Last updated July 10, 2026

The stone archways of Bariloche's Centro Cívico complex, with crowds of visitors passing through on a sunny day

Francisco Esteban Leuman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Bariloche

Where to Stay in Centro Cívico, Bariloche

Centro Cívico is downtown Bariloche's historic core and the town's most recognizable landmark — a stone-and-shingle, Alpine-style complex built around a plaza, with a clock tower and an equestrian statue of General Roca at its center. It also houses the Museo de la Patagonia. The surrounding blocks hold Mitre street, Bariloche's main shopping strip lined with long-established chocolatiers, along with restaurants, the local and long-distance bus terminals, and lakefront avenues (12 de Octubre, Juan Manuel de Rosas) where several of the area's hotels look out over Lago Nahuel Huapi.

What it's actually like to stay here

Busy and touristy, especially around Mitre street and the plaza, with street life, chocolate shops, and a steady flow of visitors and buses. It calms down a few blocks off the main strip and along the quieter stretches of the lakefront avenues.

Stay here if

Best for first-time visitors, couples, and budget-to-mid-range travelers who want to walk to restaurants, chocolate shops, and the bus terminal without needing a car.

Stay elsewhere if

Consider the Circuito Chico/Llao Llao area instead if you want a quiet, nature-immersed lakeside stay away from downtown's foot traffic and don't mind driving or taking a bus into town.

Walkability
Very walkable — a compact, mostly flat downtown grid, with Mitre street and the plaza easily covered on foot, and the lakefront a short walk from most hotels here.
Noise at night
Moderate, busiest around Mitre street and the plaza during the day and on summer weekends; quieter after dark and on the lakefront avenues away from the main strip.

Best Hotels in Centro Cívico, Bariloche

Cacique Inacayal Lake & Spa Hotel

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 📍 Best location

Our take Our overall pick for Bariloche — a genuinely well-equipped spa hotel with a real lake view, close enough to downtown to walk, and priced below the resorts out at Llao Llao.

Good for

  • Couples
  • Families

Couples and families who want a spa hotel with lake views, still close enough to walk into downtown Bariloche for restaurants and shopping.

Why we like it

  • Sits directly on Nahuel Huapi Lake's shore, about four blocks from Centro Cívico — an easy walk into downtown
  • An on-site spa area with an indoor pool, hot tub, and saunas, unusual for a downtown-adjacent hotel at this level
  • Designer-furnished rooms, many with a private spa bath, above the standard of most nearby hotels

What to know

  • The spa and pool area can get busy in peak season — worth asking about access times when booking
  • As a lakefront hotel on a through avenue, some rooms can pick up traffic noise from Juan Manuel de Rosas
Check availability on Booking.com

Hampton by Hilton Bariloche

★★★
  • 💰 Best value

Our take A modern, consistent choice right in downtown Bariloche — a good pick for travelers who value a predictable, well-run stay over a more characterful older property.

Good for

  • First-time visitors
  • Couples

First-time visitors and couples who want a modern, reliably run hotel close to Centro Cívico and Mitre street's restaurants and shops, without needing a car.

Why we like it

  • A short walk — about 150 meters — from Centro Cívico and downtown's restaurants and shops
  • Recently built rooms and public areas, more modern than most of downtown Bariloche's older hotel stock
  • Part of an international chain, so the brand's usual standards for cleanliness and service apply

What to know

  • A more standard, business-hotel feel rather than a distinctly local or historic one — some travelers prefer more character
  • Downtown's foot and vehicle traffic can be noticeable on lower floors facing the street
Check availability on Booking.com

Hotel Tres Reyes

★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take A dependable, classic choice for a lake-view stay right in downtown Bariloche, at a more accessible price point than the resort hotels out toward Llao Llao.

Good for

  • Couples
  • First-time visitors

Couples and first-time visitors who want a lake-facing downtown base within walking distance of restaurants, chocolate shops, and Centro Cívico, without paying resort prices.

Why we like it

  • Faces Nahuel Huapi Lake directly, with many rooms offering a lake view rare at this location and price
  • One block from Mitre street's restaurants and chocolate shops, and a short walk from Centro Cívico
  • A long-established downtown property with an on-site restaurant looking out over the lake

What to know

  • An older, classic-style hotel rather than a recently renovated one — don't expect resort-style design or amenities
  • Street noise from the lakefront avenue can reach front-facing rooms; ask for a higher floor if quiet matters
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

The area is Bariloche's transportation hub — the bus terminal for both local buses and long-distance service sits just downhill from Centro Cívico, and local line 20 departs from here along Avenida Bustillo toward Circuito Chico and Llao Llao roughly every 20 minutes. Taxis are easy to find, and most of downtown itself is walkable.

A car isn't necessary to enjoy Centro Cívico and downtown Bariloche itself — everything here is walkable, and buses and taxis cover the rest of town. It becomes useful mainly if you also want to explore Circuito Chico, Cerro Catedral, or other sights beyond what local buses reach.

Frequently asked questions

Is Centro Cívico within walking distance of the lake?
Yes — the lakefront avenues (12 de Octubre and Juan Manuel de Rosas) are just a few blocks from the plaza, and several hotels along them offer direct lake views.
Do I need a car if I stay in Centro Cívico?
Not for downtown itself — it's walkable and well served by buses and taxis. A car only helps if you also plan to explore Circuito Chico, Cerro Catedral, or other spots outside the immediate area.

Related areas

Hotel Llao Llao's alpine-style building on a hilltop between Lago Nahuel Huapi and the Andes, seen from across the valley

davidw / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Circuito Chico

Best for: Luxury travelers, Couples, Families

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