On the shore of Nahuel Huapi Lake, 45 km from the border of Chile and 80 km from San Carlos de Bariloche airport, this Relais & Chateaux property is an intimate boutique hotel existing in its own lakeside world. The renowned restaurant is the main draw, but many guests decide to extend their reservation after they've settled in for a relaxing stay.
Guests arrive by complimentary transfer, or bump along in a rental car, down the dirt access road to the secluded property. There they find a rambling blue wood and stone chalet with only 15 rooms but plenty of facilities. The main lounge and check-in area is an exquisite mountain living room, with a large fireplace, heavy wood furniture, and hardwood floors. A separate cozy reading room with red
loveseats is stocked with a variety of books. A small bar adjoins, while glass doors lead out to paths, a terrace, and the lake dock.
The restaurant here competes with Llao Llao's as the best in Patagonia, and it is accompanied by a 2,000-bottle wine cellar. Chef Pablo Campoy draws fans from around the world for his enticing variations on local dishes, such as venison with blackcurrant sauce, apple and blood sausage tian, red cabbage puree, and onion fondue. Desserts, such as dulce de leche froth with rasberry sherbet and coconut bisquit, should not be skipped.
A large high-definition TV with surround sound is in the 
game room. (There are no TVs in the rooms themselves.) The impressive spa, housed in a circular stone and wood structure with views and natural light, wouldn't be out of place at a hotel ten times the size. A gym, Pilates section, whirlpool, massage rooms, relaxation room, and indoor pool are inside, with a swim-under partition leading to a heated outdoor pool with a deck and chaises. The hotel's name means "the rafts" and the boats at the dock down the hill are enticing. Advance planning for excursions is recommended, preferably at time of booking accommodations, but a small ski facility is just down the road.
The 12 standard rooms all face the lake. Furnished with two twins or one queen bed covered in blue plaids and white duvets, they are warm and calming, with area rugs over knotty wood floors, chairs in earth tones, and smallish wood closets. Standard appurtenances are CD stereos, minibars, and phones, while the baths feature sinks and combo tubs surrounded by polished wood, bidets, hair dryers, make-up mirrors, robes and slippers. The three suites have far more room, antique dressers, bookshelves crafted out of a canoe, and baths with double vanities and separate shower stalls.
While this remote location is not for everyone, those looking to combine seclusion with personal service and gourmet dining will find the stress quickly melting away.
