July 9, 2007

Latin America | Argentina | Buenos Aires

A Posh Place in the Pampas

By Lisa Wixon

Saddle up in the Buenos Aires backcountry.

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Ready to embrace your inner gaucho? Seventy miles north of Buenos Aires, amid the heart of Argentina’s grasslands, the stylish Patio de Moreno has just opened its doors in San Antonio de Areco. Distinct from the region’s burgeoning crop of estancias (ranches) that have been converted into country retreats, this new hotel is set in a restored colonial townhouse in San Antonio’s historic center — yet affords access to all the same rural pleasures. Upon arrival, guests are given cowboy hats and encouraged to head into the Argentinean Pampas — those vast, lush lowlands where the country’s famed cattle roam. And throughout your stay, a raft of activities is on tap — including polo, horseback riding and golf (at San Antonio’s exclusive country club).

Part of N | A Town & Country Hotels group — a high-end mini-chain of boutique properties in South America — Patio de Moreno rolls out most of the usual comforts (pool, WiFi, flat-screen TVs, in-room massage). In addition, there’s a wine bar, stocked by local vintners (tastings are paired with cheese and meat picadas). And, of course, steak barbeques are done asado style — that is, thickly marbled meats grilled over a wood-burning fire, and eaten at communal tables. And wherefore the gaucho lore? Historically, he’s sort of like a Sergio Leone character: a loner and a vagabond. At Patio de Moreno, you’ll thankfully experience neither.