Finally! The Amazing Racers, who our sibling Jaunted has been dutifully covering throughout this crappy All-Star season, stopped at a hotel for a challenge.
The lucky hotel was the Stone Town Inn in Zanzibar, Tanzania which also goes by the name of Beyt al Chai. Apparently, the Zanzibar nobility would meet here in the olden days for some quality tea time, hence the chai name.
There's only six rooms in the place, thankfully with private bathrooms and air-conditioning. The hotel's location near the Kelele Square makes it the perfect stop for those chilling in Zanzibar for whatever reason. Or for those like the All Stars who were making a puzzle. Those crazy reality TV challenges!
Petrohue Hotel and Cabana was more than likely the pit stop for last nights Amazing Race All-Stars.
This hotel was recently renovated, and most importantly affords guests stellar views across the lake of the snow capped volcano in the distance.
The property is extremely popular with bus tours, and these rolling suitcase pushing travelers tend to put a strain on the staff. If you are lucky enough to check in sans bus tour, you will be happiest. Another hint, ask for one of the newly renovated rooms.
Hopefully, the hotel was able to provide racers with a hot shower after they spent the better part of the afternoon white water rafting.
It finally happened. For years we have looked for the travel equivalent of Mos Eisely spaceport--you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy--and we found that equivalent in Calama Chile.
When commenters on FlyerTalk, a popular frequent flier bulletin board, were asked what place was "Hell on Earth" one commenter responded:
My vote goes to Calama, Chile. A dusty desert town of 250,000 with NOTHING! (The only plus is that its the gateway city to San Pedro de Atacama). Lots of miners, prostitutes, and stray dogs. I've talked to people that have been transferred here...and trust me they hate life!
It goes without saying that Calama Chile was the pitstop for the second leg of Amazing Race All Stars.
Hosteria San Pedro de Atacama, is a motel/hotel made of volcanic stone, in the midst of one of the most dry desert in the world, the Atacama Desert. This place isn't five star comfort, however it is a nice, basic hideout amidst the seedy underbelly of Calama. This thirty six room motel offers a nice courtyard where guest can have a beer under a shady tree, which we recommend to Kevin after having to deal with all of Drew's mounting maladies.
Jaunted is back with their episode recap and Amazing Race All Star Map while we search out a place for our tired Racers to lay their heads.
In last night's premiere episode Phil and CBS decided to have the racers stay in a make shift barracks outside Pim's Restaurant in Quito Ecuador.
Cots? Aren't these suppose to be All Stars? We know the casting was a touch suspect to say the least, but let's put these folks up in a comfortable upscale hostel shall we?
Los Alpes is a family run hotel with 24 rooms. The hotel is not a five star joint to stay the least, however, all the rooms are en-suite, there is a bar, a restaurant, a cafe, and free WiFi.
Think about it CBS, you could have taken over the entire hotel for a night for less than $2,000. Aren't your reality "stars" worth it.
Oh, and one more thing, Los Alpes is directly across from the US embassy, just in case.
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by juliana
