El Casco has brought tourists from all over the world, not only due to its privileged location but also because of its atmosphere and the European glamour that its hospitable founders, Alfred and Ruth von Ellrichshausen, managed to impart.
Located fifteen minutes from the city of Bariloche, the first building was built in the image and likeness of the Cala di Volpe hotel in Sardinia, one of the many places that the von Ellrichshausen family, German aristocrats who emigrated to Argentina during the second half of the 20th century, used to frequent during their holidays. After many successful seasons, El Casco was sold, and Ruth kept a house adjacent to the hotel, which she occupies up to this day. The property went through various owners and finally closed its doors for seven years, until it was purchased by Ignacio Gutiérrez Zaldívar.
The redesign project was carried out by the architect Julio Coccifi, and the new building was built in a classic but contemporary style. Even though the only thing that remains of the previous Casco is an iron and wooden spiral staircase, those in charge of the project have preserved the spirit given to the building by its original owners.
The decor by Julio Oropel stands out by its sobriety, the furniture being so well distributed that it does not compete with the works of art, the hotel’s distinctive characteristic. In fact, the refurnished El Casco was conceived as an Art Hotel, and it has a collection of 475 paintings and sculptures of Argentine art. The pictures and sculptures have been distributed throughout the hotel: entrance hall, lobby, garden, corridors, business center, rooms, restaurant, and cellar. Each location has its own stamp, inviting the spectator to enjoy these works to the fullest.