Esplendor by Wyndham El Calafate — Hotel in El Calafate

We had a mixed experience staying at Esplendor.

Starting with the pros: the hotel lobby itself is warm and inviting. The bell boy (a young gentleman, whose name we did not catch) was friendly and helpful at both check-in and check-out, going out of his way to help us arrange a taxi urgently to catch our bus following the messy checkout process we had at the front desk. He deserves a pay rise! the room was clean and the bed very comfortable (although there were also some cons as per below). the pool and sauna were accessible and clean during our stay. we enjoyed the breakfasts - starts early at 6.30am to accomodate guests with an early tour schedule or bus/ flights. Buffet had good selections (incl delicious scrambled eggs and ham/sausage with red onion relishes). The restaurant staff were also very friendly.

Now onto the cons: poor service from the front desk. We were checked in by a lady who were border-lining rude. She sounded like she was reading off a script and did not seem to care at all (not sure if it’s because we were dressed in our hiking gear and backpacks, and didn’t seem worthy enough for her). When we went back to pick up our room cards from her when our room was ready, she simply ignored us until another lady assisted us. we were given two room cards, one didn’t even work? the wifi did not work for most of our stay. Even hostels would probably have better wifi. an older gentleman assisted us with check-out. It was a busy early morning with many other guests wanting to check out, so kudos to him for attending the front desk alone. But given it’s so busy (and surely not an odd occasion given the many tourists who stays there and have early flights/ buses to catch), we wondered why it was so understaffed for a 4 star hotel. The check-out process could have also been better thought out - the older gentleman was calculating the bill on the spot, and was visibly flustered dealing with the payment machine and the rude guest behind us. The bellboy came to the rescue when we requested for a taxi to the bus stop, as we ran out of commuting time due to the unexpected checkout mess. we were given a room at the end of a hallway, facing an ugly lower rooftop. The ventilation was poor, and we had to open up the window to let in some air. We could hear other guests opening/shutting their room doors and talking in the hallway. The towel hooks were partly broken and towels would slip off. The bath tub did not have a mat to prevent slipping. Such a shame because the hotel did put in the efforts for the room deco, but what’s the point when it’s missing key essentials for a hotel room (bit unforgivable for a hotel purported to be 4 stars). location isn’t great - while it is relatively quiet given it is a 15 mins walk from the main strip where restaurants and shops are located, it is also a relatively steep 15 mins walk to get to anywhere. The walk is unpleasant too due to the uneven pavements and busy roads along the way.

All in all, for a 4 star hotel and the price we paid, there was a lot missing and to be desired. Not even in terms of luxury, but just basic necessities i.e. a better functioning front desk and room basics. The bellboy, the restaurant staff and the bed were probably the only silver...

We stayed for three nights at the hotel while visiting El Calafate. The lobby of the hotel is very spacious and inviting. The restaurant staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was fine, pastries, eggs, some fresh fruit, and juices. The coffee is a little out of control super black! The front staff don’t speak the best English if you absolutely don’t speak the language at all. The area around the hotel I felt safe and fine but there aren’t any shops or restaurants close by. Walking to the main street just takes about ten minutes and we didn’t find it a big deal to walk, and the city always felt safe. The biggest issue was our room. 101. Do not stay in 101! We actually paid extra to stay in this room, I’m not sure why but there were multiple issues. The keys consistently did not work to the door. It often took up to five minutes to get inside our room. Paying extra you would expect a view. The window faces uphill, So all we got a view of was a roof, and a street no view of the lake, the city or anything of any interest. The room had no drawers so there was no place to keep your clothes besides your suitcase. The TV is small and the remote hardly worked. Thankfully we really didn’t spend much time in the room, but it certainly was not worth the cost, let alone extra cost...

THE GOOD: The hotel is beautifully decorated, with a great "elevated mountain lodge" vibe. The lobby and restaurant area are beautiful, and breakfast was tasty. Having a pool and sauna was also nice to unwind after a long day of hiking. |The bedroom was large and comfortable. The hotel is not on the main strip of town but a short 10-minute walk away, so it's no inconvenience. ||THE NOT SO GOOD: The level of service was definitely not up to par with the price/category of the hotel. At those prices you expect attentive, effective service and that's not what we got. They seemed overwhelmed and unprepared, and they made various mistakes throughout our stay (prepared the wrong lunch boxes even though we made sure 4 times before that they had gotten the order right, mistakenly gave our room key to other guests who entered our room, etc.). None of it was that important, but their reaction made us feel like we weren't important to them at all - they even said they'd send complimentary gifts to our room to apologize, which they never did (thus making the matter even worse). ||Overall it's a good choice for lodging in El Calafate as long as you don't have crazy high standards...