El Castillo Hotel facts for kids
| El Castillo Hotel Fabrega Organizational Center | |
Quick facts for kids [[Image: |px| The hotel photographed in 2009. ]]The hotel photographed in 2009. |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
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| Location | Valle Hermoso, Province of Córdoba, Argentina |
| Coordinates | 31°06′47″S 64°28′30″W / 31.11306°S 64.47500°W |
| Architect | F. Rosas (expansion 1930), Ing. Edgardo R. Fábrega (restoration 2007) |
| Owner | Fabrega Family |
| Total floor area | 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) |
Imagine a real-life castle in Argentina! El Castillo Hotel is a cool building that looks like a medieval castle. It was built way back in 1870 in a place called Valle Hermoso, in Córdoba, Argentina.
Over the years, this amazing castle has had many lives. It started as a fancy family home, then became a grand hotel, a summer camp, and now it's a super luxurious five-star hotel! It's even part of a special group called Historic Hotels Worldwide, which means it's recognized as an important historical place.
Contents
The Castle's Journey
How El Castillo Began
This castle started its life around 1870. It was the main farmhouse for a big ranch called "Las Playas." This ranch was located in the town of Valle Hermoso, in Córdoba, Argentina.
Becoming a Grand Hotel
In the early 1900s, the farmhouse got a huge upgrade! It kept its medieval castle look but became the super fancy "Hotel Monte Olivo." It had beautiful floors, special wooden furniture, elegant dishes, and cool metal light fixtures.
Later, in the 1930s, an Italian immigrant named Don José Ferrarini owned the castle. A few years after that, he closed its doors. The building then sat empty and unused for more than thirty years.
From Camp to Five-Star Hotel
From 1970 to 2000, the property was used as a summer camp. It was a place for metal workers and also for students and older tourists. Towards the end of this time, the castle became very run down. It was hard to use because it had been neglected and damaged.
In 2002, the castle got a new chance! An Argentine family started a four-year project to restore it. Local workers and craftspeople did all the amazing work. Since 2006, it has been known as "El Castillo Hotel Fábrega Organizational Center." It's now a hotel that welcomes families. It also hosts business events and training programs.
Castle Design and Size
El Castillo is a very large building. It has 7000 square meters of space inside. It also sits on four hectares of land, which is like having a huge park around it.
The building uses different materials like stone, brick, and wood. Its windows and doors are straight, but they have cool stone arches above them. The top of the castle has a jagged shape with battlements, just like a real medieval castle! There are even watchtowers at each corner. The roofs are flat terraces and also have slanted parts with Spanish tiles. Inside, the hotel has 45 rooms, some of which are very big, up to 90 square meters.
A Five-Star Experience
On March 22, 2010, El Castillo received a special award. It was officially recognized as a five-star hotel by the Córdoba Tourism Agency. This made it the first five-star hotel in the Sierras of Córdoba. It is also the only one in the province outside of the capital city.
Learning from El Castillo
A Unique Business Story
El Castillo is the first hotel in South America to be studied by experts from universities around the world. A special report was written about it. This report explains how the hotel created something new. It combined family tourism with business training. The hotel also achieved amazing growth and made its customers very happy.
The report highlights the big risks the family took. They faced many challenges, like a major economic crisis in Argentina (the December 2001 Crisis). They also had trouble getting loans, dealing with distant suppliers, and using expensive technology. The location was not well-known, and some laws made it hard to do ecotourism.
Sharing Their Vision
Because of its success, El Castillo has been invited to many universities. They share their ideas and how they act responsibly in society. In 2010, the hotel's founders were asked to join a group called the "Fordham Consortium on the Purpose of Business." This group is part of Fordham University in New York.
In 2013, El Castillo won another award! The British Argentine Chamber of Commerce gave them the "First Prize for Sustainable Leadership." This shows their commitment to being a good example for other businesses.
In Spanish: El Castillo Hotel para niños
