38 Best Hotels in Patagonia, Argentina

Accessible only by boat or a three-hour trek, Aguas Arriba has a privileged location right on the Lago del Desierto, with a glimmer of Mt. Fitzroy in the distance. There are only five rooms in this wooden, country-style lodge. A large living room with an open fireplace and mountains of books make it a peaceful and relaxing stay where you can immerse yourself in the wilderness and quiet of Patagonia.

You can see this luxury hotel towering in the distance in front of Monte Olivia; it's one of the most extensive spa-and-resort complexes in Ushuaia and overlooks the entire bay and town from its own nature reserve out of town on the road to Cerro Castor. Your stay includes a nature walk with the hotel guide, and you can take full advantage of the stunning views from the indoor/outdoor heated pools and Jacuzzis, gym, hotel bar, and restaurant. Comfortable and spacious rooms each have tubs, complimentary (nonalcoholic) minibars, and digital controls for the temperature, lights, blackout curtains, entertainment system, and Internet. This big hotel comes with all the bells and whistles, but the atmosphere can be a bit sterile.

Comodoro's biggest hotel is actually two hotels in one: the older, larger, but more modest Austral Express, and the newer Austral Plaza, a 65-room luxury hotel with marble floors, plush towels, and spacious rooms. If you're only overnighting on your way south, consider the Express—it's almost half the price of the Plaza, but you still get amenities like free Wi-Fi and the same great breakfast. The Austral also has one of the city's finest seafood restaurants, Tunet.

Choose between six guesthouses right on the beach (food and activities included), or one of the simpler five guesthouses off the beach on an accommodation-only basis; each of the beach guesthouses includes twin bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. There's electricity only between sunset and 11:30 pm. Activities include bird-watching, visits to a local petrified forest and archaeological sites, and boat excursions to the Malaspina cove, where there are sea lion colonies, plus penguin and seabird rookeries. Bahía Bustamante currently operates between September and March, with other months available but check in advance.

This charming complex of cabins and bungalows, painted a deep berry purple, is high above Ushuaia in the woods at the base of the ski lift to the Martial Glacier; each spacious room has an extremely comfortable bed and a small wooden deck with terrific views down to the Beagle Channel. The cabañas are beautiful self-contained log cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows and spacious living areas; the luxury cabins also have a Jacuzzi. A spa is housed in its own cottage, and at the Cabanas de Taza de Té Café you can enjoy sweet treats and aromatic loose teas. A small nature trail takes you through the lenga trees along the Martial River. There is, however, no complimentary shuttle service to town, so you'll need to take a $10 taxi to Ushuaia.

Right on the beachfront in the city center, Dazzler's sea views will keep you eagerly hunting for whales, while the comfy beds and generous amenities will pull you away from the window for just a little while. A small gym and sauna and an ample sun terrace overlooking the coast complete the offerings.

When you're staying in a wildlife reserve, taking care of Mother Nature seems only right; while this eco-friendly hotel uses solar panels, low-energy fittings, and recycles its water, they don't skimp on style or luxury. Moss- or sage-green walls offset the recycled-wood headboards, and the huge, firm beds have crisp linens, natural wool throws, and lots of pillows. The friendly staff help you organize nature-oriented expeditions all over the peninsula, including spots few tourists visit.

A luxury lodge on the road to Perito Moreno, Eolo offers full-board stays in handsome accommodations where you can take in the beauty of Patagonia's vast, empty lands and see Lago Argentino in the distance. The rustic-chic decor reflects the local style, with soft wool throws on the large beds and photos of Patagonian landscapes on the walls. Rates include in-ranch activities such as talks on local legends, horseback riding, guided walks, mountain biking, and bird-watching; excursions outside the estancia—including Perito Moreno and Glaciers National Park—cost extra.

Arriving at Estancia Cristina by catamaran on Lago Argentina past fields of ice and imposing mountains is just the beginning of a remarkable Patagonian adventure: on arrival you'll be treated to cozy accommodations, delicious cuisine, and unbeatable excursions to little-explored corners of the park. Fill your days with trekking, horseback riding, fly-fishing, bird-watching, four-wheel drives to see the glacier from above, and a visit to the lovingly preserved family museum in which you can discover the fascinating history of this remote estancia.

