The lady that runs the place is very nice, upbeat and helpful. The hostal has a homey feel and is very well maintained, at the same time you feel it is a typical Chilean house-there are pictures/paintings and nik-nacs everywhere. Everything is clean and servicable , if a little different from more western fittings such as a slightly older oven/stove and toliets that don't flush toilet paper (which is the case pretty much everywhere I've been in Valparaiso-bins are provided) TVs are in every room I think with a couple english channels with news/normal shows as well as many spanish channels. Bathrooms are shared between 2 rooms I think and a couple have their own bathroom. The upstairs floors are creaky when you walk and the walls/floors are a bit thin sound wise - they're the only tiny things I can fault. There is an outdoor area to eat/drink/smoke and a small communal dining room. It's a short walk down (a lot of!) steps to the city centre where there is a supermarket with all you need as well as many small eateries with burger/fries type food, pastries, more typical chilean food etc. There are also several drinking venues for night life fairly close by. You can catch 'collectivo' taxis just up the hill a tiny bit which take you down to the city if you don't want to go the steps, and I've been told you shouldn't really at night, just young kids drinking I believe-like in any city. Enjoy this gorgeous hostal