Eden Hotel
| Company type | Hotel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Founder | Roberto Bahlcke |
| Headquarters | La Falda , Argentina |
| Products | Hotel accommodation and tourism services |
The Eden Hotel, referred to as El Eden or simply The Eden, is a notable historic hotel situated in La Falda, Argentina, approximately 45 km away from Cabildo de Córdoba, one of the oldest colonial structures in South America.
History
Constructed in 1897 by Roberto Bahlcke, a German military officer, the hotel's principal investors were Ernesto Tornquist, Juan Kurth, Bahlcke himself, and María Herbert de Kraeutner. Despite this backing, the enterprise was dissolved by 1905 due to unsatisfactory financial results. Ownership subsequently passed to Walter and Ida Eichorn, German nationals connected to Argentina’s German expatriate community and known supporters of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. After Argentina declared war on Germany in 1945, the government confiscated the property as enemy assets.
Attempts to restore the hotel extended into the 1960s; nevertheless, it closed its doors in 1965 and experienced repeated acts of vandalism afterward. Proposals to transform the building into a casino were abandoned because of its cultural and architectural importance, resulting in its classification as a Historical Monument in 1988. Since that time, local officials have undertaken partial renovations and reopened it for tourism purposes.
Notable guests
The establishment welcomed several prominent Argentine noble families, including the Martinez de Hoz, Tornquist, Bianchi, Roca, Bunge, Anchorena, Blaquier, and Peralta Ramos lineages.
Additional esteemed visitors comprised:
- Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío
- Renowned scientist Albert Einstein
- Performer Berta Singerman
- Actor Hugo del Carril
- Italian maestro Arturo Toscanini
In popular culture
A conspiracy theory presented in the History Channel program Hunting Hitler claims that Adolf Hitler briefly stayed at the residence of the Eden Hotel’s proprietors in La Falda during his supposed post-World War II period in South America.