Las Balsas Relais & Chateaux

Las Balsas Relais & Chateaux

At Las Balsas Relais & Châteaux, the spa's heated infinity pool opens straight onto Lake Nahuel Huapi, no rail or ledge breaking the line between water and water, so a swim here becomes a view of the Andes rather than a break from one. The resort sits on 15 hectares of private native forest and wetland on the edge of Villa La Angostura, a small alpine town three kilometres away, and holds only 15 rooms across two floors, some in the original lakeside house and others set apart as villas among the trees. It is the first hotel in the world certified as both B Corp and Relais & Châteaux, a distinction earned twice, in 2021 and again in 2025, and reflected in details a guest actually notices: wastewater treated and reused on-site, produce sourced from local growers, staff drawn mostly from the town itself. Days here run toward the outdoors: sailing from a private dock, fly-fishing, hiking into the Arrayanes forest or along the Seven Lakes Route, skiing at Cerro Bayo in winter. Evenings settle into the library, the picnic and barbecue area, or one of three spa rituals built around volcanic stone, water, or Andean forest scent, each addressing a different kind of tiredness. This suits travellers who want a fixed, quiet base for exploring one of South America's densest landscapes, not those chasing a big-resort roster of pools and bars, though a heated pool, sauna and gym are all here too. Families are looked after with a children's pool, playroom and babysitting, and pets can come for a fee. What lingers afterward is less the luxury than the stillness the place is built to protect. Fifteen rooms on a private forest reserve by Lake Nahuel Huapi, and the only hotel anywhere certified as both B Corp and Relais & Châteaux. Built for slow days of fishing, hiking and sailing, not for those wanting nightlife on the doorstep.