The best places to stay in Argentina range from remote estancias and secluded lodges to boutique chic hotels in the heart of the cities. Buenos Aires is certainly one of the best places to stay in Argentina if you love the vibrance of South American cities, but wine capital Mendoza, gorgeous Bariloche with its spectacular lakeside backdrop bursting with activities, and the cultural capital, Córdoba, are equally difficult to leave off your itinerary. And that’s before you even consider the awesomeness of the Perito Moreno Glacier, the soaring Andes, the ancient forests, the thunder of Iguazú Falls, the Patagonian steppes, the ice fields, and the glacial lakes.
Set in a tranquil corner of Córdoba province, this is one of Argentina’s most glamorous estancias, with sumptuous interiors, haute cuisine, and capacious guest rooms. Built in 2000, the building is in the Spanish Mission baroque style with whitewashed walls, curved gables high ceilings throughout, and a communal lounge with a bar and fireplace. There’s a luxurious spa with a sauna, hammam, whirlpool tub, and fitness room that looks out towards the Sierras. Activities on offer include riding, wine, and olive oil tastings, picnic lunches on the river, birdwatching, and golf.
Each of the nine rooms is decorated with a tasteful, distinctive design, with grand antique-style fixtures and fittings. The bathrooms have double sinks, large bathtubs, and separate showers. All rooms have a wood-burning fireplace, plus satellite TV, DVD player, and sound surround, minibar, safe and free Wi-Fi. All have open views of the gardens, and the seven suites also have private terraces. The restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating, serves a seasonal menu, including classic Argentine grilled steaks.
In the heart of the upscale neighborhood Recoleta, located in Buenos Aires, the Alvear Palace Hotel is truly palatial in nature. Established in 1932, this is one of the best hotels in Argentina. The building’s façade was influenced by 1920’s Parisian architecture. Today, the Alvear Palace Hotel is home to gorgeous suites where you can arrange for butler service, sip drinks in the champagne bar, and be perfectly situated to explore the city.
Located on the eastern edge of Palermo Viejo’s ‘Soho’ district, at the heart of Buenos Aires’ hippest dining and shopping scenes, this alluring boutique hotel is the former home and production headquarters of the family of the American film director Francis Ford Coppola. From the outside, the hotel looks like one of the smarter historic houses, with oxblood walls and Italianate features.
Inside is a celebration of Argentine antique textiles, red floor tiles, hide rugs, indigenous carnival masks, and a patio full of plants and a small pond. Original art adorns the walls and niches, and the furniture is all solid and classic. Seven rooms surround the patio, with four doubles on the first floor – two with balconies over the patio; two sharing a balcony onto the street; a first-floor studio with a single bed; and two slightly larger, cooler ground floor suites.
A secluded lodge in a jungle setting, just 20 minutes from Iguazu Falls, Awasi offers private villas characterized by bucket-like armchairs, vast double beds, and private plunge pools. Windows flank three-quarters of the wall space, where you can look out to subtropical greenery. Bathrooms have large bathtubs, walk-in showers, a separate toilet room, and large windows that look out to the jungle. You can either dine in the spacious restaurant or from the lofty outside veranda under the forest canopy. The small menu changes slightly every day, with cuts of local river fish, beef and lamb served alongside delicious vegetarian dishes.
Mendoza is the wine capital of Argentina and one of the most accessible of Mendoza’s wine lodges is Cavas, taking up a prime spot in Luján de Cuyo, just 26 miles from the airport. Here, you can look up from your wine tastings and admire gorgeous views of the Andes Mountains. With private adobe-style villas popping up in the middle of the vineyard, everything is designed around relaxation; each room offers a west-facing view and a private deck on which to watch the sunset over the mountains in the evenings.
The main house, home to the restaurant and living room, complete with a roaring fire in winter, is adjoined to the spa by a stunning Moorish terrace with a small pool. The restaurant has a strong focus on seasonal and organic cuisine, with immaculately presented dishes paired with the local vintages, and served in elegant surroundings.
