Where to Stay in El Calafate: Best Areas & Hotels

El Calafate is one of the most convenient places to stay if you’re visiting the Perito Moreno glacier. So if you’re not sure where to stay in El Calafate, Argentina, let me help you!

The city is located on the coast of Lago Argentino, the biggest freshwater lake in Argentina. Occasionally, you can even see flamingos there!

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Where to stay in El Calafate (quick answer)

• Best area: City Center (Centro)
• Best for views: Lakefront (Costanera)
• Best for luxury: Lodges outside town
• Best for budget: Downtown hostels

The best area to stay in El Calafate

City Center (Centro) – best for most travelers

Although El Calafate is not the biggest town, the most convenient area to stay in is the city centre. That’s where most restaurants and stores are located.

You can find anything from hostels to luxury hotels in the city centre.

You’re close to Los Glaciares National Park and have everything for a comfortable stay nearby.

Lakefront (Costanera) – best for views

If you’d like to have better views, you’ll need to stay a bit outside of the city centre.

It’s even possible to stay right by Lago Argentino, with open views over the lake.

Lodges outside town – best for nature and luxury

For a quieter and more unique stay, look outside El Calafate.

These lodges offer more space, nature, and a different experience compared to staying in town.

Best places to stay in El Calafate

So, there are quite a lot of places to stay in El Calafate, from hostels to luxury hotels.

As you can see, most of the hotels are located right around the main street.

Honestly, I had trouble choosing the hotels to display in this article because just so many of them have great reviews and look amazing. But I hope you’ll enjoy my selection.

Where we stayed in El Calafate – Lagos del Calafate

We stayed in the hotel Lagos del Calafate when we were in Patagonia. The location of the hotel is quite nice, as it’s close to the main street with restaurants, but still far away so that it’s quiet. From the terrace, you can even see Lago Argentino.

Lagos del Calafate is a big hotel with lots of rooms, so it’s not going to have that personal touch. But still, the rooms are nice and big and you get some privacy.

The breakfast was tasty and had a lot of choices, which it should in a 4* hotel.

There’s a spa and wellness available as well! There are pools, saunas, a whirlpool, and even a gym available.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Luxury El Calafate hotels

These hotels where to stay in El Calafate offer some of the best amenities, locations, and views in the town.

Xelena Hotel & Suites (Lakefront)

Xelena Hotel & Suites is a four-star hotel located just on the coast of lago Argentino. The views of the lake are really incredible, check out the pictures!

The hotel is located a bit away from the centre of El Calafate, but there’s a free transfer available.

There is a spa and wellness, and, as mentioned already, a pool – actually, two of them. For an additional cost, massages can be arranged.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Imago Hotel & Spa (Lakefront)

A five-star hotel located on the outskirts of El Calafate and offers transfers to the city.

Imago Hotel & spa, as the name suggests, has a spa complex with a pool, sauna, and massages.

The best thing about the location, though? There’s an incredible view of the lake, steppe, and mountains from Imago.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Hotel Posada Los Alamos (City Center)

If you’re looking for luxury El Calafate hotels that are closer to the centre of the city, Hotel Posada Los Alamos is an amazing option. This four-star hotel is located close to Lake Argentino and the main street in El Calafate, which has restaurants, bars, and anything else you might like.

Posada Los Alamos has spa and wellness facilities available. There’s a heated indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows, 2 massage pools, a gym, a sauna, and more options available.

The hotel has an 18-hole par 3 golf course – it’s the only place to play golf in El Calafate! Plus they can arrange different tours and activities for you, such as horse riding, trekking Perito Moreno, or navigation of Perito Moreno or all glaciers.

The restaurant serves a choice of American, Argentinean or Patagonian food. For dinner, you can choose to even have regional Patagonian specialities – such as Cordero asado (Patagonian Lamb).

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Best boutique hotels in El Calafate

What makes boutique hotels special, though, is that they’re typically small hotels with less than 100 rooms. That makes it possible for the staff to offer a more personal touch to each guest.

