Where to Stay in El Calafate: Town Centre or by the Bus Terminal (What We Booked)
We booked Patagonia so last minute that accommodation more or less planned the trip for us. In El Calafate that meant two different Airbnbs on two different nights: one for the glacier, and one we picked because, as I said on camera, "we pretty much only came back here to get our bus to Chile." I didn't think much about which part of town either of them was in, and it turns out that's the main decision you actually need to make here!
We spent two nights in El Calafate in January 2026, on the way into Patagonia and again on the way out. In this guide I'll go through the areas of town (the centre, by the bus terminal and the edge of town), what our two Airbnbs were like and what they cost each, the six places I'd book now that I've checked them properly, and how many nights I'd give El Calafate if we went back. If you're still putting the whole route together, start with my Patagonia planning guide.
Where to Stay in El Calafate, My Quick Answer
Short answer is: stay in the centre if El Calafate is your base for the Perito Moreno glacier, and stay near the bus terminal for the night before you leave on a bus. Get a kitchen if you can, because our first A$27 grocery shop fed the two of us for a whole day!
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| If you want | Book | Booking score |
|---|---|---|
| Budget, near the bus terminal | Folk Hostel | 9.1 (1,298 reviews) |
| Mid-range, near the bus terminal | Montano Boutique Suites | 9.3 (979 reviews) |
| A hotel in the centre | Mabra Suites | 9.3 (507 reviews) |
| An apartment with a kitchen, in the centre | Santa Monica Aparts | 9.4 (203 reviews) |
| Boutique, a short walk from the centre | Patagonia Queen Hotel Boutique | 9.5 (470 reviews) |
| Estancia style, on the edge of town | Kau Yatún Hotel Boutique | 9.2 (325 reviews) |
Every score above was checked on Booking on 10 October 2026, and I only recommend places rated above 9.0 with more than 50 reviews. Our two Airbnbs aren't in the table, but I'll tell you exactly what they were like below.
The Areas of El Calafate, Explained
El Calafate is a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. In the taxi to our first Airbnb I said it had "a bit of a Queenstown feel to it when you're down in the town," and if you've been to Queenstown in New Zealand, you'll know exactly what I mean! It's one main street of cafés, outdoor shops and tour offices, with houses spreading up the dry hills around it. For somewhere to sleep, it really comes down to three areas.
The centre, around Avenida del Libertador
This is the main street and the blocks either side of it, and it's where everything you'll actually use is: the cafés, the restaurants, the ice cream, the weekend market and the tour offices. We walked into one of those tour offices on our first day, on the way to a taxi rank, and came out with a private driver to the glacier for only about $10 more than the shuttle! That's the kind of thing that's easy when you're staying central and a lot harder when you're not.
Stay here if El Calafate is your base for Perito Moreno, or you want to walk to dinner. Mabra Suites and Santa Monica Aparts are both within about 250 metres of the centre, and Patagonia Queen is about 800 metres out.
Near the bus terminal
The bus terminal sits outside the centre, about a 15 minute walk into town. We took a taxi there with our suitcases on the glacier day, and it cost us A$6 each. Some buses coming into El Calafate also drop you about 10 minutes out of town, which is fine with a backpack and a bit awkward with suitcases.
That's exactly why we booked our second Airbnb here. We only had one night between El Chaltén and the bus to Chile, and being able to walk to the terminal with our bags was worth more to us than being on the main street. We still walked into town that evening for ice cream and a beer, so it's not like you're cut off!
Stay here if you've got one night before a bus out, especially the long one into Chile. Folk Hostel is about 400 metres from the terminal and Montano Boutique Suites about 480.
The edge of town
Further out, the town thins into open hillside, and this is where the estancia-style places are. We didn't stay out here, so I can only tell you what you'd be trading: more space and quiet for a taxi every time you want dinner. We couldn't get an Uber at all in El Calafate, and the taxis were cash only.
Stay here if you've got a car or an extra night and want the ranch feel. Kau Yatún is the one I'd pick.
What about a lake view?
El Calafate sits on Lago Argentino, and plenty of people want a room looking at it. I checked the lake-view hotels and none of them cleared my bar: the closest, Mirador del Lago, scored exactly 9.0 when I looked, and my rule is above 9.0. We didn't stay by the lake either, so I'd rather not pretend to recommend one.
Where We Stayed in El Calafate: Two Airbnbs
Neither of these earns us anything, and I'm including them because they're honestly what we booked and they show you what a normal budget stay in El Calafate looks like.
Our first Airbnb, the night before the glacier
We flew in early, and check-in wasn't until 2pm, so we spent the morning working in Calafate Coffee Roasters (more on that below). When we finally got in, it had "a full little kitchen set up," slept three people, and came with body wash, which in an Airbnb I'd call "unheard of." There was even a tip box, which I'd never seen in an Airbnb before either!
We went straight out for groceries, came back and cooked for the rest of the day. The next morning it was fruit and eggs for breakfast, bags packed, and our private driver picked us up with all our luggage in the car, so we never had to come back!
What it cost: A$81.56 for the night, which is A$40.78 each.