Jarké means "spark" in a local native language, and this B&B is a bright, electric addition to Ushuaia; the three-story lodge cantilevers down a hillside on a dead-end street in the heart of town. The building's an amalgam of alpine and Victorian styles on the outside; inside, a spacious contemporary design incorporates a glass-roofed lobby, several living rooms with great views of the waterfront, and a sunny breakfast room. Rooms have a warm color scheme, polished wood floors, peaked-roof ceilings, artisanal soaps, woven floor mats, bidets, Jacuzzi tubs, and decent views, although the windows are a little small.

This B&B personally run by its owners is good for an inexpensive, overnight stay. Located in an attractive building, the rooms are simple but clean and comfortable. It is also well-located just a few blocks from the town plaza and next to the river. 

In downtown Ushuaia, the Fueguino boasts all the modern amenities: a conference center; a gym; a spa; shuttle service; outgoing, professional, multilingual staff; and one of the better Wi-Fi signals in town. Rooms feature custom Italian wood furnishings, leather accents, frosted glass, blackout blinds, and brushed stainless steel in the bathrooms. The Fueguino name is branded on every trinket you can think of, from bathrobes to shoe mitts. Beds with padded headboards and California king-size mattresses are as firm as it gets. Downstairs the Komenk restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine with Patagonian influences. In the winter, the hotel basement hosts international cross-country ski teams from the Northern Hemisphere training in their off-season.

This converted ranch is nestled in a quiet tree-lined valley by a stream yet lies just six blocks from the main street and offers a full schedule of mountain biking, horseback riding, and four-wheel-drive expeditions in the 42,000-acre Estancia 25 de Mayo that lies just behind the hotel. Hotel Kau-Yatún is closed in winter, but its sister hotel, the much larger Mirador del Lago, is open year-round.

This big hotel has definitely seen better days, and while rooms are clean (if worn around the edges), the faded bedcovers and scuffed furnishings of the standard rooms really aren't up to the price, although it still remains one of the best of the rather limited options in town. Because it caters to tour groups, the hotel's staff speaks reasonable English.

This cozy hotel 4 km (2.5 miles) from the center of town is named after the local tribe and offers a rustic mountain aesthetic. Some rooms have stunning views over the Beagle Channel and all have wrought-iron bed frames, but the decor is quite dated. The expansive lobby, second-floor restaurant, games room with billiards, and sauna are welcoming.

The minimal gray-and-taupe lobby and slick, wooden-walled breakfast bar are the result of the gradual renovation of this well-established hotel; some rooms are cramped and still outdated but the panorámicos have bigger beds and fabulous views of the bay, and the Peninsula Suite has an outdoor balcony and a Jacuzzi tub with a bay view. Communal facilities include a small Jacuzzi and gym, and the public spaces have good light and make the best of the seaside location.

In the center of Puerto Madryn, this modern hotel towers over the beachfront and is near all the best restaurants and shops. The service is first-class and the rooms are clean and comfortable. Ask for a room with a balcony and ocean view. 

This well-designed boutique hotel on the outskirts of town, on the beach, is a good find if you want peace and quiet and don't mind being away from the city center. The prices are outstanding value for the quality of the rooms (all with sea views), breakfast, service, and decor. 

In the wooded foothills of the Andes, Las Hayas is slightly dated in its facilities, but the views overlooking the town and channel below still make it worth the trip. Each room features Portuguese linens, solid oak furnishings, and crisp white fabric-padded walls covered in bright one-color floral prints. A suspended glass bridge connects the hotel to the health spa, which includes a heated pool, Jacuzzi, and even a squash court. There's a good restaurant on-site, Le Martial, which prepares local Patagonian cuisine.

The standard block construction might not seem very inspiring, but the Indalo has clean, comfortable rooms and free Wi-Fi. You can stay either at the hotel or in one of seven cabins right on the waterfront.

