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Las Leñas Resort Reviews

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Visitor reviews for Las Leñas Ski Resort

Las Leñas Ratings

Overall: 3.4. Based on 112 votes and 213 reviews. Vote

Snowsure: 3.6

(1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Las Leñas is snowsure even in the poorest seasons.

Variety of pistes: 4.0

(1) The ski runs are featureless and unvaried, (3) the ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week, (5) Las Leñas has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain.

Off-piste: 4.5

(1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days.

Scenery: 3.9

(1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town.

Access: 3.2

(1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Las Leñas.

Public Transport: 3.2

(1) There are no buses or taxis to Las Leñas, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections.

Accommodation: 4.1

(1) No places to stay in/near Las Leñas, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets.

Cheap Rooms: 3.1

(1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available.

Luxury Hotels: 4.0

(1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Las Leñas.

Ski in/Ski out: 4.3

(1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available.

Childcare: 4.0

(1) There are no child care facilities at Las Leñas, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche.

Snowmaking: 3.5

(1) Las Leñas relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes.

Snow Grooming: 4.2

(1) There are no snow groomers at Las Leñas, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Las Leñas are groomed daily.

Shelter: 2.6

(1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Las Leñas is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close.

Nearby options: 1.9

(1) If snow conditions are poor at Las Leñas, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions.

Regional rating: 3.7

(1) Las Leñas usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region.

Lift Staff: 3.8

(1) The staff at Las Leñas are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Las Leñas are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help.

Crowds/Queues: 2.9

(1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare.

Ski Schools: 4.0

(1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors.

Hire and Repairs: 3.9

(1) Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex. (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible.

Beginners: 4.1

(1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain.

Intermediates: 4.3

(1) No intermediate terrain at Las Leñas, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs.

Advanced: 4.3

(1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week.

Snow Park: 3.0

(1) Not even a kicker at Las Leñas, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails.

Cross-country: 2.7

(1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Las Leñas, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails.

Luge/Toboggan: 2.1

(1) No designated luge or toboggan runs, (3) there are toboggan runs that open quite often, (5) Las Leñas has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages.

Mountain Dining: 3.4

(1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets.

Eating: 3.5

(1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants.

Apres-Ski: 3.6

(1) Nothing to do, not even a bar, (3) there are a few bars in the resort but nothing special, (5) clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere.

Other Sports: 2.5

(1) No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts, (3) resort has just a small public swimming pool, (5) resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool.

Entertainment: 2.3

(1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports.

Winter Walks: 2.3

(1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities.

Ski Pass Value: 2.5

(1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area.

Value (National): 2.7

(1) Overall, Las Leñas is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country.

Value (Global): 2.9

(1) Overall, Las Leñas is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money.

