A selection of the best hotels in El Calafate according to our recommendations and your budget: backpackers, low budget and superior accommodations.
El Calafate is one of the must-see places in Argentine Patagonia, with its glaciers, not only the Perito Moreno, and the proximity to the picturesque El Chaltén with its emblematic Fitz Roy mountain.
Being one of the most coveted destinations by local and foreign tourists, the hotel offer is very wide with hotels in the center of El Calafate, cabins and places to sleep further away but where you can breathe the real Patagonian landscape. While booking in advance can get you better prices, the reality is that being a destination with high demand, discounts are not very significant when booking in advance.
Based on our experience visiting El Calafate, we have made a selection of hotels for all budgets, whether you are traveling as a backpacker, on a low budget, or if you want to stay in superior or luxury hotels.
🔎 How to get there, best time and essentials. All this you can see in our guide to travel to El Calafate.
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Is it expensive to stay in El Calafate?
In general, staying in Patagonia Argentina and more precisely in El Calafate is not cheap. Prices vary according to the lodging category. Approximately and based on our experience of having visited the city for several days, the average prices of accommodations in El Calafate are as follows (expressed in USD):
How much does it cost to sleep in a hostel in El Calafate: the minimum price is USD 25 to sleep in a bed in a shared room.
How much does it cost to sleep in a three-star hotel in El Calafate: you can get at least USD 60/70 per night in a double room, although they usually do not go below USD 100 per night. Depending on their amenities, prices can reach up to USD 150 per night.
How much does it cost to sleep in a four star hotel in El Calafate: in a four star hotel in El Calafate prices start at USD 160 and go up to USD 300 per night.
How much does it cost to sleep in a luxury hotel in El Calafate: if you want to stay in luxury in El Calafate, prices per night in a double room start at USD 300.
Where is the best area to stay in El Calafate?
Here it depends on tastes, but we could say that the center of the city is the best area as it allows to be close to restaurants, and some even have views of the lake and mountains.
However, there are many inns and cabins further away that have large green spaces and a lot of comfort and where nature and relaxation is complete.
Hotels in El Calafate cheap
Although the destination is generally expensive, you can get accommodation in El Calafate for good value for money. Our recommendations where to stay cheaply in El Calafate are the following:
One of the best places to sleep cheap in El Calafate in downtown El Calafate is Las Cabañitas. As the name suggests, these are small, cozy alpine-style cabins, ideal for two or three people maximum. The owner’s attention is fantastic, in addition to having a small garden and a shared kitchen where you can prepare breakfast or lunch.
If you are looking for a good quality-price relationship, the Las Marías Hotel and Cabins we recommend it 100%. It is located in the heart of the city of El Calafate and very close to the best restaurants in El Calafate. It isrun by its owners, two charming people. Its rooms are modern, with access to the garden. They also have two pluses: barbecue area in the garden and an abundant and homemade breakfast.
If you’re looking for a cheap cabin in El Calafate, our suggestion is Normana Inn Cabins. The large green space surrounding the cabins, the tranquility of being in a place farther away from the center and the lake views allow you to completely disconnect. The cabins inside are fully equipped with kitchen. It is ideal for families traveling to El Calafate.
The last recommendation is the Los Gnomos Innvery picturesque both inside and out. It is an excellent option if you want to be close to the bus station in El Calafate to go to El Chaltén. In addition, you have the possibility to choose between apartments or double rooms.
If you are traveling alone or with teenage friends and you are looking to meet other travelers, hostels are an excellent option. We recommend two hostels in El Calafate:
- South America Calafate an authentic jewel. Very close to downtown and excellently decorated with wooden architecture in its interior. The best thing? Breakfast, lunch, reading or chatting in its common rooms with large windows overlooking the lake and mountains. In addition, your breakfast lacks absolutely nothing. It is not the cheapest hostel in El Calafate, but for us it is the most charming.
- The second recommendation is Lago Argentino Hostel. It is simpler than the previous one, but also more economical. Colorful tones in rooms and common areas, excellent cleanliness and service, and a green garden where you can relax after your excursions.
Recommended four-star hotels in Calafate
For those who want more category and comfort, there are more exclusive hotels in El Calafate that offer services such as heated swimming pool, spa and restaurant in the same lodging to eat typical Patagonian dishes and very well prepared specialties.
If you are looking for category, our two suggestions of four star hotels in El Calafate are the following:
For those who love nature and total relaxation, we recommend Design Suites El Calafate. Its location is one of its great advantages, on the shore of Lake Argentino and near the Nimez lagoon reserve. Inside is modern and highlights the beautiful views of the lake from all angles, from the common area where breakfast is served, through the heated pool to the rooms. At all times the Patagonian landscape is the protagonist.
The four-star hotel option in downtown El Calafate that we recommend is the Posada los Alamos. Surrounded by a golf course and a large garden, the interior is decorated with care and elegance. Very spacious rooms, two excellent bars, heated pool with views and restaurant. It is to go on an excursion and on the way back be in the hotel all the time.
Recommended five star or luxury hotels in El Calafate
In a city like El Calafate, luxury hotels are a must. Designed for the most demanding palates, they are located on the shores of Lake Argentino and offer unique experiences. Our recommendations are:
If you want to sleep in one of the best hotels in El Calafate in terms of luxury and services, we suggest you to stay at Xelena. Everything is taken care of down to the smallest detail on this site. Its location is fantastic on the small bay formed by the lake.
It has a swimming pool overlooking the lake that is partly covered and partly uncovered, which gives a choice according to the outside temperature. Very spacious rooms with hydromassage. Although it is a bit far from the city center, that is not a problem since they provide a transfer from the hotel to the center.
As an alternative, Imago is also a luxury hotel in El Calafate very close to the previous hotel. Modern in all its facilities and with a fine and elegant decoration, it is a place to live an authentic experience in El Calafate. Restaurant and bar, ample views of the lake, rooms and a large spa to relax after one of the excursions in Calafate.
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