subject: Come to Villavicencio [print this page] Come to Villavicencio Come to Villavicencio
Villavicencio, from the early twentieth century was the classical image of the mountains of Mendoza. With its beautiful gardens and parks makes an memorable trip at any time of year, where the clients of the Diplomatic Hotel can appreciate the splendor of the area in different semblances depending on to the season.
In Villavicencio we can find natural sources of mineral water. With each drop of rain, each snowflake that falls on the Aconcagua at 6,959 meters above the sea level begins the birth of Villavicencio's water. The gravity water seeps into the inner mountain through the rocks and geological formations passing down to huge depths. From there, the high pressures and high temperatures force it back above the ground through tectonic fractures, giving rise to springs at 1,750 meters.
In 1940 the construction of the Hotel Villavicencio was finished and it has functioned since then as a spa for tourists coming from all over the country and overseas. The hotel continues closed since 1978, when the World Cup took place in Argentina, and it currently has a facade which keeps its original beauty.
Since 2001 the land around the hotel is considered a protected area. The reserve embraces a total domain of seventy thousand acres, protected for its biodiversity and historical value, as well as its cultural and archaeological inheritance.
In June 2006 an agreement was signed between the Government, the Danone Company, which owns the hotel and Alvarez Argelles, to fix the edifice and turn it into a 4 stars hotel.
The project involves the construction of a building with more than 7 million square feet, which will double the actual structure, at the base of the hills of Villavicencio. There will be 108 suites, a spa and restaurants.
The plan, which is quite different from the original hotel, was in charge of the same team that planned the Hyatt. It initially anticipated that by the year 2008 would be all set to inaugurate the new hotel. Nevertheless, the start of construction was held up and it is expected to begin in 2011. Then, its opening has been planned for 2010.
Apart from the traditional services offered by 1st class hotels, similar to the Diplomatic Hotel, the new housing will include specialized hydrotherapy, health and beauty treatments. The Hotel will also own multipurpose rooms and will organize recreational activities like hiking, trekking, photographic safaris and ecotourism in general.
