El Quijote in Calafate tilts at windmills
April 22, 2011
In an attempt to avoid ever setting foot in the disappointing and highly over-named Esplendor we cast our lot by having the bus drop us off in the middle of town at El Quijote with no reservation. (We heard from an earnest Vermont yankee that El Quijote was at least exceptionally clean.)
The best thing about El Quijote (which has been in Calafate for over 30 years…that is, twice as long as the airport) is its complete non pretension. Unlike the Don’s visions, El Quijote knows exactly what it is. So what is that? Something like a slightly dolled up Holiday Inn, ready for a Saturday night on the town somewhere in the midwest.
The lobby and the breakfast room are nicely appointed in bright Patagonian colors with plenty of wood. The staff is down to earth and very friendly even when there is a mixup with the price. The front desk was exceptionally accommodating considering our complete lack of reservations. The rooms (at least 204 and 205) are passable though the walls are made of cast concrete that does nothing to dampen noise (see what I mean about Holiday Inn?). I had to call down at 11:15 and ask the front desk to tell the people in the next room to turn down their blaring TV (it worked).
The standard hotel room layout prevails in La Mancha. Rectangle for bed and TV, with a closet entrance shared by the small bathroom. The shower has great pressure (which after 6 hours on a horse feels incredibly good).
The bathroom itself is mostly shower.
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El Quijote deserves at least two shower heads for attitude (and for knowing what it is).
Hot restaurant tip. Make sure to eat at La Pascasio even if you don’t stay at El Quijote. It is a fantastic restaurant.
Estancia Cristina is Incredible (Lago Argentina)
April 21, 2011
After the intolerable Esplendor, the boat ride and arrival at Estancia Cristina is like rain in the desert. Incredible. Amazing. Uplifting. Our planet is mind boggling.
The boat from Calafate takes about 2.5 hours with a detour to see the glacier in Lago Argentina. Expect plenty of opportunity for photos, a taste of winds to come, and a feeling of getting back to nature. The staff meets the boat and whisks non-day-trippers off to orientation in the Ocatagon. Then to the rooms.
Here is a view out of the bedroom window of C2.
We will overlook the fact that the showers have a shower curtain. Really, we will. Who needs a shower when you you can hike 12km to see a glacier?!
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The bed.
This place is worth every precious penny they extract in fees. I might even pay more if they raise their prices (but do not let them know this). Fantastic staff. Superb property. Excellent adventure.
Estancia Cristina gets an automatic five shower heads. I will have to go raise some more money so I can come here again.
The fact that I am on the Internet through my mobile phone should tell you something about just how splendid the Hotel Esplendor is in Calafate. Like a Sheraton, the Esplendor seems to have spent plenty of money on pumping music into the lobby directly from a techno-trance palace in eastern Europe but somewhat less on Internet service beyond 8kb/sec up/down and the rooms where you are obliged to sleep.
Here is what is advertised as either a mountain view or a lake view (every room has one). This should teach us to book through the Internet, huh? Must remember: hip people do not use the Internet. Parking lot mountain we call this.
The guys at the front desk are all sleepy looking very nice guys (though can’t seem to solve the “I don’t really like my room” problem). They were very helpful setting up rides from the airport and out to the glacier (which was incredible). We are supposed tro stay here on our way back form an excursion tomorrow, but I am going to try to fix that and stay somewhere else if at all possible.
Room? Forgettable. Not boutique level, and two twin beds for a couple? This sucks.
Of course the shower is just what you might expect:
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The hotel restaurant where we had a meal was not good. Do not eat here. Ever. Really.
So why the “new radical” in the title? Because this is by far the most entertaining sign witnessed in greater downtown Calafate. I guess a “new” radical is much better than a stodgy old conservative radical any day!
Damn good thing the outdoor scenery is among the best on the planet!
A measly one shower head for The Esplendor. Do not come here. Stay in a tent instead!
The BoBo Hotel Buenos Aires Argentina
April 15, 2011
After a long flight to Buenos Aires, and a taxi ride that somehow seems twice as far (?!), arriving at the Bobo Hotel and taking a hot shower is a nice experience. The hotel is situated in Palermo Soho, just a bit north of the center of the city (near the Zoo and the Plaza Italia). The Bobo has a funky style reflected in room #5 (argentina) where we are decamped.
So far Buenos Aires is different than I expected. Somehow more South American and less Parisian?! Hard to explain. This goes for the food as much it goes as the streets. The Palermo neighborhood where we spent most of day one has as many eclectic boutiques as it has trees. Great shopping if you are into interesting fashion designed locally.
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Back at the Bobo in room 5, the bathroom has two sections, one with a hot tub integrated into a small balcony, and the other a shower room. The design reminds me of Costa Rica—a blend of tropical rainforest and California with a slight tinge of mildew in the air.
Probably the most interesting feature of the completely plastic free shower is the circular portal window. Nice water pressure with intuitive controls.
The bedroom also connects to the same small balcony with picture windows that bring the outside in. The trees are as striking as the ever present hum of traffic from the city.
All in all, the Bobo is great. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The property is well situated for the best parts of Buenos Aires. Five shower heads and a place high on the world list.
We spent 5 days in Buenos Aires before heading to Calafate. Here is a list of highlights.
The good:
- Shopping in Palermo Soho
- The toilet museum
- The A line
- Giving a talk at Universidad de Palermo: UP
- Jolie Bistro for a leisurely brunch with Hanibal
- Cabana Las Lilas, a restaurant deserving its excellent reputation
- The Sunday antique market at San Telmo (bargain in Italiano instead of English)
- Soccer on TV at a neighborhood dive close to La Boca
- Dinner at La Baita
- A talk at Core followed by a fantastic dinner at Fin Del Mundo
The not so much:
- “Italian” food at the avoidable Lelé de Troya where the space outshines the food (minus 10 for Fodors)
- Calle Florida
- Going to Plaza Italia on the D line just before rush hour (is this Japan?)
Mixology has not quite arrived in Buenos Aires (or more likely Argentina as a whole). I was able to teach a bartender at Cabana Las Lilas how to make a drink called “The Getaway” when I noticed a bottle of Cynar on the shelf:
1 oz Dark rum, Havana Club 7 is what they had on hand
.5 oz Cynar
1 oz Lemon juice
1.5 oz Simple syrup
Shake and serve up in a chilled cocktail glass
The Bobo bar makes a mean drink (both Pisco Sours and Mojitos are well done by an authentic Cuban), and they have a bottle of Zacapa 23 on hand for sipping.
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