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Potosi is one of the world’s highest cities and lies in the High Andes of Bolivia. It’s famous for the Cerro Rico silver mine which made Potosi the richest city in the Americas of the 16th century. I visited Potosi for two nights to explore the heritage the city is rich of. I always want to stay in luxury and Hotel Coloso Potosi is the place to stay in Potosi. I’ll show you in this hotel review what to expect at Hotel Coloso Potosi and why this is a great place. I enjoyed staying! Except maybe the altitude headache.
The hotel
Let me say upfront that in general in Bolivia you won’t find 5-star service compared to for example Dubai. Hotel Coloso Potosi is a luxury hotel as per local standards which is very good. The hotel is located just a few minutes walking distance from all major sites in downtown Potosi. When I checked in I was warmly welcomed and shown to my room. English was spoken by some of the staff but not all which wasn’t a problem at all.
As you can see in the photo below it was Christmas time and the hotel was decorated with Christmas items. In Bolivia, they celebrate Christmas and I could even witness a local parade of the primary schools. The interior is decorated with marbles and art-deco style. If you visit the highlands of Bolivia you probably know about altitude sickness. The hotel provides coca leaves tea to help you cope with this; drink it! It will make you feel much better. The friendly staff and great location made my stay a memorable one!
BOLIVIA – Amazing 10-day Bolivia itinerary to Sucre & the Altiplano
The rooms at Hotel Coloso Potosi
The rooms are located on the 7 floors of the hotel and mine had a view over Potosi. All rooms at the Hotel Coloso Potosi have a comfortable bed, a working desk, and a bathroom with all amenities you would need. Important to note is that they have 24h hot water supply which isn’t always the case in Bolivia. The décor of the room is light tones with a bit too colorful carpet in my opinion. Air-conditioning isn’t needed as it’s never hot in Bolivia’s high Andes and the heating did it’s work to heat the room. Wi-Fi is fast and reliable and I could publish articles with lots of photos without problem. That’s always my measurement if Wi-Fi is sufficient but here Netflix worked too. I had a light headache due to the altitude but still had two great nights of sleep.
Facilities at Hotel Coloso Potosi
Hotel Coloso Potosi has an indoor pool, the only one in Potosi! That’s a big plus although I didn’t use it; I was too busy exploring town. A huge gym is in the basement which functions as the hotels gym but also for other members. As I had some minor altitude sickness the gym was the last thing I wanted to go to as walking a few hundred meters was already too much. Hotel Coloso Potosi as a professional concierge service who knows where to go for dinner or party all night. They can also arrange a tour to (or in) the Cerro Rico mines which is something you MUST do if in Potosi. Hotel Coloso Potosi offers lots of facilities which I didn’t use to be honest!
BOLIVIA – Amazing 10-day Bolivia itinerary to Sucre & the Altiplano
Dining & Drinking at Hotel Coloso Potosi
Hotel Coloso Potosi serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the all-day dining restaurant. Breakfast is good with enough choice and eggs are prepared on order which is a must have option I think. I had a late lunch once when the restaurant had a break. They were preparing for dinner and were so kind to prepare for me a cheeseburger. It was a delicious one and preparing it just outside of regular opening hours shows service in my opinion!
In the lobby is the bar of the Hotel Coloso Potosi where you can have a drink in the evening. I mainly had coco leaves tea for my altitude headache there. After my days in Sucre at 2700 meters this ascend to over 4000 meters in Potosi did hit me a bit. The bar is nice with rail tracks and a mine car; very nice local decorations. I will cover later in a separate article the two restaurants I had dinner; stay tuned for that article on Potosi and dining in Bolivia in general.
Conclusion
If you visit Potosi I do recommend staying first in Sucre for a few days to get used to the altitude. Flying direct to Potosi at 4000 meters can be hard for your body and isn’t without risk. Once you make it to one of the highest cities in the world I recommend staying at Hotel Coloso Potosi. It offers comfortable rooms, good food and has a swimming pool and gym. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and can arrange anything you need in Potosi. I had a great time at Hotel Coloso Potosi and I’m sure you will too if you decide to stay!
If you would like to know what you can do in and around Potosi then see one of these options: Must do things on the Bolivian Altiplano. I will add more destination information over time.
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Gallery of Hotel Coloso Potosi
** All opinions are based on a genuine stay, flight or experience. I’m not affiliated with the hotel, airline or tour operator but I might be (partially) sponsored – or paid. **
