Puma Hostel

Some hostels exist to fill a market gap; others exist because someone wanted to build something worthwhile. Puma Hostel clearly belongs to the second category. With over 25 years of history in San Martín de los Andes, this property at Fosbery 535 has become a reference point for backpackers, cyclists, and independent travelers arriving in northern Patagonia looking for more than a cheap bed.

Location is one of its genuine strengths. Just seven blocks from Lake Lácar — the deep-blue body of water that defines the city’s skyline — and a short walk from the main commercial and dining streets, Puma puts guests within easy walking distance of most places worth spending time. The Aviador Carlos Campos airport is 20 kilometers away, as is Cerro Chapelco, the ski resort that drives much of the region’s winter tourism.

The hostel distributes its 45 beds between shared dormitories and private double rooms, all with heating. Private rooms include an en-suite bathroom with shower, bidet, and hairdryer; shared rooms use communal bathrooms that guests consistently describe as clean and well-maintained. Breakfast is included with all room types — a meaningful detail on a longer trip.

The fully equipped communal kitchen is another real asset. This isn’t a decorative kitchen: it has cookware, utensils, and everything needed to prepare proper meals, which changes the financial math of an extended trip considerably. The shared grill area alongside it invites the inevitable asado ritual whenever the weather cooperates.

The staff at Puma is probably the hostel’s biggest differentiator. Reviews from travelers from different parts of the world converge on the same point: the warmth of the team, and their willingness to give genuine recommendations on hiking routes, bike rentals, and excursions into Lanín National Park. It’s not the generic information printed on brochures, but real guidance from people who know the territory.

The typical Puma guest tends to be someone who came to move: trekking in Lanín, cycling the Seven Lakes corridor, fly-fishing the Chimehuin River, or simply exploring the lake beaches around the city in summer. The hostel offers 24-hour reception, tourist information, individual lockable storage, linen service, free Wi-Fi, and cable TV in common areas.

That a hostel has operated in the same location for over two decades, in a tourist city with a competitive accommodation market, says something meaningful. Puma doesn’t need to constantly reinvent itself because it built something hard to replicate: a reputation grounded in consistency and genuine hospitality. For anyone arriving in San Martín de los Andes wanting to connect with Patagonia from the inside — not from behind the glass of a resort lobby — this hostel is an honest, well-tested base.