Lined with wooden balconies, high-beamed ceilings, and a slate floor, this hotel is a paragon of Andean Patagonian architecture, while a sunny rooftop spa, gym, and spacious Jacuzzi offer great views over town to Lago Argentino. A lobby bar and living room with fireplace, card tables, magazines, and a large TV are dangerously conducive to lounging about.

This adorable B&B is a honeymooners' delight, thanks to the multiple personal touches, from home-cooked cuisine to family photos on the walls. The hotel is in the Estancia Río Pipo, on a wind-battered hill 4 km (2.5 miles) west of town, in an area once inhabited by canoeist nomads, but it's now being encroached on by the expanding city. The seven bedrooms—with names such as La Coqueta and La Misión—boast large windows facing the Beagle Channel or the snow-capped Andes, with soft, luxurious beds and charming photos of old shipwrecks. A cozy living room offers a book exchange, board games, video library, and glass display tables with antique arrows, bones, and currency. The restaurant has a top-notch gourmet menu—offering such exotic fare as conejo a la cazadora (stuffed rabbit) or seafood au gratin—prepared by the owner.

The powder-blue clapboard facade of this hotel stretches along the beachfront: squint and you can see whales from the huge picture windows in the front-facing rooms and lobby lounge. Rooms are spacious and airy, if rather plain for the price.

From the owners of Las Hayas (just around the corner on the winding mountain road), Los Acebos is a modern hotel on a forested ridge with a commanding view over the Beagle Channel; spacious and superclean rooms feature the same iconoclastic decor as Las Hayas, including the trademark fabric-padded walls, only this time with a ’60s-style color scheme. The restaurant serves international dishes in a chic dining room with sensational views. Staff are relaxed and personable, especially with the large number of well-heeled Argentine families who base themselves here, close to the nearby ski slopes. Guests can imbibe by the lounge fireplace or in the game room.

Right on the shore of the Beagle Channel about 8 km (5 miles) west of town, this resort is in a private community with privileged beach access and a nature hike that starts right outside your room. As well as an excellent spa, they have the only private boat excursions in Ushuaia, where you can enjoy the Beagle Channel from the comfort of a small luxury boat for hotel guests only. Pay the extra cost for a higher floor, sea-view room, as the sunrise and sunset are both a real pleasure to watch from your warm bed. Another fantastic viewpoint is from the heated pool, which flows from inside to outside and has an outdoor Jacuzzi, a rare treat in this part of the world. On the relatively cheap menu of the restaurant Reinamora, you will find the standard Patagonian lamb, rainbow trout, and a delicious king crab, and the extensive breakfast even includes a glass of bubbly.

The new section in this small, affordable hotel has updated carpets, furnishings, and bathrooms; the staff doesn't speak much English but they're friendly and helpful.

Cozy and handsomely designed two-floor apartments in this boutique complex have beautiful views over Lago Argentina and offer some independence and privacy with a self-catering kitchen and homey, gaucho-chic decoration. Breakfast is served to your door, and the 24-hour reception staff offer a helping hand to recommend the best for your itinerary in El Calafate. Two larger apartments and a pretty cabin in the garden can host five to six guests.

The friendly welcome from the owners makes staying at this B&B feel like visiting a friend's home (with great attention to detail in design and well-chosen furnishings). What makes it special is the level of advice and service that the knowledgeable team can give you: they are all mountain guides and have been living, working, and hiking in the area for more than a decade. Freshly squeezed orange juice is a nice touch at the abundant breakfast table.

Great views across the lake are the main selling point of this smartly kept hotel, where each lakeside vista has a seated window or armchair so you can watch the beautiful sunset colors dance across the sky. Modern rooms have the necessities, there is good Wi-Fi throughout, and the communal breakfast room and the dining room have more lake views and wall-to-wall windows.

This is a budget-friendly motel that is clean, functional, and of exceptional value. Rooms are simple, but still have air conditioning, hot water, WiFi, and satellite tv. The homemade bread with breakfast in the ocean view restaurant is also a nice plus.