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Eolo Glamping Review

Arriving to Eolo in Patagonia’s La Anita valley is unlike any other hotel approach experience out there. Surrounded with nothing but windswept pampas and the peaks of the region’s iconic mountains as far as the eye can see, it’s hard to imagine that a luxurious property even exists round these parts. Surprising guests is part of what makes Eolo so alluring.

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After driving around, seeing nothing but the natural glory of Argentine Patagonia, Eolo appears as if out of nowhere, this low-lying lodge modeled after a classic sheep farm, an unexpected refuge in a desolate yet beautiful locale.

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Located 30 kilometers west of El Calafate, the touristy nucleus of this pocket of Patagonia where there are meaty restaurants and shops for souvenirs or whatever you may have forgotten to pack for the trip, Eolo really does act like a tucked away retreat. Set on a private 4,000-hectare estate with virtually no visible neighbor, you can’t dream up more reclusive accommodations in a region known for providing travelers with space, especially in the luxury market. And with only 17 private suites, things don’t ever get crowded at this property.

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Once you get inside, it’s all about subtle design touches, giving Eolo the warm intimacy of a private home. Worn-but-refined leather furniture, complementary antiques, carved wood, crisp linen, patterned area rugs and plush animal hide combine to create an atmosphere that honors the destination in a luxurious and relaxing way. There’s never too much to look but everything works together to deliver one design narrative: that there’s harmony between what’s inside and out.

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Private rooms are spacious and chic with beds facing floor-to-ceiling windows. (And the corner rooms get two!) There’s no hiding of Patagonia here. Same in the bathrooms, which are simple and rustic-looking. The showers come equipped with eye-level windows so there’s really no getting away from glorious views of the outdoors. And depending on which room you have, you could be peeking at Lago Argentino, La Anita valley, the Torres del Paine or the Rico branch.

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This is a Relais & Chateaux property so you know that food is going to be exceptional. Breakfast is a wonderful start to the day with a ton of sun usually flooding the dining room as you while away on fresh juices and flakey pastries.

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Your day will likely be spent on a excursion so Eolo can prepare a gourmet picnic lunch, which you’ve selected the day before, ticking little boxes to say you want sun-dried tomatoes in your sandwich and a brownie for dessert. You may not be at the hotel when you enjoy these treats, but the meticulously prepared boxes is one of the best examples of how exceptional the service is at Eolo. You feel like you’re being taken care of, even when you’re miles away from the staff.

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Dinner service is when Eolo’s full culinary prowess is unleashed when a menu of locally sourced deliciousness will be on offer. Each course provides a handful of choices – if you’re staying a few days you can sample them all – that will satisfy even picky eaters among us.

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A starter could be grilled local vegetables or soup while Patagonian lamb is usually among the options for a main course; but you are in Argentina, perhaps a perfectly seasoned cut of steak is the unbeatable choice. And don’t forget the wine. Eolo boasts a selection of vintages sourced from all over the great wine-making regions of the country.

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Glamping Review: Patagonia Camp

Inside Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia, there are many fabulous and transporting options for lodging, most of them highlighting the incredible natural riches of the area. But perhaps nothing will get you closer to the outdoors than a stay at Patagonia Camp and its collection of 18 luxury yurts on the edge of Lake Toro.

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Patagonia Camp has an ecological mission to minimize its impact (as well as its guests’) on the environment. For example, instead of mowing down trees (like the lenga, a tree indigenous to Chile)) that surround the property to make space for your bedroom, all the camp architecture is placed on wooden stilts and platforms. Patagonia Camp also recycles its water through a waste treatment plant, which is why you’re discouraged from using your own bath amenities and should instead go to town on the ones already in yurt. And before visions of ho-hum shampoos and soaps clog your mind, know that the hotel collaborated with a company in Santiago to create products that are not only biodegradable but sweet-smelling, too. The travel-size bottles of body treats are packed with ingredients like aloe vera and lavender that will make you forget you ever brought your own stuff. I loved the shampoo so much I took it with me at check out.

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The All-Inclusive option, which is what most guests go for when booking here, includes a variety of perks, from local transfers and the park’s entrance fee to an open bar, meals and a selection of excursions. More intrepid (read: fitter) travelers will definitely want to do the Torres Base Trek, one of the famed hikes in Patagonia that will inflict all sorts of physical demands such as the final 45-minute uphill climb to the foot of the Three Towers, one of the geographical icons of South America. Patagonia Camp’s location right by Lake Toro, however, affords its guests plenty of exclusive excursions, too, like fishing on the lake and a fairly easy hike to one of the nearby waterfalls. If you want to spring for activities not included in the program but well worth the added expense, kayaking on Lake Grey is one of those Bucket List experiences you never thought you had. An afternoon spent paddling around with floating glaciers close enough to touch is simply unforgettable. All of it is guided by kind (and thankfully patient) locals who have mastered this area and, more than likely, the English language. Patagonia Camp is constantly developing new excursions to give travelers truly immersive opportunities when they’re in Patagonia. Who knows what new-fangled itinerary they’ll come with next?