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August 26, 2008
Alex from Ski United States United States
Preamble: Virtually any ski area is awesome if the snow is. Therefore good powder snow generally trumps good (i.e. steep, gnarly) terrain. Pros & Cons of LL: Pros --Amazing terrain. The resort itself offers a sizable massif replete with steep chutes, open bowls, and easy access from the elusive (see Cons) Marte lift. --More amazing terrain. Behind the resort proper are a series of backcountry peaks accessed with 40-minute to 4-hour boot packs that rival the best of North American terrain. --Friendly people. The locals are nice and always eager to show foreigners around, mostly out of pride and eagerness to showcase their terrain. --A lot of English-speaking foreigners. There's no shortage of good, English-speaking skiers with whom to connect and tour. Whether at the few bars or in the apartment houses and hostels, you'll find loads of ex-pat skiers and riders with whom to party. Cons --Crappy snow. Though it typically snows significantly once every week on a good year, it's often associated with a lot of wind leaving you with a small window during which to ski soft pow. Within 24 hours you're generally relegated to 2 inches of breakable crust atop heavy powder (it falls heavy being a maritime snowpack). If you're on a snowboard or super fat, stiff skis it's easier to manage but by no means epic. --Lift closures. Marte, the lift that gives you access to the excellent inbounds and backcountry terrain, is closed the vast majority of the time, at least in my experience. While there for 2.5 weeks, Marte was open a total of 5 days. It was closed the rest of the time due to wind or weather, and sometimes it wasn't entirely convincing that the wind or weather were the culprits. --Expensive. A beer at pretty much the only "boliche," or disco (i.e. club), in the evening will cost you as much as a beer in a nice Manhattan bar. The lift tickets are as expensive as most US resorts, as well, and the lifts are much less reliable (see above). Food at the one grocery store is expensive. If you're looking for cheap accommodations for an extended period of time, you should expect to pay around $35/night for a bed/cot in a ghetto apartment usually full of other dirtbag ski bums which isn't bad if you don't mind filth. --Poor infrastructure. If you're staying in an apartment near where the ski instructors live (i.e., the "residencias") you have to take a shuttle ("colectivo") from the base of the resort or walk about 7 minutes. They run regularly, but they look and smell like Cold War, Soviet relics and run on dirt roads that get muddy with the snow. The lifts run slowly (there's one quad and the rest are doubles) and often shut down due to wind. --Smokers galore. I've traveled all over the world and can say with confidence that I've never encountered more cigarette smokers than in LL. In the bars, in the apartments, in the lift lines, on the lifts, you name it (and will smell it). --Customer service. In the hotels service is decent, everywhere else it's mediocre at best. Most of the people working there are young and disinterested. The patrollers don't seem to be well-informed about run and lift closures, telling you that something will open at such and such a time and then it won't. Bottom Line: LL requires a lot of time and patience. I don't recommend going there for a 1-week holiday. The inconsistent weather conditions make it unreliable for powder skiing, and even when it does snow, wind and lift closures hamper pow skiing opps. On the other hand, if you have more than 2 or 3 weeks, don't mind extended periods of groomed skiing and hunting for wind buffed faces during dry spells, have a lot of money to stay in one of the nice hotels or are a dirtbag, ski bum not concerned about staying in squalor, then LL can be cool.
September 07, 2008
Jose from Ski Argentina Argentina
Alex, totally agree with you, the problem it's the owner, a guy from Malaysia how doesn't gives care about the resort, only wants the water reservation, and the lifts are bad, since 1983, we pray all the years than the Malaysian sail Las Lenas and Lowestien the ex owner comes again! Cheers
July 22, 2009
Manu from Ski Argentina Argentina
If you're thinking of coming to Argentina or Chile to enjoy the best free ride terrain at Las Lenas and want to ride with truely local experts guides visit bigpowderarg.com and you will find all the info you are going to need to experience the best powder days of your life. See you.
September 01, 2008
ValdiSkier from Ski France France
I have been skiing in Argentina since 1995 and Las Lenas is the best spot for off-piste skier. The terrain is amazing from the top (Cerro Los Fosssiles accessible from chairlift Martes) and much more if you are ready to walk with all equipment. You will get a lot of pleasure when you can ski it: long and steep to very steep runs. (like skiing in Jackson Hole or Chamonix or Val d'Isere). But there is a high cost for it since infrastructure is the worst in Argentina which by international standard is very low. So low of the low could be a real pain if you are a one or two week skier here. Las Lenas is a very windy spot. And with wind most of interesting chairlifts are closed and so you are stuck in the base (nothing to do, nowhere to go). By the way, we had good ski conditions from mid July to the end of July this year, even if we could not ski all days (as you can in most European resorts in winter). Family skiers, you should prefer Chapelco. (beautiful place, correct on-piste ski, low off-piste). You can afford go to hotel Terra Alta in Las Pendientes (ski-in, ski-out) and very good value. Students skiers, you should prefer Bariloche. Those ready to get the best infrastructure in Argentina should go to Cerro Castor but so far away...
May 30, 2005
Chris from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Las lenas is the best south american ski resort. Off piste ski is awesome. I reccomend it without hesitation.
August 19, 2019
Mark from Ski United States United States
Best ski center in South America! Freeride is awesome :)
August 27, 2010
Patrick G from Ski United States United States
Great service at Las Lenas. Good folks working there. Plenty of places to eat. I stayed in Los Molles which is a small town with access to a hot spring, walking distance from my hotel, Hualum. The views are splendid, the mountain burly. The frontside pretty much for beginners and intermediates. The one and only Marte accesses some sick terrain which I rode about 3 good runs on. Poor coverage the second week of July, high winds, lots of backcountry access closed. A few days after a storm and any wind it's all crusted up and pretty much worthless. You either have to be ready for LONG hikes, use of a helicopter, snowcat, or have good coverage and access to the terrain under the lift at Marte. Yes, you can hike at Las Lenas. It´s a sick mountain. And they need to put at least a faster double chair on Marte. It´s faster to walk up than take the chair. Pow here is legendary from what I´ve heard. It´s a good distance from other major cities by bus. I would come back to this resort knowing that the lifts are horrible; hiking the only option for good pow skiing, and that few people are earning their turns. At least that is less than Bariloche. I would just recommend skiing Snowbird in Utah and forgetting Las Lenas because of lack of lifts worth taking.
January 15, 2006
Franz from Ski Austria Austria
I´ve being going to Las Lenas for 12 years now, and I can tell you, since I have skied almost every where, that Las Lenas is somewaht spectacular. It´s true, the lifts are very old and they close them all the time, but believe me it´s worth it, once you are at the top of Marte, you realized that there is no other place like it. Go to Las Lenas and check it out, you wont regret it.
December 07, 2009
Mark Cervantes from Ski Argentina Argentina
I just wanted to reach out and thank all the people that have been contacting us in regards to Las Lenas and all the others we have first hand knowledge about. Fabio in the US mentioned us a couple of months ago and we have already helped several people plan sick vacations for next year in Patagonia. If you want info on the Las Lenas or any of these resorts contact us at info@toursthroughargentina.com or visit our site soon. We ski them all and love telling people how to best enjoy them. I am packing the car and headed to mountains so perhaps we will meet along the way !! Bring on the freshies... Mark Cervantes(Owner/Founder)
September 07, 2008
jose from Ski Argentina Argentina
Las Lenas... it was a very good place. I totally agree with Alex! Alex you are the man... I ski there all my life and now I wana search some other places, I love Las Lenas snow and its pretty close of my house, 1200 km, 10 hours by car, but year after year Las Lenas it's expensive more than Europe, and the lift are since 1983, slow ugly all the time out of work, its a shame, the people in the holle valley smoke and I have to change my lunch place many times about that, now its a big storm in all the resorts of Argentina, Bariloche have 1mt in the base and 350 in the top and Las Lenas too, the only problem now in Las Lenas is the owner, it's a guy for Malasia and the only business its looking for is the water reservation, and the lif and the resort doesn't gives a damn!! Well thanks for said than here all of the skiers talk in English, in Buenos Aires too, and I'm a big traveler to and now the best ski resort we have is Bariloche or Castor, but the problem in Bariloche you have to look very well the snow, because many times the snow its bad or not much, Cheers!

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