Kau Yatún Hotel and Estancia

Honestly, Kau Yatún Hotel Boutique is quite close to a luxury hotel. It is a 4-star hotel so you get the appropriate service and amenities located a bit off the main street in El Calafate. That means – you’ll avoid the noise of the centre but will have to walk or drive if you want to enjoy some restaurants there.

Kau Yatún is located on an authentic Patagonian Estancia – Estancia 25 de Mayo – and is surrounded by the Patagonian Steppe. You can enjoy such Patagonian traditions as cattle drives and sheep shearing. The farm has self-guided walking trails available.

The rooms are the typical ones that you get in a hotel. They are decorated in a traditional Patagonian style, with wooden floors and nice décor.

Plus, there’s a very good breakfast included in the price. And in the restaurant, you can enjoy traditional Patagonian cuisine dishes made from the products grown on the ranch.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Patagonia Queen Hotel Boutique

If you’d like to stay just a few steps from the main shopping mall and still close to Lago Argentino, check out the Patagonia Queen hotel.

It’s a relatively small hotel (20 rooms) and – each room has its private jacuzzi!

The hotel is designed to reflect the uniqueness and essence of Patagonia and is built using local materials.

Of course, there’s a continental breakfast included. If you splurge for a deluxe apartment, though, you get both a kitchen and breakfast. Best of both worlds!

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Kosten Aike

Kosten Aike is located just a couple of minutes walk from the centre of El Calafate. That makes its location extremely comfortable, as you’re far enough off for the noise to be subsided if there’s any, but still close enough for all the comforts of the main street.

The hotel is designed in an Alpine style and offers a spa facility, a fitness room, and a game room. The spa facilities include saunas, a hot tub, and massages. In the game room, you can find billiard, table football (soccer), and even table tennis.

Kosten Aike is a sustainable hotel. They try to use as much natural energy as possible and comply with current regulations related to the environment and biodiversity, historical heritage and culture, and safety and hygiene. Kosten Aike supports and promotes small local businesses. And so much more!

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Best mid-range places to stay in El Calafate

Mid-budget places are still hotels that offer quite nice things but are (sometimes) more budget-friendly. Maybe the room is smaller, or there’s no spa&wellness. But the hotel itself is nice and well-rated, just, you know, friendlier for the budget.

Koi Aiken (Lakefront)

Koi Aiken is located a 20-minute walk from the centre of El Calafate on the Paseo de la Costanera trail. On the other hand, it’s very close to the Argentino lake – just 5 minutes on foot.

The hotel is traditionally decorated and looks cosy and comfortable. Some of the rooms actually offer views of Lago Argentino! There’s an observation deck as well.

After a day out in nature, you can make use of the free dry sauna for relaxing.

The restaurant in Koi Aiken serves a daily breakfast and the staff are happy to prepare a boxed lunch to take on your excursions if needed.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Hosteria Miyazato Inn (City Center)

A no-frills hosteria, Miyazato Inn is located in an optimal location. It’s approximately 500m from the city centre, which means quiet but still close enough for comfort. And you are just 250m from Laguna Nimez, an ecological reserve.

The house is really charming and small and surrounded by a garden. The breakfast room has huge windows which make for excellent views while sipping on your morning tea or coffee.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Sierra Nevada (City Center)

A bit on the more expensive side, Sierra Nevada is a small-ish hotel located straight on the main street in El Calafate and 500m from Lago Argentino. From this hotel, you can see Bahia Redonda, a highly rated and beautiful bay of Lago Argentino.

The rooms in Sierra Nevada are spacious and light, with huge windows. There are gardens around it, which means you’re in the city, but still in the greenery.

There’s a continental breakfast served every morning. If you’d like to, you can order a takeaway lunch – perfect for those times when you go on tours.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Best apartments in El Calafate

I’ve mentioned it before, but I love staying in apartments when travelling, especially if it’s a longer trip. Sometimes, I just crave some homemade food instead of eating out all the time. So if you’re looking for a place where to stay in El Calafate with a comfort of a kitchen, an apartment is the best idea for you.

Los Ponchos hotel (lodges outside town)

Although it says “hotel”, the rooms in Los Ponchos have kitchenettes, so I’m counting it as an apartment.