Our second Airbnb, by the bus terminal
This one we chose purely for the location, right near the bus station. It had a little mini kitchen, a double bed, a little table, a reading nook ("I guess you could call that") and a shower that looked really good, and the whole thing felt "a bit like a hotel vibe." For one night by a bus station, it was honestly "perfect, just what we need"! We'd had a Mexican lunch right next to the terminal when we got off the bus from El Chaltén, cooked steak and veg for dinner, then walked into town for dessert.
What it cost: A$114.52 for the night, which is A$57.26 each.
The honest bit: our real mistake wasn't either Airbnb, it was the number of nights. We gave El Calafate one full day, squeezed the glacier into it before a 4:30pm bus, and because of that we missed the mini trek on the ice. If I did it again, I'd book the first Airbnb for two nights, not one.
Our first Airbnb is in the vlog from 4:56, and the second one, by the terminal, from 16:32.
The Best Places to Stay in El Calafate, Checked
These are the places I'd book now. I went through El Calafate on Booking property by property on 10 October 2026, kept only places scoring above 9.0 with more than 50 reviews, and then looked at where each one actually sits. Distances are straight-line, so add a little for the streets.
Folk Hostel
Rated 9.1 from 1,298 reviews, the biggest review count of anywhere I'd recommend in town. The easy pick for a night before a bus.
Montano Boutique Suites
Rated 9.3 from 979 reviews. A step up from a hostel, still walkable to your bus in the morning.
Mabra Suites
Rated 9.3 from 507 reviews. Central enough to walk to dinner, the ice cream and the tour offices.
Santa Monica Aparts
Rated 9.4 from 203 reviews. The closest thing on this list to what we did: your own kitchen, so you can cook like we did and keep the budget down.
Patagonia Queen Hotel Boutique
Rated 9.5 from 470 reviews, the highest score on this list. If we went back as a couple and wanted a treat, this is where we'd stay.
Kau Yatún Hotel Boutique
Rated 9.2 from 325 reviews. An estancia-style house and lawn on the edge of town, for the ranch feel without leaving El Calafate!
Two I left off on purpose. Edelweiss Hostel near the terminal had a 9.8, but from only 20 reviews, and that's not enough for me to put my name to it yet. Mirador del Lago had more than a thousand reviews but scored exactly 9.0. Patagonia Queen is also on our Argentina stays page with everywhere else we'd book in Argentina.
How Many Nights to Stay in El Calafate
Two nights at least, three if you want to walk on the glacier. Daniel's own planning note for El Calafate said "2 days here. Do glaciers. Buy food all here," and we ended up with one full day, which is why we only did the walkways at Perito Moreno. As I said at the glacier: "if we had had the time, we would have done the mini trek. We would have gone on the ice, but we didn't have the time."
You'll probably also need one more night on the way out. The buses to Puerto Natales in Chile leave from El Calafate, so if you're going from El Chaltén into Chile you'll come back through town anyway. Daniel's note for that night: "You need this night for the Chile crossing next day." That's the night to book near the terminal. The crossing itself is in El Calafate to Puerto Natales by bus, and the El Chaltén leg is in El Calafate to El Chaltén by bus.
Getting From El Calafate Airport to Your Accommodation
As you come out of the airport, look for the little shuttle desk. It was A$14 each to the area we were staying in, and about 16 minutes into town. There's no Uber to speak of, and taxis wanted cash, so have some on you before you land.
Check-in is often not until 2pm, which hurts after an early flight. A hotel or hostel will usually take your bags early, and an Airbnb usually can't, which is worth thinking about if you're on the first flight in. We got lucky with a great café near where the shuttle drops you: Calafate Coffee Roasters, where they roast the coffee right in front of you, and we sat and worked there until our Airbnb was ready. The coffee comes straight off the roaster, and it's actually so good! Everything else we ate and did in town is in my El Calafate guide.
Still planning? Here is our complete Patagonia planning guide and what El Calafate is like.
FAQs About Where to Stay in El Calafate
What is the best area to stay in El Calafate?
The centre, around Avenida del Libertador, if El Calafate is your base for the Perito Moreno glacier. You can walk to the restaurants and book tours in person. For a night before a bus out, stay near the terminal.
Is it worth staying near the El Calafate bus terminal?
For one night before a bus, yes. The terminal is about a 15 minute walk from the centre, and we chose our second Airbnb there so we could walk to the bus to Chile with our suitcases.
How many nights do you need in El Calafate?
Two at least, and three if you want to do an ice trek on the glacier. We had one full day and it wasn't enough. Add another night on the way out if you're taking the bus into Chile.
How much does accommodation in El Calafate cost?
Our two Airbnbs cost A$40.78 and A$57.26 each per night in January 2026. That's high season, so expect hotels to cost more and book early.
Is there a good hotel in El Calafate with a lake view?
None of the lake-view hotels I checked scored above 9.0 with enough reviews, so I don't have one to recommend. The best-rated places I found are in the centre and near the bus terminal.
Can you get an Uber in El Calafate?
We couldn't. We used taxis, which were cash only, and took the shuttle from the airport for A$14 each.
Final Thoughts: Where Should You Stay in El Calafate?
Stay central for the glacier, stay near the terminal for the bus out, and give the town two nights rather than the one full day we had. If we went back as a couple, I'd book Santa Monica Aparts for the kitchen and the central location, and treat ourselves to Patagonia Queen if the budget stretched!
