German artist and sculptor, is truly atypical, original and comfortable. You’ll find one-of-a-kind elements, made by Martin, to embellish the rooms and give them a unique style. This hotel was built in a style influenced by the Arab world and the artist Gaudi, all eco-constructed with local materials and craftsmen. The walls are made of Adobe (Andean bricks made from earth and grasses) and the domes – which give the hotel its name – are made of locally-produced bricks.
Hot water is of course solar-powered, and the hotel’s pretty gardens are mown by 3 alpacas and 1 llama – rather original, don’t you think? You won’t want to miss them, because these little creatures are naturally curious and greedy! The hotel has 23 rooms, including 6 suites with well-equipped, beautifully decorated kitchens, fireplaces and views of Lake Titicaca: two of them even have Jacuzzis, while the other standard rooms have en-suite bathrooms and a relaxation area.
The real strength of this hotel is its attractive price. Breakfast is not included in the price, as a shared kitchen is available for standard rooms near the living room, allowing guests to prepare their own.
Finally, the hotel also has a terrace restaurant serving meats (including llama), fish (including trout), vegetarian dishes and cheese, meat and fish melts. The choice is yours! All in all, this is the ideal place to stay in a really nice hotel that is sure to mark your stay in Bolivia without breaking the bank!
THE EXCEPTIONAL HOTEL LAS OLAS IN COPACABANA, A GREAT DEAL
If you’re passing through Copacabana, you should also try the Las Olas Hotel. This 9-room establishment is a marvel that will make you never want to leave.
Straight from the great artistic imagination of Martin (the same owner as l’hôtel La Cupula), the suites here take on unusual forms, like the suite caracole (snails in Spanish). They are all equipped with a double bed and 2 single beds (for 4 people), one or 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and all face Lake Titicaca. If you’re traveling with children, they’re sure to please – it’s like being in the cartoon Alice in Wonderland!
Like its cousin La Cupula, the hotel is eco-constructed with Adobe bricks (a mixture of earth and grasses), solar hot water production and gardens fashioned from materials found on site (tables, stairs and cut stone objects). The lawns are also mowed with the 3 alpacas and the llama. The hotel also offers a small outdoor Jacuzzi overlooking Lake Titicaca for 15 bolivianos an hour (€2).
Once again, this hotel’s tour de force is its price: Expect to pay between €46 and 53 depending on suite for 2 people and €7.5 per additional person. Breakfast is not included, but you can take it in La Cupula’s restaurant if you don’t want to prepare it in your room.
All in all, this is an unusual hotel you’re sure to remember, and one that will enhance your stay in this region without breaking the bank. In short, a good plan just the way we like it!
Read our articles on Copacabana, starting point for our visit to Isla del Sol, our 3 days in the Uyuni Desert and our itinerary from Potosi via Sucre and La Paz.
