Yes car hire doesn't come cheap here. If we go we'll just drive down in our own car stopping off for the night somewhere on the way. It takes us two hours in the opposite direction to get to AEP so there's no point flying down and even though the Bariloche bus stops here there's no way I'd go by bus again no matter how comfortable it is. I had quite enough of that the last time.
Your accommodation sounded good although I'd prefer renting a place and catering for ourselves.