La Falda

La Falda grew as a mountain resort at the start of the twentieth century, and its symbol is the Hotel Edén, an enormous belle époque establishment built by German owners in the 1890s that drew European royalty, presidents and Albert Einstein among its guests, with its own power plant, telephone exchange and gardens. The hotel was expropriated during the Second World War over its owners' ties, declined afterwards and now stands as a picturesque ruin, open for guided daytime tours and, in a nod to its reputation, ghost tours at night. The rest of the town is a pleasant valley resort with a dam and lake at El Río, walking trails to the Cerro La Banderita, and a chairlift with wide views over the Punilla.

What you actually see

• Hotel Edén - the ruined belle époque grand hotel and its tours.
• The valley setting - the Punilla valley with sierras on both sides.
• The lake and river - the small reservoir and river walks at El Río.
• The viewpoints - trails and lifts up the hills above the town.

When to go

Year-round; summer is busiest with holidaymakers, spring and autumn are pleasant and quiet, winter is cold at night but clear. Hotel Edén tours run to a fixed schedule and the night tours book out at weekends.

Honest expectations

The Hotel Edén is a genuine ruin, stripped and crumbling, and visitors expecting restored grandeur are often let down; the tour leans heavily on the ghost angle. The town itself is an ordinary valley resort with limited sights.

Nearby

Cosquín lies south; Capilla del Monte and Uritorco are north up the valley.