Llao Llao Hotel & Resort is the most famous hotel in Argentine Patagonia, a grand timber-and-stone lodge on a hill between two glacial lakes, surrounded by forested mountains and snow-capped peaks. Designed by the architect Alejandro Bustillo and first opened in 1938, it has become a national icon, often compared to the great mountain hotels of the Alps and the Canadian Rockies, and it offers golf, a spa and some of the most beautiful views in South America.
Llao Llao Hotel & Resort is the most famous hotel in Argentine Patagonia, a grand timber-and-stone lodge on a hill between two glacial lakes, surrounded by forested mountains and snow-capped peaks. Designed by the architect Alejandro Bustillo and first opened in 1938, it has become a national icon, often compared to the great mountain hotels of the Alps and the Canadian Rockies, and it offers golf, a spa and some of the most beautiful views in South America.
Location: Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina
The hotel sits on a hill at Puerto Pañuelo, on the Llao Llao peninsula, about 25 kilometres from the centre of San Carlos de Bariloche, within Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina's oldest national park. It stands between Lake Nahuel Huapi and Lake Moreno, framed by Cerro López, Cerro Capilla and the glaciated Mount Tronador, an extinct volcano on the Chilean border. Bariloche's airport, with flights from Buenos Aires, is around 45 minutes away.
Bariloche, known for its Swiss-style architecture and chocolate shops, is the gateway to the Argentine Lake District, a land of lakes, forests and mountains often described as the Switzerland of South America. Cerro Catedral, one of the largest ski areas in South America, is about 20 kilometres from the hotel.
The surrounding Nahuel Huapi National Park covers more than 7,000 square kilometres of lakes, rivers, forests and mountains, and it is home to wildlife including the huemul deer, the condor and the tiny pudú, one of the world's smallest deer. Its forests of arrayán, with their cinnamon-coloured bark, are among the most beautiful in Patagonia.
Rooms and suites at Llao Llao
The hotel has around 200 rooms and suites, divided between the historic main building and the Lago Moreno wing. Rooms are decorated in a warm, classic style, with timber, natural materials and Patagonian textiles, and many look out over the lakes and mountains. The suites in the Lago Moreno wing offer more space and contemporary design.
Request a lake-view room; the views across the water to the peaks are among the finest of any hotel in South America.
The hotel's public spaces are as memorable as the views: a vast timber hall with log columns, stone fireplaces and Patagonian rugs, long corridors lined with historic photographs, and terraces overlooking the lakes. The architecture, combining Alpine and North American influences with local materials, has made Llao Llao a symbol of Patagonian hospitality.
Facilities at Llao Llao
The resort has an 18-hole golf course set between the lakes and the forest, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and a marina at Puerto Pañuelo, where boat excursions leave for the islands and forests of Nahuel Huapi. Dining ranges from fine Patagonian cuisine, featuring lamb, trout and wild mushrooms, to more casual restaurants and a tea room, and there are activities for children.
In winter, the hotel provides access to skiing at Cerro Catedral; in summer, there is kayaking, sailing, hiking, horse riding and fishing. The hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is the view from the Cerro Campanario chairlift, a short drive from the hotel, where the whole panorama of the Argentine Lake District unfolds: the deep blue lakes, the forested peninsulas, the Llao Llao hotel on its hill and the snowy peaks of the Andes beyond. Closer to home, sunset over Lake Moreno from the hotel's terraces is equally unforgettable.
The scenic Circuito Chico drive, which loops around the Llao Llao peninsula, passes viewpoints, beaches and forests, and the Llao Llao Municipal Park, with its trails through ancient arrayán and coihue forests, is right next to the hotel.
Why Llao Llao is one of the best mountain hotels
Llao Llao earns its place as the definitive grand mountain hotel of South America, with a superb setting, a remarkable history and facilities for every season. It is large and popular, and service can feel stretched at peak times. But its views, architecture and range of activities make it a classic, and an ideal base for exploring the Argentine Lake District.
Its history is dramatic: the original hotel was destroyed by fire in 1939, barely a year after opening, and Bustillo rebuilt it in stone and timber, reopening in 1940. It later closed for around fifteen years before reopening in 1993, restored to its former glory.
When to go to Llao Llao
Llao Llao is open year-round, with seasons reversed from the northern hemisphere. Summer, from December to March, is ideal for golf, hiking, lakes and boat trips, and the busiest time. Winter, from June to September, brings skiing at Cerro Catedral, with July the peak month, when Argentine school holidays fill the resorts. Spring and autumn are quieter, with autumn colours in April and May.
Questions, answered
- Who designed Llao Llao Hotel?
- The Argentine architect Alejandro Bustillo. The hotel first opened in 1938 and was rebuilt after a fire, reopening in 1940.
- How far is Llao Llao from Bariloche?
- About 25 kilometres from the centre of San Carlos de Bariloche, and around 45 minutes from the airport.
- Can you ski from Llao Llao?
- Cerro Catedral, one of South America's largest ski areas, is about 20 kilometres away. The season runs from around June to September.