Entre Cielos Hotel is on a vineyard with views of the Andes mountains
High in the Andes Mountains is Entre Cielos “between skies”, a boutique hotel situated right in a vineyard, and a must-stay for oenophiles. In addition to a floating wine loft in the vineyard, two onsite restaurants, and more wine tasting than you could possibly fit into even the longest of vacations, the upscale Entre Cielos also offers the full pampering of a world-class spa and hammam. An onsite fitness trail lets you get active and soak in the scenery, admiring the peaks of the Andes just footsteps from your hotel suite.
The Llao Llao Hotel is located in the tourist resort of San Carlos de Bariloche within the province of Río Negro, Argentina
Bariloche is possibly the best area to stay in Argentina, a paradise for hikers and bikers in the cool summers, a snowy wonderland for skiers during winter, and a gastronomes’ paradise year-round. Set on a hilltop between the crystalline Lake Nahuel Huapi and smaller Lake Moreno, Llao Llao is a vast 1940 Patagonian lodge and an ideal base for an Andean adventure. The 161 standard rooms and suites in the original Bustillo wing are compact and comfortably furnished in B&B style; the best suites are set in the six-year-old Moreno Wing, with private whirlpool tubs, modern design, large balconies, and breathtaking vistas of Lake Moreno and snow-capped Mount Tronador.
Estancia El Bordo de las Lanzas is one of the oldest estancias in Argentina, crammed full of antiques and beautifully located at the end of a long drive flanked by fields of sugar cane and chia. The estancia house is a family-friendly family home on a vast estate. Each of the carefully restored bedrooms has a unique charm and is utterly authentic, ranging from grand four-poster-bedded chintzy boudoirs to story-book family rooms, with a mezzanine floor for the children. Bathrooms are old-fashioned but this adds to the atmosphere; most have tubs and all have ceramic sinks.
The opportunities for horse riding here are fabulous. You can also visit the caiman reserve, go bird-watching or hop on a bike and explore the many trails. In the evenings, traditional dancing or cookery lessons are on offer.
This elegant Patagonian hideaway is thrillingly close to the great Perito Moreno Glacier yet still feels wonderfully remote. Cleverly designed around a pretty quadrant, every window frames magnificent views over the Patagonian plains, and spine-tingling sunrises can be enjoyed from the warmth of your bed. Interiors are simple, timeless, and graceful. Each of the 17 rooms is different although all share a refined color palette, elegant lines, and perfectly positioned armchairs or sofas to take in those addictive views.
Antique furniture and polished statement pieces can be found alongside sumptuous beds. Big baths, antique mirrors, and excellent linens complete the restful vibe. The standout restaurant at EOLO is easily the best in the region, serving beautifully presented dishes paired with the superb all-Argentine wine list.
Estancia Cristina is one of Calafate’s most remote and beautiful ranches. Located inside Los Glaciares National Park and accessible only by boat, this historical property offers incredible trekking, eye-popping vistas, and a chance to see one of the region’s largest and most active glaciers – the Upsala – from the water. At Punta Banderas, board Cristina’s catamaran and sail three hours through the fjords and up to the Upsala arm. As your boat cruises through the icebergs towards the face of the glacier, you are transported to a different world.
The estancia is a compound of buildings with a backdrop of snow-covered peaks, and horses roaming the estancia land. The five bungalows have four rooms each, named after local flora and fauna. The bedrooms are well heated and carpeted, brightly illuminated and airy, with window seating and two comfy chairs placed to enjoy great views through the bay window. The beds are comfortable, and the bathrooms are large, each with a bath and shower. Lunch and dinner are served in the octagon-shaped main house, where the chef and his team prepare exquisite buffet lunches and à la carte dinners. A lamb barbecue is offered every other day, with lots of sides.
Elegant and Contemporary, the Arakur is located within the Reserva Natural Cerro Alarkén
Located in Ushuaia in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego, this hotel can truly be described as being at the edge of the world. The Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa is located more than 2,600 feet above sea level, but it looks straight down onto the city and is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Right from the resort, you can explore trails leading through the Reserva Natural Cerro Alarkén, and you can relax with pampering spa treatments upon your return.
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