Palacio de Sal – Colchani

por | Articles, Bolivia, Destinations

The first salt hotel in the world, Palacio de Sal, opened its doors to visitors in 1998. It is without a doubt one of the world’s original hotels. Located at the edge of Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt flat in the world, in Colchani, the hotel is perfectly positioned and a great place to begin our exploration of Salar de Uyuni.

The hotel incorporates salt into every aspect of its design to effortlessly integrate into its dramatic and magnificent surroundings. Solid salt bricks from the Uyuni salt lake were used to build the infrastructure and furnish the space. Salt is used to construct walls, ceilings, furniture, and more.

Salt sculptures created by Bolivian artists in public spaces serve as eye-catching focal points. Warmth is maintained, and the ambiance is kept from seeming too bare in the salt environment by wooden walks and deep crimson furnishings. The little lodgings evoke a blend of regional Andean customs and contemporary, sophisticated, yet classical and magnificent architecture.

This hotel is quite distinctive and one of the most bizarre hotels in the world. The domes were influenced by the Chipaya culture, which has lived on the Altiplano (High Plateau) for centuries and is likely the oldest in South America. The Chipayas’ traditional shelters were constructed with pointed roofs. The rooms are unique, some of which are pretty spectacular igloo-shaped. The rooms offer the latest conveniences one would anticipate from a hotel of this caliber. Every room has a private bath with hot water and either central or electric heating.