Eolo Lodge, El Calafate

Location

Pristine Patagonia is one of those places that you leave with regret and feel privileged to have seen, filled with vast open steppes, creaking glaciers and giant, craggy mountains. Eolo Lodge is located on a 4,000-hectare estate in the windswept La Anita valley, just seven kilometres from Lago Argentino – the country’s largest body of water and one of its loveliest thanks to its many fjords and icebergs – and 27 kilometres from the nearest town, El Calafate. It’s a great base from which to visit Perito Moreno Glacier and Glaciers National Park. The granite peaks of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park can be seen on the distant horizon.

Accommodation

If you came for the views then you won’t be disappointed in any of the lodge’s 17 spacious suites. Rustic, homely and altogether charming, the 12 Superior Suites offer en-suite bathrooms, king or twin beds, refurbished antiques, a sitting area with a sofa and complimentary WiFi. The three Premium Suites are larger in size, while the sought-after Corner Suites offer truly majestic double-window views, with the steppe, the valley, Torres del Paine and Lago Argentino all beckoning beyond the glass.

Dining

Chef Juan Pablo Bonaveri draws from family traditions, local specialities and the offerings of the seasons to produce breathtaking dishes at the lodge’s stunning restaurant, which looks out across the valley towards the glistening lake beyond. All the meals are included in the room rate, so there’s no need to hold back. Enjoy freshly squeezed juices, pastries, homemade jams and eggs cooked to order at breakfast. Lunches are normally gourmet picnics, ordered the night before to accompany your daytime excursion. While dinner can be anything from a salad of smoked pears with blue cheese and walnuts, to melt-in-the-mouth Patagonian lamb. An Argentine asado (so much more than just a BBQ) is served once a week.

Facilities

It seems each and every room at this luxurious country lodge has a view to stop you in your tracks. The comfy living room looks out at La Anita Valley, the library casts its eye at Torres del Paine, while the TV room puts Lago Argentino in the picture. There’s also an indoor pool and sauna to help you unwind. But it’s not what’s in the hotel but what lies outside it that gets most people’s hearts a racing. Activities here are superb, and soon after you arrive a member of the team will sit down to discuss your options over tea and a slice of cake. Popular activities include excursions to the Perito Moreno and Upsala glaciers (where you can trek on the ice using crampons provided), horse riding, hiking, mountain biking and bird-spotting missions in search of condors and flamingos.