Indagare members Ashley and Tom Bradley traveled to Uruguay and Argentina with two other couples, saying: “We were looking for a warm-weather long weekend getaway without the kids” Their stay at the Estancia Vik was so successful that they all decided to return one day with the children. Here, Ashley describes the highlights of the trip:
“The trip was just perfect, a great mix of city and country, although we would have preferred a few more days in Jose Ignacio. Estancia Vik was fantastic: we felt like we were staying in a private house but alongside some other international couples and families, which made it more interesting. The manager, Max, is friendly and helpful, as is the rest of the staff. They welcomed us with an absolutely delicious lunch from their organic garden, and they helped us arrange everything we wanted to do in terms of activities (as well as reservations, transportation, a gift to take to friends who had invited us to lunch). We rode horses on the property every day, went mountain biking, kayaked, relaxed by the pool, even had a little cocktail party in our room. If you stay in Master Suite 2, you will enjoy incredible sunsets and there’s a wonderful private terrace and fireplace.
We also loved exploring the town of Jose Ignacio and found that the restaurants and few little shops there had a bit of a St. Barth’s vibe (albeit, totally rustic). Some of the restaurants we liked: Marismo (José Ignacio; Ruta 10, km 185), La Huella (José Ignacio; Playa Brava), and the Asado at Estancia Vik, for dinner, and La Huella and La Isla de Flores for lunch. Local friends also recommended a new restaurant in Garzon called Lucifer. One thing not to miss is horseback-riding to the beach with Haras Godivas. They have beautiful Arabian horses, and you can gallop across the deserted beach. If we had more time, we would have explored La Barra and the other towns nearby which looked quite cute as we drove through from the airport.
Some thoughts on Buenos Aires: the Faena has gone downhill over the past few years in terms of service; the rooms, pool and spa are still nice, but the staff is mostly clueless. We heard that they have hired new people, and it was not the same experience we had the last time we were there. The Park Hyatt is beautiful; we did a wine tasting in the garden one night, which was a highlight. The sommelier was very good with a great sense of humor, and the setting couldn’t be prettier. The lobby art collection is worth a visit to the hotel even if you aren’t staying there. We also loved Casa Cruz in Palermo for dinner and went to Isabel for drinks (expect a young, trendy crowd). Tegui was great too, with a pretty interior garden setting, and an inventive menu. We bought custom riding boots at La Casa de las Botas (Paraguay 5062, Capital Federal; 54-11-4776-0762) in Palermo, which was worth the trip, as it felt authentic and old-world. The boots will hopefully arrive next month.”
Read Indagare’s destination report on Buenos Aires
Read about dos and don’ts in BA
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