Estancia La Estala is a *breathtaking* property -- right on the edge of the gorgeous Lago Viedma, with Fitz Roy and environs in the background. (We found out it's a sister property of the famed La Leona Lodge, right across the road.) Our family of four enjoyed horseback riding (with delish outdoor lunch at a little outbuilding down the beach), as well as playing pool with fabulous cocktails, telescope views of the Andes, and hikes along the lakeshore. Breakfasts were delicious, rooms were comfortable, dinners were outstanding -- a simply perfect stay. With the peso fluctuating, if you pay in USD you'll receive a substantial discount. All meals, tours booked through La Estela, and additional amenities are charged in USD -- it'll feel like you're paying premium compared to other expenses in Argentina, but remember -- nearly every single resource must be brought to the site (except produce grown in the greenhouse)! and everything is top notch. It still felt like a tremendous value. You'll be about halfway between El Calafate and El Chalten -- we rented a car and loved the 1+ hour drive to each of the towns for our daily excursions. (Recommend booking a canoe or boat-level tour of the Perito Moreno Glacier ahead, though the visitor center is wonderful too. Also, get trail maps of Fitz Roy so you can choose hiking routes out of El Chalten that match your energy & ability level.) I *believe* La Estela offers rides for you to and from the El Calafate airport, but if you can muster it, you'll definitely want your own transportation so that you can use the Estancia as home base. We happened to be there during the World Cup final and watched the game with joyful locals in El Chalten — La Estela also hosted a viewing party for staff and guests, however — we heard it was wonderful! Highly, highly recommend this wonderful place!

Location is excellent, staff is friendly and horseriding is a great activity to do here. They could add some more activities like MTB, kayak, ... That would be amazing. View from your room is amazing.

Room not as clean as we liked. Food was unfortunately not up to standard for a place like this, which is really unfortunate. For example breakfast nothing was fresh. Dinner when you order a steak they don't ask how you want it cooked :(.

surroundings

nothing as such

We were, like all other guests, very confused and unsatisfied about everything at this place. It’s unfortunately not up to the basic standard to host international guests, let alone offer a luxury feeling.

gas leak. dinner promised at 8pm but wasn’t ready till 9:30pm. (that’s was for 4 couples) 4 couples, strangers, had to share one dinner table. only one dinner table was available for us. lack of staff. only one young lady works at reception, kitchen, bar, tour, and cleaning… room not cleaned, a pile of sands have been by the bed for 2 days. room was freezing. very poor breakfast. no hot water one night. came here for luxury and estancia feelings, but not much service since no one around, didn’t see a single horse or sheep. very sad. List goes on…

this was a great estancia in an amazing location. the views of the mountains were incredible. food was good and the staff were really friendly and helpful. there is a really nice communal sitting room/games area which was cosy and the bedrooms were comfortable with great views.

Absolutely great location with incredible views of the Viedma Lake and the mount Fitz Roy. Many thanks to Nicole, the hostess, who was very welcoming, attentive and made us feel completely at home. Breakfasts and, particularly dinners were really good. If/when we are in the area again, we will definitely choose Estancia La Estela for our accommodation again.

We stayed at La Estela for 2 nights over Christmas and loved every minute of it! The property has stunning views of the Lake Viedma, River La Leona and on a clear day Mount Fitzroy. The staff are incredibly welcoming and make you feel like family. The dinners were delicious with a typical asado and salads with veggies from their greenhouse. The apple dessert is divine! Nice bar and lounge area for gathering. Excellent Wi-Fi (the best we’ve had in Argentina). Definitely go for a horseback ride, the views and accompanying dogs make for a memorable adventure. Our room was spacious with plenty of storage space and views from bed.

the longer you stay there the more you appreciate the views. in comparison with properties in town we thought the place was good value for money. we didn’t try the horse riding due to the winds and we not being hardy enough.

Beds would have benefited from some thick duvets as we found it cold on the first night. Had to sleep fully clothed - given extra blankets the second night. Also, as another review has mentioned the shared table for dining was a bit uncomfortable- travellers from all over the world do not necessarily want to be forced to sit with each other- Many of us chose the estancia for its isolation… the bar next door is a good place for people to socialise if they so wish.

Nice hideaway in the middle of nowhere, although not a working estancia as such.

Be prepared to pay a steep price for absolutely anything outside of the rate. Felt a bit taken advantage of by being in the middle of nowhere, which was not a great feeling. And no fridge in the room which was a bit of a surprise.

Nicole, our hostess, was fabulous-we LOVED her!!!!!

Nicole's kindness and helpfulness, the beauty of the place, everything

Such a beautiful, beautiful location! Nothing else like it around Lake Viedma - woke up to a beautiful sunrise right from our window. Impeccable location, and lovely staff! Would definitely stay here again :) thank you for the stay

The cups / mugs weren't that clean in the room and there were 1-2 loose hairs lying around in the bathroom.

amazing property, nice and helpful staff. it made our trip so much nicer!

Most romantic and perfect location overlooking Lago Viedma and the mountains of Cerro Torre and Fitzroy Very nice rooms with great views Excellent food a la carte at night Horse riding was a once in a lifetime experience super friendly dogs super competent manager/host

no complaints whatsoever!

Amazing setting, overlooking the lake and mount fitz Roy and excellent, friendly service. Can recommend the activities they offer as well!

Stunning location, great services, kind staff

The staff. Diana and Christian are the true stars of la Estela. Some of the finest people we met during our trip in Argentina. They were so welcoming, accommodating and genuinely kind to us - Gracias por todo 🙏🏽

The price of the wine and the water were in dollars rather than Argentinian pesos which was rather surprising. It was especially disappointing to pay higher prices for Argentinian wine in Argentina than we would pay in Europe.

We loved everything about this spectacular estancia! The rustic room was comfortable, had an amazing view of Mt FitzRoy and Lake Viedma, a good bathroom with tub & shower. The custom built dining facilities and relaxation room with full bar were absolutely top notch. A resident chef, amazing service, a greenhouse of fresh greens and vegetables. You could just relax or avail of a broad range of activities on site, rafting, horseback riding, gourmet cookouts near a very photogenic beach and dune lands, tours of badlands and petrified forest, wow! Native wildflowers and birds everywhere. But best of all was the warm hospitality shown by the staff, I did not expect to find such a first class experience at this remote but idyllic location. We didn’t want to leave! It is also a good base for trips to El Chalten, and up and down the famous Ruta 40. This place changed my whole attitude about Argentina. What a great experience.I

It is a little remote, but that is also its strength and really, it’s main attraction. We loved everything and everybody at this spectacular place.

The location was really beautiful. Staff exceptional

An absolutely amazing place! The hosts were very welcoming and the rooms had all the comfort one could wish for. Situated in the most breathtaking patagonian landscape looking out on the Leona river, this is a stay you will never forget!