Los Ponchos is located in a lovely area a bit off the city centre. The upside of it is that you’re in a quieter area, but the downside, obviously, is that it’ll take longer to get to the centre. If that’s not a problem for you (it’s better to drive a car in Patagonia, anyways, than use public transport), the location is perfect! There’s greenery, there’s the lake, there’s the scenery.

The rooms are spacious and have large windows. They also include a seating area and a fully equipped kitchenette.

And! There’s breakfast included! And if you don’t feel like cooking for yourself, the hotel hosts a restaurant.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Aparts Calafate suites (City Center)

Beautiful apartments that are set not far from the main street and not far from Argentino Lake and the laguna Nimez.

The apartments are quite spacious with a fully stocked kitchenette. The design is more on the dark side, I really like it, actually. You get all that’s needed in the Aparts Calafate suites, such as toiletries, towels, sheets, hairdryers, and even heating.

It’s a private apartment in an apartment building, so it is a perfect place to stay for those who like privacy.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

South Apartments (Lakefront)

The apartments are spacious and very well-equipped. You get all of the amenities that are necessary for a comfortable stay.

South Apartments have, well, apartments with 2 bedrooms. You get a full kitchen instead of a kitchenette, which is a lot better option for those who love cooking properly. The same as with Aparts Calafate suites, you don’t get breakfast, though. But I’m pretty sure the view makes up for it.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Best places to stay just outside El Calafate (Lodges outside town)

These are some interesting places that are close to El Calafate, that is, not in the city itself. If you’d like a more special place where to stay in El Calafate (and have the budget for it), these are definitely incredible options to consider.

All of these places are about an hour from Perito Moreno glacier, which is just a tiny bit closer than the other places to stay in El Calafate.

EOLO – Patagonia’s spirit

EOLO – Patagonia’s spirit is a 5-star hotel located on a 10 thousand acres estancia. It’s located just 30 minutes outside of El Calafate and 50 minutes from the Perito Moreno glacier.

The entire hotel is inspired by the historic estancias of the area. So everything, from the inside and outside design of the EOLO to the cutlery used in the restaurant aligns with the surrounding nature and the historic roots of Patagonia.

The hotel is all-inclusive, so you get all meals, all drinks (alcoholic as well), spa and wellness, and many other things included.

Read more information and reviews on Booking.com

Hostería El Galpón Del Glaciar

Hosteria El Galpon del Glaciar is the perfect place to stay near El Calafate if you want to enjoy an actual Patagonian country stay. It’s located 20km from El Calafate on the shores of Lago Argentino.

The hotel has only 16 rooms – double and triple rooms and a two-bedroom suite with a living room. All of the rooms come with a view – either of Lago Argentino or of the Andes.

El Galpon del Glaciar is located on a farm that has been dedicated to wool activities since 1912. Some of the activities organized by the hotel teach the guests about the history and processes of wool production in Patagonia, like sheep herding and shearing demonstrations.

Other activities that can be joined are bird watching in the Laguna de los Pájaros Nature Reserve, where you can see more than 30 species of birds, horseriding, and “field day”.

Breakfast is served daily, and there’s a restaurant offering traditional Patagonian meals.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

La Soberana

La Soberana is a well-priced inn located not far from Lago Argentino, in Punta Soberana. It’s quite a distance from the city centre, so La Soberana is more suitable for those who have a car.

But you pretty much have everything you need in the hotel for a comfortable stay. The rooms are nicely sized and beautifully decorated.

The food is homemade by the host, so you get freshly made breakfast in the mornings. If you’d like, she’ll even cook dinner or a takeaway lunch for you. At an extra cost, obviously, but it’s still very convenient.

The thing everyone likes the most about La Soberana, though, is the tranquillity and views you get from this hotel. From the house, you can see the lake and the city of El Calafate, the mountains and birds. It’s magnificent.

Read more information and reviews and check availability on booking.com

Other well-rated places where to stay in El Calafate

There are so many great places to stay in El Calafate that I, obviously, couldn’t describe them all. So, let me just list them for you.

• Calafate Parque hotel
• Casa Chica
• Esplendor by Windham El Calafate
• Cabañas de Nené Aparts
• Design Suites El Calafate

And so many more.

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