Hotel El Refugio d'Elise

Hotels
8.6 (159 reviews)
Putuco s/n (Carretera rural a Cabanaconde) , Chivay , PE

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
Garden
Laundry
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Review Highlights

Pros:
Exceptional location by the river with mountain/canyon views
Multiple thermal pools and relaxing hot springs
Comfortable rooms and good bedding
Good value compared to similar lodges
Pleasant grounds and peaceful atmosphere
Nice breakfast and friendly/attentive staff (mostly)
Cons:
Inconsistent food quality; limited menu for some meals
Wi‑Fi often limited to main building
Occasional room issues: drafts, plumbing/odour, limited lighting, no TV
One report of closed thermal pool
Difficult access/steep approach and many stairs – not ideal for mobility issues
Isolated reports of unfriendly reception

Categories

Cleanliness
8.2
Generally described as clean and well-kept grounds and rooms, though several reviews mention limited room cleaning (only bathroom), occasional odors at room entrance and issues like leaks.
Service
8
Mostly praised for attentive staff and prevenance, with some guests noting friendly helpful service; isolated reports of unfriendly reception lower the score slightly.
Location
9.5
Consistently highlighted as a major strength: stunning riverside location, mountain and canyon views, very peaceful and close to the thermal pools.
Room Quality
8
Rooms often described as comfortable with good beds and heating; some negatives include drafts from gaps, limited lighting, no TV in some rooms and occasional plumbing issues.
Amenities
9
Strong amenities profile with multiple hot spring pools, games area, fireplace and on-site restaurant; some downsides like one closed pool in a report and Wi‑Fi limited to main building.
Value for Money
9
Multiple guests note very good value (cheaper than comparable lodges while offering similar facilities), making value a clear positive.
Food and Beverage
7.5
Mixed feedback: some rave about the restaurant and breakfast, others report poor meals, limited menu choices and variability in quality.
Overall Experience
9.6
Overall highly recommended by many guests for setting, hot springs and relaxing atmosphere; a few operational issues temper a perfect score but overall experience remains very positive.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 09:41

Property Description

Rustic Charm and Natural Beauty
Experience the tranquility of the Colca Valley at our rustic-style inn, boasting thermal baths with breathtaking views of the Colca river and surrounding mountains. Each room offers a serene escape with rustic walls, modern bathrooms, and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the valley.

Delicious Dining with a View
Indulge in a full American breakfast at our Restaurant, surrounded by panoramic windows showcasing the valley. Savor local specialties while enjoying the warmth of the central iron-cast fireplace, adding to the cozy ambiance.

Convenient Location
Located just 500 meters from Chivay’s bus station, El Refugio provides easy access to explore the wonders of the Colca Valley. Book your stay now and immerse yourself in nature's embrace.

Important information:

Based on local tax laws, Peruvian citizens (and foreigners staying more than 59 days in Peru) must pay an additional fee of 10%. To be exempt from this 18% additional fee (IVA), a copy of the immigration card and passport must be presented. Please note both documents are required for fee exemption

Foreign business travelers who require a printed invoice, will also be charged the additional 18% regardless of the length of their stay in Peru. This fee is not automatically calculated in the total costs for the reservation.

If foreign guests share a room with Peruvian guests, then the extra tax (IVA) must be paid.

Children up to 7 years old can stay for free with their parents as long as they use existing bedding, no extra bed or breakfast included. Children from 8 to 12 years old can stay with their parents using the existing beds and paying the child rate, which does not include an additional bed, if it includes breakfast. Children 13 years and older are considered adults.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 159 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.2
Service: 8
Location: 9.5
Room Quality: 8
Amenities: 9
Value for Money: 9
Food and Beverage: 7.5
Overall Experience: 9.6
E
Evelyne • family_with_children • ch
10
Pros:

Ein wunderbares Hotel an einer ruhigen Lage am Fluss. Die Stunde Privatpool in den heissen Quellen beim Eindunkeln ein unvergessliches Erlebnis. Das Frühstücksbuffet bietet alles, was man braucht und das Feuer im Speisesaal lädt ein zum länger sitzen.

2026-11-04 • via Nuitee
R
Ramos Cornejo • family_with_children • pe
10
2026-11-03 • via Nuitee
T
Trevor • solo_traveller • us
9
Nice hotel, ok hot tubs
Pros:

Beautiful spot with great views. Very secluded. Room was perfect and the food was very good.

Cons:

Making a reservation for a hot tub was inconvenient. Plus, we were the first to reserve and were given the coldest pool (pool 3). Others who got 1 and 2 confirmed those pools were warmer. In the end, we had to move to the covered pool which was warmer but not as nice. Wifi was spotty, even in the main area.

