Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites: Your El Calafate Dream Awaits!
Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites: Your El Calafate Dream Awaits!
Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites: My El Calafate Dream… Well, Mostly
Okay, buckle up, because I'm about to spill the Patagonian beans on Marco Polo Suites. The name is RIGHT - they do try to make you feel like you're in some kind of exotic explorer's paradise. Did they succeed? Let's just say it's complicated.
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- Meta Description: Is Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites your dream El Calafate stay? This brutally honest review dives deep into the accessibility, amenities, food, and quirks of this Patagonia hotel. Find out if it lives up to the hype (and the price tag!). Full of quirks, opinions, and real-life experiences.
Now, the REAL DEAL…
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag - (Because Life Rarely Ever Runs Perfectly Smooth)
So, accessibility. This is a big one for me, because, well, let's just say I appreciate a smooth entry and exit. The website claims it's wheelchair accessible. Okay. Elevator - check, that's a good start. Ramp access to the main entrance? Also check. But here’s where things get a tiny bit messy. The walkways seem level, but the cobblestone design in some areas… let’s just say it was a little bit of a workout for my shoulders to navigate.
And you know what? The staff was amazing. They were so helpful, always popping up to assist. "Could we get you anywhere, sir?" "Need any help with the threshold, madam?" Top marks for service, seriously. Now, the bathrooms… They look like they were designed with a Pinterest board in mind. They were spacious and mostly accessible. There were grab rails-- thank goodness! But you could do better, but I’m being a bit of a baby here.
On-site Accessible Restaurants / Lounges: Yes, thankfully. The main restaurant and bar were all on the ground level and easily accessible.
Internet access: Free Wi-Fi in all rooms - YES!!! Praise the Internet Gods!
Okay, let’s talk about the internet. Free Wi-Fi in ALL rooms? YES! It worked well, too. That's a HUGE win. I'm a digital nomad, and I felt a sense of relief when the Wi-Fi worked consistently. They also have Internet [LAN] if you're old school, I guess.
Things to do, ways to relax: My Body Said 'YES! (Mostly)'
Alright, this is where Marco Polo kills it.
The Spa: Oh, the spa! I am not a regular spa-goer but I did treat myself to a massage. It was a beautiful, cozy room, the light was dim, the scent was lovely, and the woman (whose name I didn’t get, bad reviewer, I know!) worked those knots out. I was practically purring by the end. And the pool with a view! Now, that’s what I'm talking about! The pool is a good temperature, with a magnificent view. The sauna and steam room weren't my thing, but I heard others rave about them. They had a proper gym/fitness area too.
Body wraps and scrubs: I didn't try these, but they were on the menu.
Cleanliness and safety : They're Trying, bless their cotton socks
- Anti-viral cleaning products - Good, good.
- Rooms sanitized between stays - Okay.
- Daily disinfection in common areas - Okay.
- Staff trained in safety protocols - Got it.
I saw staff constantly cleaning and disinfecting, and I felt comfortable with the safety measures. The hand sanitiser was in abundance. They seem to take this super seriously. .
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Food Glorious Food (Mostly Expensive Food)
Let’s be honest, this is where things get a little wobbly. The food is… serviceable. It's not going to blow your mind, but its good. They've got a range of options.
- Breakfast [buffet] – The highlight! A proper buffet with everything you'd expect and then some. Lots of fresh fruit, pastries, and cooked-to-order eggs. I especially enjoyed the fresh juices.
- Restaurants: They have a couple of restaurants, with a mix of international and Western cuisine. Nothing truly mind-blowing, but perfectly acceptable.
- Poolside bar: Yes, it’s a bit pricey but fun when you’re lazing.
- Asian Cuisine / Vegetarian Restaurant - Didn't see those.
- Room service [24-hour]: A lifesaver after a long day of hiking.
- Snack bar: Okay for a quick bite.
- Happy hour: Worth checking out.
Services and conveniences: So much!
- Air conditioning in public area and in all Rooms: Essential.
- Concierge: Super helpful and accommodating. They helped me book tours and gave plenty of advice.
- Currency exchange: Convenient.
- Daily housekeeping: Room was always spotless.
- Elevator: (See Accessibility. Huge plus.)
- Facilities for disabled guests: See above.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Useful for last-minute gifts.
- Laundry service: The prices weren't awful.
- Luggage storage: Convenient.
- Free car park – YAY!
