Hotel Villavicencio
The Hotel Villavicencio is a four star establishment undergoing refurbishment. The secluded hotel is located northwest of Mendoza, Argentina.
Overview
Built in 1940 near thermal springs of the same name, the Hotel Villavicencio is east of Mount Aconcagua (the highest point in the western hemisphere) and lies approximately 1,750 meters (5,740 feet) above sea level, in the Andes mountain range. National economic instability helped lead to the hotel's closure in 1978, though the provincial government of Mendoza continued to maintain the property.[1]
The National Natural Resources Bureau declared 70,000 ha (180,000 ac) surrounding the hotel a protected nature preserve in 2001 and in 2006, the property was purchased by the Paris-based Danone Group. The conglomerate contracted local developer Álvarez Argüelles to restore and modernize the hotel with the intention of reopening it as a four star hotel. Works announced at the time have encountered numerous delays, however, and their inauguration is not planned until 2012. The new hotel will include 108 rooms and over 7,000 m2 (75,000 ft2) of floor space, nearly doubling the original hotel's capacity; a planned annex will include another 28 rooms, as well as spa facilities.[1]
Charles Darwin stayed here on March 30, 1835 during his world tour.
References
Coordinates: 32°31′36″S 69°01′05″W / 32.52667°S 69.01806°W