Howard Johnson Hotel Rinconada de Los Andes

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to the Howard Johnson on Carretera San Martin – you know how some chain hotels can feel pretty generic. But this place actually surprised me in the best way possible. The building sits right where you’d want it in Los Andes, close enough to everything but far enough from the main drag that you’re not dealing with traffic noise all night. And let me tell you, when you’re this close to the Cordillera, you want to actually hear the mountain silence, not honking cars.

The staff here gets it – they’re not just going through the motions like at some places. Check-in was smooth (I mean, no one was rushing around looking frazzled), and the front desk guy actually knew the area well enough to give me solid recommendations for dinner that weren’t just the tourist traps. The rooms are what you’d expect from a solid 4-star – clean, comfortable beds that don’t feel like sleeping on cardboard, decent water pressure in the shower. Nothing fancy, but honestly, that’s kind of refreshing. The AC works properly too, which matters more than you’d think during those surprisingly warm Andean afternoons.

What really won me over was the location’s practicality – you’re literally minutes from the Cristo Redentor pass if you’re heading to Argentina, but you’re also walking distance from the town center where locals actually eat and shop. There’s decent parking (always a relief when you’re driving a rental), and the hotel sits on a street that’s busy enough to feel safe but quiet enough that you can sleep with the windows cracked open. I stayed here during ski season and it worked perfectly as a base – way less expensive than staying up in Portillo, but close enough that you’re not spending half your day driving. The 7.9 rating makes sense to me; it’s not going to blow your mind, but it does everything well without any real complaints. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need, especially when you’re more interested in exploring the mountains than hanging out in your hotel room.