We are on our third visit to Argentina and are renting a house in Bariloche for a couple of months. On one of our trips to the nearby lakes for my husband to fly-fish I was hiking and came across Hotel Tronador hidden in the forest at the edge of Lago Mascardi in the southern section of national park Nahuel Huapi. It sits in solitary splendour amid immaculately kept gardens and I fell in love with it immediately. Upon enquiry we found out that there was a room available over Christmas so booked for a 3 night stay; we had such a great time we extended to 4 nights and could have stayed longer. In fact we have rearranged our travel schedule to include 3 more stays; 1 each in January, February and April. The hotel closes in April for the winter and reopens each November.
The hotel is family run and the welcome is such that one feels as if one is staying in a family home and not a hotel. All the staff are excellent and provide service with a smile no matter how busy. Our room was very comfortable with a king bed and a balcony with fantastic lake views. There are different styles and sizes of rooms so check that when booking.
The food was homemade with fresh ingredients and on Christmas Day we had Stollen at breakfast and at lunch there was an asado with delicious, melt-in the-mouth Patagonian lamb and also beef plus lots of salads and vegetables. To start we were served empanadas which were the best we have eaten anywhere in Argentina; and we have tried a lot.
We did lots of hiking and also a wonderful horse-ride through fields of wild lupins. My husband fly-fished every day and although the rule in Argentina is generally 'catch and release' it seems that on certain lakes one is allowed to keep a fish to eat. So, after catching a beautiful big rainbow trout on Christmas Day, we asked the chef to cook it for us for dinner the next day. Wow, it was delicious. Stuffed with mushrooms and vegetables and baked; the best ever; compliments to the chef.
We had an idyllic stay and it is one of our favourite places anywhere in the world. I suppose that the perfect summer weather was a factor with clear blue skies every day but we are looking forward to returning in the autumn to see the changing colours of the forest. I could write so much more about this wonderful place but only need to say that if you love nature and tranquility then this is a very special place to visit.

We stayed two nights at this magnificent hotel. A very warm welcome. The room was nice, nothing spectacular but comfortable beds and a great view. Since you are in a National Park you need to keep in mind that you can only go up hill and down hill at certain times, so come prepared. We made two excellent walks from the hotel. Beautiful scenery. We had lunch, dinner and breakfast at the hotel and all was very good, lots of home made stuff and cooked with love, great selection of wines and Paula, the server, was such a great person. Even though it was too quiet due to the airport closed because of volcanic ashes this place deserves a visit, it is very well located and we did not experience any discomfort from the volcano like we have now in Bariloche. So pack your bags and go. Excellent value for money in a dream location. Applause !!

In 1985 we were transfered to Argentina on an international asignment for a major oil company.In the second year of our stay in Buenos Aires the expatriate community organized a trip to Bariloche to celebrate Thanksgiving. About eight couples participated and we stayed four nights in the Hotel Tronador.That was the biginning of a love relationship with Tronador and its gorgeous surroundings. The scenery is magnificent. The lakes that soround the hotel are beautiful and on a clear day their pristine waters reflect the mountains with their snow covered peaks.
There are innumerable things that can be done at the hotel. Nature walks,horseback riding, hiking, mountain climbing and incredible trout fishing, my personal favorite.
The best thing at the hotel are the incredible service, beautiful rooms and very good home cooked food. The personal attention provided by the Vereertbrugghen family (Pepe, Beatriz, Benny, Alex and Susana) makes you feel at home.
During the elen years we stayed in BA we went to the hotel at least twice a year. Now that we live in Miami we still go back to visit at least once a year. We strongly recommend the hotel for any kind of family vacation; you will fall in love with it as we did.
Carlos & Delia De Jesus
Coral Gables, Florida

The most beautiful setting and view. We enjoyed christmas at Tronador with hiking, relaxing and a proposal.