Sunday, July 24, 2011

Portillo por la Noche

     With no snowfall since last Saturday, the vibe here has been mellow during the day and festive at night. There’s no reason to get up too early, which means all the more reason to stay out late. As much as I love heaps of fresh powder, it was nice to wake up on Tuesday at 10:30. A friend and I skied until late afternoon before taking a long lunch in the sun. After that, I lapped Lake Run twice more and called it a day. It wasn’t four o’clock yet so I dropped by the pool. I skied once more this past week, on Thursday, and it was more of the same. Parts of the traverse aren’t bad, but getting to the good stuff takes awhile. Everything else off-piste is skied out, including Roca, which got hounded quickly (Roca pre-opening). But like I said, mellow isn’t bad and with so much pent up energy guests were more than willing to fill the bar disco Posada until late night.

     “Entretenciones,” as well as the bar staff, need to be thanked publicly. It was a fun week, to say the least, and both departments worked hard to make it happen. The Corona Party was everything advertised: two for one Coronas and loud music. Guests and employees of all ages packed the dance floor. I’ve rarely seen the disco as full. It’s always hard to tell what brings people out past midnight. I swear the equation never changes, and yet some nights blow up. The only difference was a couple of well-known dj’s, which I guess was enough.

     The fate of the nightlife is entirely up to the guests. My friends and I, the fifty some instructors, and a few others like to go out – and we’re out all the time.* But we’re not enough to make the party, so when guests gripe to me about a downer evening, I point out the fallacy of such complaints: they are the party. Again, the equation never changes. Moreover, the equation is well though out. Check this out: free cocktails from 7-8, dinner, drinks and live music in the bar from 10:30-12, more music and conversation in the disco from 12-2, and, if you’re still up, the Posada stays open until 3 in the morning. It’s not a bad cycle, but it’s up to you, readers and future guests, to populate each location. Pace yourselves and have a good time. If you have no idea what’s going on, the party schedule is published nightly in reception.
   
     Look what happens to the blog when there’s no new snow! I ramble on about the nightlife. Don’t come here for the nightlife! It’s a plus, but Portillo is an isolated hotel deep in the Andes. Any sort of nightlife should come as a surprise!** Like I said, our entertainment department does a great job at keeping everyone occupied when the ski day ends. However, Portillo is a centro de esqui, and that’s what we do best. Today, for example was clear and sunny. It was a great day to lap Plateau and Juncalillo, maybe stop by Tio Bob’s for lunch. Even without new snow, the mountain is impressive. So if you’re planning a visit, make skiing the priority – and let the nightlife pleasantly surprise you.



*Technically, the entire hotel staff goes out every night. Come 1 am, the Posada is always full, almost without exception. But 90 percent of the guests, at their own fault, never venture over to the Posada, so it’s not a part of the conversation

**The Posada is, again, the exception. There are four hundred employees with nothing to do besides work and enjoy each other’s company. In other words, the Posada being packed every night is hardly a surprise.

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