2026-11-02 • via Nuitee
S
St yves • extended_group • ca
9
Relaxant et intime
Pros:

Excellent souper, bon déjeuné, bas thermal pas très chaud

2026-10-24 • via Nuitee
G
Guido • family_with_children • pe
10
El Refugio... Un lugar para sentir la naturaleza
Pros:

El desayuno estuvo muy rico y había variedad, en cuanto a la ubicación diría que el acceso debe mejorar.

Cons:

El bar debería atender hasta más tarde

2026-10-18 • via Nuitee
L
Laura • solo_traveller • pa
9
Pros:

Las instalaciones son adecuadas para la temperatura de Chivay. Personal muy amable en recepción y restaurante.

Cons:

No hay mucha señalizacion del Refugio por lo que es fácil perderse. Deberían tener en el parqueo indicaciones de como llegar a recepcion.

2026-10-13 • via Nuitee
A
ALEJANDRA • family_with_children • pe
10
excelente para niños y grupos
Pros:

La aguas termales están en el mismo hotel y no había mucha gente, el hotel te da las toallas y todas las facilidades . El río esta muy cerca y a los niños les encanta.

Cons:

el ingreso es un poco incomodo y la señalización para ingresar no es muy visible.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
A
ARIANA • family_with_children • us
9
Descanso rodeado de naturaleza
Pros:

El sonido del río. La piscina de aguas termales. La vista a la naturaleza .

Cons:

Un poco de cansadado subir y bajar unas gradas para acceder la loby desde la cochera. En mi caso porque viaje con niños pequeños. Por lo demás todo lindo. Volvería sin duda.

2026-10-11 • via Nuitee
V
Vanesa • solo_traveller • pe
8
2026-10-08 • via Nuitee
J
José Luis • family_with_children • pe
10
Recomendable
Pros:

El Paisaje

Cons:

el horario para utilizar la poza termal

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
M
Maria Florencia • solo_traveller • ar
10
Excelente atención del personal
Pros:

El lugar y la limpieza

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
C
Camila • solo_traveller • br
8
Pros:

Ótima experiência com as termas. Quarto confortável para um descanso na jornada. Café da manha bem gostoso. Além disso é possível jantar no hotel, sem se preocupar em deixar o local.

Cons:

Ótima experiência, nada a reclamar.

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
S
Sharon • couple • il
7
Great location in the little canyon, make sure to get stool with a view and don’t miss the covered pool.
Pros:

The pools and thermic baths were wonderful
To refresh in after a long day outdoors. The food was nice and the staff friendly and helpful. The rooms on the upper floor are with a balcony and are very nice.

Cons:

The first room on the bottom floor was very basic.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
A
Arnau • solo_traveller • es
6
Pros:

La ubicació tranquila però allunyada de Chivay.

Cons:

Trobo que és car pel que realment és. El tracte tampoc va ser el millor. Teniem una reserva per una nit i, per impossibilitat de viatjar per raons climàtiques, vem haver de retrassar la reserva 1 dia i ens van cobrar pràcticament 30 euros més. Si bé és cert que tenen tot el dret de fer-ho, la diferència en el preu era exagerada i, en altres llocs, ens van fer el canvi de reserva sense canviar el preu, ja que la habitació que teniem era la mateixa. Trobo que en un lloc de categoria, aquest tipus de tracte marca la diferència.

La habitació és correcte però pocs amenities.

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
M
Malena Silvana • couple • pe
10
Coordinar para la limpieza de la habitación
Pros:

El personal y la comodidad y el ambiente .. fabuloso

Cons:

Todo bien

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
D
Daniel • couple • at
8
2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
A
Agostina • extended_group • it
9
Pros:

La struttura immersa nell bosco la camera meravigliosa

Cons:

Le terme piccole e non tanto pulite

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
E
Ester • solo_traveller • es
7
Pros:

L'entorn, encara que el podrien tenir més cuidat i tenir més cura amb els ocells i algun camí per poder passejar

Cons:

El llit molt dur i el WC perdia aigua i feia molt mala olor

2026-08-27 • via Nuitee
M
Marie • couple • be
8
Stunning view
Pros:

The localisation was stunning and the hot springs very relaxing.

Cons:

The soundproofing of the room was very bad, we could hear all the noises of the neighbors.
Some members of the staff were also quite rude because we were not able to understand everything they were saying in Spanish and didn’t want to make an effort to speak in English.

2026-08-26 • via Nuitee
M
Mario • family_with_children • at
9
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee