About 1,700 miles south of Buenos Aires, El Calafate sits on the edge of a glacial lake in the Patagonia region. Once just a quiet, sleepy town, El Calafate is now a popular destination for those visiting Glacier National Park 50 miles away, offering restaurants, souvenir shops and tour agencies. Although a small town, there are many choices in accommodations, but, like most of Patagonia, prices are a little higher than most places in Argentina.
On the shores of Lake Argentina, the four-star Xelena Hotel offer guests luxury suites ranging from 320 to 1,300 square-foot rooms. Each room is furnished with king-size beds, 32-inch LCD TVs, DVD players, Wi-Fi, jacuzzi, mini-bars, safes and under-floor heating. Many of the rooms have a view of the lake and mountains.
Recreation facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, massage service and gym. The hotel offers a restaurant with international cuisine, a bistro with a fireplace and a coffee shop that serves breakfast.
Xelena Hotel
3500 René Favaloro
El Calafate, Santa Cruz 9405
011-54-2902-496-201
hotelxelena.com
The four-star Rochester sits on more than 100,000 square feet of park and garden lands and, only 100 yards from the lake, enjoys a beautiful panorama of the area. The hotel offers a free shuttle to town, which is 1.5 miles away.
Standard, superior and triple rooms, many with a lake-view, offer private bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, mini-bars, heating, safes and phones.
The restaurant serves a buffet breakfast and regional dishes at lunch and dinner. There is a living room with a 42-inch plasma TV and hundreds of DVDs.
Rochester Calafate
3514 Avenida Del Libertador
El Calafate, Santa Cruz 9405
011-54-2902-495-595
The three-star Blanca Patagonia, about a mile and a half from town, offers guests a commanding view of the lake and surrounding mountains. Choose from one of the 12 rooms in the main hotel or a private 1- ,2- or 3-room cabin, all of which have private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, heating, phone, bar and refrigerator. The cabins have kitchens, making them perfect for families.
There is a health club, restaurant, bar and cozy living room with a fireplace. The hotel offers an airport shuttle service.
Blanca Patagonia
149 Parque Nacional los Glaciares
El Calafate, Santa Cruz 9405
011-54-2902-493-370
blancapatagonia.com