- Safe: In my room, good security.
For the kids: They have some kids' facilities, but I don’t have kids, so I didn’t pay too much attention to them.
Available in all rooms:
- Air conditioning: (Praise be!)
- Coffee/tea maker - I'm a coffee person, a huge plus.
- Hair dryer: Essential!
- In-room safe box: Great for peace of mind.
- Mini bar: Okay.
- Satellite/cable channels, Wi-Fi [free], and window that opens. Yess!
Getting Around:
- Airport transfer: They offer it, helpful, but expensive.
- Car park [free of charge]: YES! Big win.
- Taxi service - Yes, a bit pricey.
My Verdict: It's Got Potential (and Some Hiccups)
Overall, Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites is a solid choice for El Calafate. I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It's got the amenities, the location is fantastic, and the staff is truly helpful. The accessibility is mostly good, but they can improve on a few things. The food could be better, but its adequate and safe, and the spa alone is worth the stay.
Minor Gripes that I'm Mentioning Because This is an Honest Review:
- Little things: The towels weren’t always as fluffy as I'd have liked.
- Price: It’s on the pricier side. You're paying for the experience, and it's generally worth it, but still, be prepared.
Would I go back? Probably, yes. Because despite the little imperfections, the pros outweigh the cons. The views, the spa, the friendly staff… it all adds up to a pretty good stay. And hey, no hotel is perfect, right?
Luxury St Albans Living: Alexandra Palace Apartments Await!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're not just planning a trip, we're living it. This is the unvarnished truth, the messy, beautiful reality of a few days at Marcopolo Suites in El Calafate. Prepare for the glorious chaos.
Day 1: Arrival & Utter Disbelief at the Glacier (aka, The Iceberg of My Dreams!)
- 6:00 AM (ish) - Buenos Aires Airport: The pre-dawn scramble, the usual flight-delay anxiety. Coffee. Needed more coffee. Why do airports still feel like a purgatorial waiting room even with all the tech? Anyway, snagged a window seat! Crucial for the Patagonian photo opportunities.
- 9:00 AM - Flight to El Calafate: Wow. Just… WOW. The landscape unfolding below is like something from a Tolkien novel. Imagine rolling, golden hills, dotted with impossibly turquoise lakes. And then… more coffee.
- 11:00 AM - Arriving in El Calafate: The tiny, charming airport. Grabbed a taxi (slightly overpaid, but hey, it's a vacation, right?). Now, the moment of truth: Marcopolo Suites. Okay, first impressions: clean, cozy, and that view – YES! Big thumbs up.
- 12:00 PM - Hotel Check-in Catastrophe (Slightly Exaggerated): Apparently, "check-in" means "wait for a solid hour while the receptionist juggles six phone calls and a small, yappy dog." Okay, deep breaths. Found a chair, and practiced my best zen breathing.
- 2:00 PM - Lunch at Casimiro Biguá: This place is a must. Seriously. Had the grilled lamb – tender, smoky perfection. The Argentinian wine (duh) – even better. Okay, the bread basket? Gone in seconds.
- 4:00 PM - Perito Moreno Glacier - The Moment: Okay, let's be honest, I thought I had seen glaciers. I had not. This… this is something else. The scale is insane. Huge chunks of ice calving off the glacier, crashing into the water like glacial thunder. I was practically sobbing (okay, I definitely was). Pure, unadulterated awe. Took a million photos. Probably deleted half.
- 7:00 PM - Ice Cream. Needed ice cream. Because, you know, glaciers. You have to celebrate.
- 8:00 PM - Dinner at La Zorra Taproom: Decent, not amazing. But the beers were cold, and you know, socializing with other travelers, sharing stories. It's the whole vibe of travel, good or bad.
- 10:00 PM - Bedtime! (Passed out. Shock from glacier, perhaps.)
Day 2: The Ups & Downs of Boat Tours & A Steak-Sized Challenge
- 8:00 AM - Breakfast at Marcopolo Suites: The breakfast buffet was good, if a little bland. Eggs? Yes. Croissant? Yes. Espresso? Hell yes. Fuel for the day.
- 9:00 AM - Boat Tour of Lago Argentino: Okay, here's where things get… interesting. The scenery, breathtaking again. The boat ride? Slightly nauseating. The water was choppy, and I started to turn greener than the icy lake. Ended up spending the latter half of the tour wishing for solid ground. Oops.