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After a day of adventure that will acquaint you to Patagonia’s natural majesty, you’ll retreat back to camp for a little R&R before that evening’s meal. The main house is essentially the one-stop shop at Patagonia Camp. It’s where you check in, there’s a lounge where you can hang out and perhaps meet other guests, there’s a small bar where you can try some Chilean vinos, and it also houses the main dining room where all meals are served. Almost everything that comes from the kitchen is local and sourced from Puerto Natales, a small town outside the park. One of the more spectacular meals at the camp is the traditional lamb BBQ, which is organized three nights a week. An entire lamb is slow-roasted for five hours leaving it deliciously tender. Its served with all sorts of sides and vegetables, filling enough to reclaim all the calories you would lose after a full day’s hike.

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The yurts themselves aren’t particularly huge (each is about 300 square feet in total plus a terrace), but they are wonderfully decorated with locally handcrafted furniture like the pale wood desk and bed plus colorful woven textiles and plush animal hide area rugs. Each unit is simple, uncluttered and stylish. The bed is placed directly under a clear patch of the yurt’s roof allowing you to soak in star-lit skies before going to bed. It’s a fantastic inclusion that you may not think you want but given the low air pollution in Patagonia, you’ll (especially city dwellers who never see the star) be glad it’s there. And the large windows that look out to the lake will constantly remind you of just how gorgeous and unspoiled this pocket of the world is. Leaving the curtains open at night and letting the stream of sunlight to wake you up in the morning is the perfect start to a day in Patagonia. And the bright turquoise of Lake Toro will be the first thing you’ll see.

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Glamping Review: Snow Hotel

Kirkenes, in northeastern Norway, is located roughly 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, right next to Russia. If you lived here, you could likely see Russia from your house. Travelers to this pocket of northern Europe are typically guests of the Norwegian working cruise line Hurtigruten, which ports in Kirkenes before making the five-night trip back down to Bergen. Thus, this little town of approximately 3,500 people welcomes a lot of one-nighters, the ideal clientele for the local Snow Hotel.

Adjacent to one of the area’s Arctic fjords, the most recent incarnation of the Snow Hotel featured 20 snow suites, all of which were outfitted with relief sculpture along its walls. Sadly the Snow Hotel I saw has already melted and been absorbed by Norwegian soil. But back in February, the property was at its majestic peak, shiny and glowing in the middle of an icy landscape famed for its fresh crabs, dog sledding and the iconic Northern Lights.

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Traveling all the way up to Kirkenes is all about experiences. Thankfully the Snow Hotel leads the area with a variety of local activities. They’re an added cost, but well worth it.  You don’t come all the way up here just to sleep in a tricked out igloo. One of the most spectacular of what’s on offer has to be the king crab safari. From start to finish, it was an adventure. We took snowmobiles across frozen fjords until we reached a big hole in the ice where we fished out a massive trap filled with king crabs. The Snow Hotel staff pulled crabs out so that everyone can take turns holding them for pictures. Then they killed them. For a lot of us, it was an uncomfortable but necessary visual. We’re only taking the legs; the rest was tossed back into the fjord to fatten up the king crabs that dwell there.

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We ate the crabs in a wood lodge in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t tell you where it was. It’s impossible to. Up there everything was white with ice or covered with snow. But I can say this: The crab was delicious, and I ate enough to sustain a small army. Maybe I overdid it, but I suspected that it’ll be a long time coming before I can get my hands on king crab legs that juicy, that fresh, that huge again. So when the staff passed our table with a platter full of just boiled crabs, I saw no reason to say no.

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During my stay in Kirkenes, eating my weight in crab legs was a personal highlight. But it could have just as easily have been snowmobiling at midnight in search of the Northern Lights (elusive as they were that evening) or dog sledding with the most adorable set of huskies. The kind of things you end up doing up there are unique enough that they’ll stay with you well beyond your trip. There were so many other guests who raved about what they’ve achieved with just a day to spend in Kirkenes.

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Every night at the Snow Hotel started with a tour of the facilities to acquaint each guest with what a night here would be like. We learned things like where the bathrooms and showers are, and how to use a military-grade sleeping bag. Everyone was invited to check out all the rooms (though you are assigned one ahead of time), which were decorated with wall sculptures. Some of them were whimsical (Snow White and her seven dwarves); while others were a bit less so, like a troll scene. The bed is a block of snow topped with fur and other sort of bedding for ultimate comfort. And for a door, there’s a curtain to allow for as much air circulation within the building.

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I decided earlier on that I won’t be sleeping at the Snow Hotel. I understand that it’s a one-of-a-kind experience, but I’ve never been interested in sleeping on ice. The staff guaranteed that as long as you do as you’re told regarding the sleeping bag and how to dress for the hotel, you won’t be cold, which was great a thing to know, but I wasn’t going to budge.  Everything I did on and with the property, I enjoyed. The on-site restaurant Gabba – with its chalet-chic-inspired decor and rustic-yet-elegant local cuisine – was fabulous. And there’s even a cozy lounge in the building attached to the snow hotel, where guests often spend the evening before heading to their private chambers. (Sometimes the staff will find guests sleeping there in the morning.) The Snow Hotel does a great job of creating programing around the accommodations to elevate your stay there. But I wasn’t convinced that I was going to be comfortable so I settled for doing everything else you could possible at the Snow Hotel, except sleep there.

Photo Credit Hilary Nangle/MaineTravelMaven