Hotel Balneario Melincué, hotel en Melincué
Hotel Balneario Melincué was a spa resort built on a natural island in the lagoon that opened in 1938 and specialized in mineral water baths and thermal treatments. The complex included 34 rooms, a dining hall with live music, wooden beach cabins, its own power station, imported Italian furnishings, and later a small airstrip for private flights.
The hotel opened in 1938 and thrived as a rest and health resort until 1941 when the first major flood threatened the area. After reopening in 1967, it was completely submerged by a devastating flood in 1975 that caused irreparable damage and led to permanent closure.
The hotel represented a period of prosperity for Melincué, when visitors came seeking health through mineral baths and thermal treatments that were popular at the time. Its ruins today serve as a memory of when the town thrived on tourism and the community found pride in offering rest and wellness to travelers.
The site is accessible to visitors willing to walk several kilometers across rocky terrain, but there are no official paths or safety controls in place. Visitors should exercise caution as the ruined structure is unstable and could collapse at any moment.
Local legend tells that in 1850, after a military attack, the wife of a native chief cursed the land as she fled, causing the lagoon to grow and repeatedly flood the area over time. This story connects the site's mysterious past to the actual flooding cycles that ultimately destroyed the hotel.
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