- 12:00 PM - Back on land! Immediately sought out some fresh air and sunshine.
- 2:00 PM - Lunch at Mi Rancho: A massive steak. Seriously, you could have clothed a small child with this thing. I rose to the challenge, dammit! I even ate the crusty ends.
- 4:00 PM - Hike to the summit of Cerro Frías: So I thought, because well, what else would you do after a steak? The hike offered panoramic views of the valley. The air was crisp and clear. The view made me feel like the King of the World, even if I was huffing and puffing my way up.
- 7:00 PM - Local Craft Beers at a Bar: Celebrating the conquest of the steak and the mountain.
- 8:30 PM - Dinner at Don Pichon: This was a meat fest. I overdid it. Couldn't finish it. Ate the leftovers cold.
- 10:00 PM - Bedtime (Passed out. Meat coma imminent.)
Day 3: Adventure, Wind, & A Little Bit of Meltdown
- 9:00 AM - Breakfast at Marcopolo Suites: Another good breakfast to the hotel, but really starting to dream of something other than eggs.
- 10:00 AM - El Chalten Day Trip (Attempt One - Hiked to Laguna de los Tres). The bus ride to El Chalten, the trekking capital of Argentina, was long, but the landscape was beautiful. However, the wind… oh, the wind. It almost blew me off the trail more than once. The Laguna de los Tres hike was a challenge. The views, though? Spectacular. Felt like I was walking in a postcard.
- 3:00 PM - The Wind Cometh (aka, The Emotional Breakdown): The wind won. I was defeated. I was cold. I was grumpy. I was on the bus back. It was my emotional low point of the trip.
- 5:00 PM - Return to El Calafate
- 7:00 PM - Dinner at Pura Vida: The food was good, the atmosphere was friendly, and I managed to get a decent bottle of wine.
- 9:00 PM - Quiet time in the room. Maybe a little reflection on the day. And of course, packing to leave.
- 10:00 PM - Bedtime (Exhausted, but happy.)
Day 4: Departure & Last Glimpses
- 7:00 AM - Farewell Breakfast: One last, slightly hurried, breakfast at the hotel. Said goodbye to that incredible view. Man, I'm going to miss this place.
- 8:00 AM - Hotel Check-out: Quick, easy. Actually, the receptionist remembered my name this time! Winning!
- 9:00 AM - Souvenir Shopping: The usual frantic scramble for gifts. Found a ridiculously cheesy penguin figurine for my aunt. Perfect.
- 11:00 AM - Taxi to Airport: The drive back, a last look at the scenery. Already missing it.
- 1:00 PM - Flight Back to Buenos Aires: So long, El Calafate! You were wild, you were beautiful, you made me cry (in a good way, mostly).
- 3:00 PM - Airplane food.
- 5:00 PM - Arrival in Buenos Aires.
Final Thoughts:
El Calafate? Go. Just… go. Pack layers, embrace the wind (and the occasional emotional meltdown), and prepare to have your mind blown. And Marcopolo Suites? Definitely a good base of operations for all the incredible adventures. It's not perfect, but it's real. And that's what makes the best memories, right? Right. Now, where's that penguin figurine…?
Escape to Bavarian Paradise: Gasthof Ramsauer Awaits!
Unbelievable Marco Polo Suites: Your El Calafate Dream... Maybe? (Let's Be Real Here)
Okay, so… are these Marco Polo Suites *actually* "unbelievable"? Because marketing is a liar, right?
Alright, let's rip the band-aid off, shall we? "Unbelievable"? Depends. Look, the pictures *are* gorgeous. Pristine white walls, that Patagonian light streaming in... But, and this is a HUGE but, my first impression? "Whoa, this is… a lot of white." Like, they’re practically daring you to spill something. I’m a klutz, you see. And I did. Red wine. Thankfully, the amazing housekeeping staff (more on them later, they deserve a medal) were on it like a hawk on a field mouse. So, "unbelievable" in the sense that it's ridiculously beautiful… yes. “Unbelievable” in the sense that it’s *perfect*? No. Life isn’t perfect, and neither are hotel rooms. Especially after I've been let loose in them.
What's the deal with the views? They look epic. Are they *actually* epic, or just Photoshopped?
