The Best Hotels and Resorts to Book in and Around San Luis, Argentina
![Epic Hotel Villa de Merlo is a five-star property with excellent facilities](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/screenshot-2022-02-22-at-14-01-55.webp)
The sleepy San Luis region is a popular gateway to two beautiful wilderness areas. There are the wild and worn Comechingones Mountains – one of the oldest ranges in the world – rising a few miles to the east. Meanwhile, Sierra de las Quijadas National Park, where the desert gullies and cactus hills could be the backdrop for a classic western, is about an hour and a half west. Most San Luis resorts are close to the wild, in Villa de Merlo, with leafy streets full of restaurants serving steaks and velvety malbecs from the nearby Mendoza vineyards. Book a stay with Culture Trip – and raise a glass to a wonderful vacation.
Hotel El Hornero Spa, for a relaxing spa
Hotel
![The outdoor pool at Hotel El Hornero Spa, with red sun loungers and leafy surroundings](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/6189eea1.webp)
On the edge of Villa de Merlo, this serene family-friendly hotel feels like it has one foot in the scenic countryside surroundings. Large leafy gardens provide plenty of space to unwind while soaking up the dramatic views of the neighboring Comechingones Mountains. You’ll find a huge swimming pool to splash in and a spa offering everything from a sauna and steam room to hydromassage tubs and volcanic-stone massage treatments.
Cabañas Oma Lissi, for self-catering stays
Cottages
![The outdoor free-form pool at Cabañas Oma Lissi, with wooden loungers, thatched parasols and trees all around](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/cabanas-oma-lissi-.webp)
This rustic retreat comprises handsome red-brick cabins dotted around sprawling grounds on the edge of the Piedras Blancas Nature Reserve. Each accommodation can sleep up to four guests and comes with a kitchen and a dining room. There’s a private barbecue for a traditional Argentinian asado, too. You’re also within easy walking distance of spectacular hiking trails, with a big free-form pool, perfect for cooling off after your trek.
Le Marche Apart Hotel, for family adventures
Apartment
![The outdoor whirlpool with white loungers at Le Marche Apart Hotel, with buildings, greenery and mountains behind](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/80103265.webp)
This family-friendly San Luis resort sits among gardens on a quiet street in Villa de Merlo. Brick villas with space for up to five have dining areas, kitchens and balconies overlooking the mountains. There’s a large pool and a game area with swings and playhouses. But the real draws are the quirky collection of historic wooden pampa carts scattered in the garden, the star- and firefly-filled nights and the great-value trips to waterfalls, the mountains and a haunted mine.
Hotel Villa de Merlo, for beautiful natural surroundings
Resort
![Exterior of Hotel Villa de Merlo buildings with red roofs and mountains in the background](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/spa-villa-de-merlo.webp)
Rooms in this Villa de Merlo resort are small and simple, ranging from doubles to quadruples and decorated in whitewash and dark wood. The hotel basks in a beautiful setting – expansive parkland gardens dotted with flowering trees, set against the rugged, contoured backdrop of the Comechingones range. Weekdays are tranquil, while families throng here on the weekend, not least for the modest spa and pool.
Winds Hill Resort and Spa, for villas with amenities
Resort, Apartment
![Pool and jacuzzi area with loungers, a parasol and mountain backdrop at Winds Hill Resort and Spa](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/winds-hill.webp)
The big duplex villas in this ranch-style San Luis resort have plenty of room for large families. Bedrooms resplendent with whitewash and taupe tiles have polished granite-lined ensuites, hammock-slung balconies and dining-living areas with kitchens and sofas. However, it’s the setting and facilities that stand out above all. It has a suite of outdoor and indoor pools with whirlpool tubs, a big play area with swings and rope bridges, and hovering above it all – so close you could reach out and touch them – the Comechingones Mountains.
Epic Hotel Villa Mercedes, for casino action
Resort
![A suite at Epic Hotel Villa Mercedes with a king bed, a sitting area, a dining table, wood furnishings and plush carpeting](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/epic-hotel-villa-mercedes.webp)
Inhabiting an art deco building in the heart of little Villa Mercedes, this San Luis resort feels like a modern city hotel. The setting is splendid, surrounded by farmland and vineyards. Doubles feel like rooms in an upmarket airport hotel – adorned with contemporary creams and grays, mahogany furnishings, unobtrusive art, and green-and-taupe velveteen cushions. Many guests are here for the on-site casino, with roulette tables, slot machines and live music. There’s also an outdoor pool, a spa with saunas and a gym. Best of all, the Argentinian-French restaurant stays open until late.
Epic Hotel Villa de Merlo, for nearby dining and drinking
Hotel
![A bright, modern one-bed guest room at Epic Hotel Villa de Merlo, with blue accents and a macro photo above the bed](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/epic-hotel-villa-de-merlo-.webp)
This glass-fronted hotel has a great setting in downtown Villa de Merlo, a five-minute stroll from dozens of restaurants and bars. Rooms are neat and modern – with a white-and-sky-blue color palette, thick pile carpets, large windows, and marble- and mirror-lined bathrooms. The best are at the rear, overlooking a leafy street lined with parkland. Facilities are good – there are indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, a gym and a decent restaurant, the Faustina, which serves regional meat-heavy dishes and presides over an excellent wine cellar.
Altos del Sol Spa and Resort, for woodland tranquility
Resort
![The outdoor pool with lounge chairs and palapas at Altos del Sol Spa and Resort, surrounded by woodlands and mountains behind](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/altos-del-sol.webp)
Surrounded by woodlands, with the Comechingones Mountains towering overhead, the Altos de Sol feels like it’s in the heart of nature, yet it’s only a 10-minute drive from the restaurants in downtown Villa de Merlo. Staying here is a tranquil affair; floor-to-ceiling bedroom windows present uninterrupted daytime views of the wild hills. At night, they are amber-lit and lambent, offsetting the clear, starry sky. The outdoor pool perches over the forest, and there’s an indoor alternative, with a spa – come for the sauna when there’s snow on the hills.
Parque Los Nogales Apart Hotel, for outdoor barbecues
Hotel, Apartment
![Gated pool area with stone walls overlooking a lawn area and mountains beyond at Parque Los Nogales Apart Hotel](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/parque-los-nogales.webp)
Spread over a large lawn, the concrete units at Parque Los Nogales Apart Hotel are hard to beat for tranquility. You have nature on tap, as the hotel is in woodland surroundings in the foothills of the Comechingones, a few miles from downtown Villa de Merlo. Apartments have comfy neutral tones, unfussy motel furnishings, kitchenettes, outdoor barbecues and large, granite-clad ensuite bathrooms. When you’re hungry, good restaurants are a 15-minute drive away.
Hotel Terrazas del Rincón, for a welcoming family feel
Hotel
![Exterior of the brick-clad Hotel Terrazas del Rincón, with stone stairs leading to entrance](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/terrazas-del-rincon.webp)
With pictures of Evita, Pope Francis and the owner’s family on the walls, Terrazas feels like a proud Argentinian home-turned-hotel. Service is warm, and a large home-cooked complimentary breakfast buffet is dished up on a sunny terrace. Also, there’s a garden with a pool and a sundeck with sweeping views of the Comechingones flanks. Rooms are simple and cozy, with oranges and yellows, chunky wooden beds, small tables and French doors opening onto balconies with forest and mountain views.
Leon Beckenham contributed additional reporting.