An Oasis for Relaxation and Restoring Energy on a Journey to Argentina
An hour and a half drive north of Buenos Aires we found an idyllic country estancia, literally in the middle of nowhere, unless you count a 20 minute ride on a gravel road to the small , quaint village of San Antonia de Areco as “somewhere”. In the middle of a magnificent park like setting, the estancia dates back to 1830 when it was one of the post houses on El Camino Royal, the Royal Road, that linked Buenos Aires to the north of the country.
Rooted in Argentinian and gaucho history, La Bamba de Areco, a luxury Relais & Châteaux property with just 11 rooms, is an oasis for relaxation, sumptuous dining, authentic BBQ, great Argentinian wines, and luxury pampering from an attentive staff on a working cattle farm. Among the activities year-round are horse riding, mountain biking on the roads and pathways, enjoying a hot stone massage, taking a carriage ride, learning to play Argentinian bowls, playing billiards, seeing a demonstration by a horse whisperer, and communal dining with the hosts and other guests. During the summer season, September through December the property is home to an international polo team where matches and practices take place daily and where guests can try out polo with instruction and matches of their own. From October- Early April guests can also enjoy a large swimming pool overlooking the wide open savannas and polo fields.
A visit to the town is also a “must do” for its quaint shops specializing in leather and silver, gaucho gear and antiques. The narrow streets, museums and 18th century buildings invite guests to a bygone era.
The rooms are large and comfortable with antique colonial furniture and king size four poster beds and fireplaces. Common areas have large comfy sofas and a library full of historical pictures of the estancia, great wall art celebrating gaucho history and coffee table books about the estancia, the game of polo, horses, the area, Argentina and art.
La Bamba is among the oldest estancias in Argentina and one of the first to open its doors to the public. Its appeal is to worldly travelers, wishing to kick back between a full itinerary chocked full of tours and activities and families hoping for an authentic equine experience. La bamba offers an escape from urban life without wifi and televisions in the rooms (although available in the common areas), truly meant to be restorative, reflective and relaxing.
During our brief stay, we thoroughly enjoyed the communal dining experience. Meals are cooked on an open fire fogón, with Argentinian beef a specialty, plenty of wood-fired vegetables, and wonderful local wines. La Bamba’s host extraordinaire, Guillermo, makes sure new guests are properly introduced and is quick to start lively group conversations about the area, Argentinian history, current events, or life at La Bamba. We met a family from Melbourne, Australia visiting for their daughter's horse riding competition and two wonderful couples from our northern neighbor city, Los Angeles. who we now count as friends. The likely chance meeting of people with shared interests makes a wonderful way to experience new places.
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