Need to know
Rooms
20, including six suites and 10 villas.
Check–Out
Noon; check-in, 3pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.
More details
Rates include à la carte breakfast. Half board also includes lunch or dinner with soft drinks and one 50-minute massage per room; as do full-board stays, which get all meals and return Bariloche Airport transfers on top.
Also
Unfortunately, this Patagonian stay is unsuitable if you have reduced mobility.
Hotel closed
The hotel closes annually from 26 December to 10 January.
At the hotel
Gym, walking trails and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: smart TV, minibar, bathrobes, slippers and organic bath products.
Our favourite rooms
With their earthy ochre-and-clay hues, the Corner Suites show off Las Balsas’s handsome-yet-homey feel. We love the combination of hardwood floors, textured rugs, antique furniture and crisp, white linens, spread over king- or twin-size beds. But you can’t ignore the view: large windows give way onto the lake and the hotel’s quaint waterside dock. Prepare for some ooh-ing and aahing- in a contemporary Lakeview Villa, where panoramic Nahuel Huapi views are as breathtaking as the residence’s slick, sustainable design.
Poolside
After a day out exploring this part of northern Patagonia, the indoor-outdoor pool provides an enticing prospect. It has two areas: a heated section, tucked within the cosseting spa; and an alfresco extension, beside the lake. There’s a deck too, with parasols and loungers (more for relaxing, than working on your Patagonian tan). Between 6pm and 10pm, it’s for adults only, meaning grown-ups can unwind before warming up in the lakefront Jacuzzi.
Spa
In a standalone building beside the lake, the vast Las Balsas Spa is just what the doctor ordered after all that exertion. Two treatment rooms are earmarked for holistic massages, mud-therapy facials, body scrubs and more; jet showers and a toasty sauna cap off the indulgence. Pre and post treatment, there’s also a snug to relax in, with woven Argentinian textiles, a large velvet sofa and a snack menu of trout carpaccio, cheeses and carrot soup. Beyond, the great outdoors is your setting for lake rituals and forest-inspired wellbeing.
Packing tips
Plentiful layers will help you to greet the changeable Patagonian climate.
Also
It may seem strange to be talking about the beach in Patagonia, but Las Balsas is set by one, so vamos a la playa! Head down to the nearby lakeshore for a misty morning stroll or a sunset drink… there are even loungers.
Pet‐friendly
Small pooches are welcome in one of the ground-floor Studio Suites for US$200 (if you’re staying for more than seven nights, it’s US$300), but the hotel’s communal areas are for humans only. See more pet-friendly hotels in Argentine Patagonia.
Children
It’s over-12s only, except between 1 July and 15 August, when all ages are welcome and a kids’ club runs. Babysitting can be arranged on request and there’s a children’s menu at the restaurant.
Sustainability efforts
The hotel is a certified B Corp, thanks to its water- and energy-efficient practices; transparent attitude towards sustainability; birdlife conservation; community outreach, and locally sourced ingredients and materials.