Okay, here’s where Marco Polo *really* redeems itself. The views? Real. Like, "jaw-dropping, makes you forget your worries, makes you feel like you're the only person on Earth" real. We had a suite overlooking Lago Argentino (I nearly died from excitement). Sunrise? Forget sleep. Sunrise was like a bloody painting, the icebergs glowing pink and orange. You could practically *taste* the cold, crisp air. It's... it's a spiritual experience, honestly. I spent a good hour just staring, coffee in hand, utterly mesmerized. And no, no Photoshop needed! Although… I might have *slightly* enhanced a few Instagram pics… (don't judge!).
How's the service? I've stayed at places where they barely acknowledge your existence.
The service? Mostly good, but... here’s the thing. It's not *flawless*. They're genuinely nice, but sometimes, things take a *teensy* bit longer than you might expect. Once, I ordered room service (after that aforementioned wine incident, I was in need of comfort food) and it took… well, let’s just say it took almost as long to arrive as our flight from Buenos Aires. I was starting to think I'd have to forage for my own empanadas. But when it *did* arrive? Perfectly cooked steak, like they knew I was starving. And the staff? Absolutely charming. They remembered my name (probably because of the wine stain on my shirt, but hey!). So, good, but not "Swiss clockwork" good. Expect a bit of *Patagonian* time, which is, you know, a thing.
The suites look… big. Are they *too* big? I don't want to feel lost in the wilderness of a room.
Big? Honey, they're *mammoth*. Honestly, the first time I walked into our suite, I thought I'd accidentally wandered into a small castle. Living room, bedroom, multiple bathrooms (which is always a win), the whole shebang. It's luxurious, don’t get me wrong. But... I'm a simple person. I tripped over my suitcase *twice* just trying to get to the bed. My husband? He loved it. He was running around like a kid, yelling "I'm king of the suite!" (He's a bit of a drama queen, bless him). So, it depends on you. If you like space to roam, to get gloriously lost in a sea of plush carpeting, then you'll be in heaven. If you prefer things cozy, you might feel a tad overwhelmed. Maybe just consider this: you’ll get a lot of steps in just getting from the bed to the bathroom. That's all I'm saying.
Food! How's the food? (This is a VERY important question.)
Okay, FOOD. This is where my opinion gets seriously strong. The breakfast buffet is… okay. Standard hotel stuff. Eggs, bacon, pastries. Nothing mind-blowing, but perfectly edible. But the *dinner*… oh, the dinner! The restaurant, which has a name I can't remember right now (I was probably too busy eating to take notes!), is *fantastic*. The lamb! Oh. My. God. The lamb. It was slow-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. I’m not kidding. I'm a vegetarian most of the time, but I broke all my rules, and I DO NOT REGRET IT. (The fact that I'm still thinking about it days later tells you everything). The wine list is extensive and features some amazing regional wines. The service during dinner was also impeccable. Okay, I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. Definitely order the lamb. Seriously.
Is it worth the price tag? Because, let's be honest, it looks expensive.
This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? It *is* expensive. There's no getting around it. It's a splurge. A serious splurge. But... (and there's always a "but", isn't there?) … if you're looking for a truly memorable experience, for breathtaking views, for that feeling of being utterly pampered (despite the occasional service hiccup)... then yes. Maybe. Okay, here’s how I justify it to myself. El Calafate is a once-in-a-lifetime destination. The glaciers, the landscapes, the sheer *scale* of it all... it’s worth saving up for. And if you’re going to see it, you want to see it in style. So, yeah, it's outrageously pricey. But honestly? I'd probably go back and do it all again. Especially for the lamb. And those views. Okay, fine. The whole damn place. But don't tell my bank manager.
Any insider tips for making the most of your stay? (Besides ordering the lamb, obviously.)
Okay, this is where I become your travel guru. First, BOOK A SUITE FACING THE LAKE. Trust me. The sunrise alone is worth the extra cost. Second, pack layers. Patagonia weather is… fickle. You might experience sunshine, wind, rain, and snow all in one afternoon. Third, take advantage of the hotel's excursions. They can arrange everything from glacier trekking to boat trips. Fourth: be patient. Things move at a slower pace in Patagonia. Embrace it. Fifth, and this is a big one, TIP THE HOUSEKEEPING STAFF WELL. They work incredibly hard and are angels in disguise. They really do deserve a medal. Also, bring a camera. And maybe a spare liver for all the delicious wine you’ll be drinking. And yes, order the damn lamb. I cannot emphasize this enough.
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