Hotel insider: Estancia La Bamba de Areco, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sue Ryan checks into the Estancia La Bamba de Areco, Buenos Aires.

The La Pulperia at Estancia La Bamba de Areco in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Courtesy of Estancia La Bamba de Areco
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The welcome

Heavy rain meant the seven-kilometre track to La Bamba had turned into deep mud, so we were met by a four-wheel drive at the main road. That, and the resident gaucho galloping between us and the polo field, added to the authenticity of the Estancia, which is one of the oldest in the country. Recently renovated into a boutique hotel, it retains the look and feel of a colonial ranch. The house is centred around a courtyard with attractive outbuildings housing suites and facilities such as a billiards and a massage room. After meeting the seven staff lined up to greet us, we were guided to join the other guests for lunch in La Pulperia, a large barn with blazing fire at one end and comfy sofas at the other. It was one of the most simple, elegant and beautifully designed rooms I have ever seen.

The neighbourhood

It is hard to believe that this quiet spot in the heart of the Argentinian Pampas, surrounded by parkland, is only a 120km taxi drive from Buenos Aires. San Antonio de Areco is 13km away and every November it welcomes thousands of gauchos from all over Argentina to a festival of equestrian parades, rodeos, folk music and craft fairs.

The scene

Every morning and afternoon guests go out horseriding with the gaucho. There is a pool and, at certain times of the year, the chance to see a polo match. The polo ponies belong to Jean-François Decaux – not just the owner of La Bamba but also a patron of one of Europe’s leading polo teams. The house was originally bought by Decaux as a place to indulge his passion for polo but, after his interior designer wife Pascale restored it, they decided it should be lived in and turned into a hotel.

The room

There are 11 rooms, each named after a famous polo pony and looking out onto the park, the pampa or the polo fields. My room, echoing them all, was full of antique colonial furniture, dark wood floors, local textiles and pictures of horses. We had a king-size four-poster bed, though tastefully minus the drapes, Egyptian linen, and a patio with recliner but no television or phone – a deliberate policy to make the room feel more romantic.

The food

Meals are taken with other guests. Breakfast is on a long table outside La Pulpeira with plates of cold meats, cheeses, fruit and breads laid out in the middle. Cooked breakfast is made on demand. Argentines like their food meaty and rich and La Bamba follows the national style. Lunches are huge plate-loads of barbecued meat with salads and baked potatoes. Dinner is in the main house, again on a long table but more formal with beautiful cutlery, china and glass, and probably owes as much to French cuisine as Argentinian.

The service

La Bamba runs with only 16 staff but every one is highly skilled, attentive and well-trained.

Loved

The vistas and the riding. The horses are not the normal rent-a-ride type but respond to instructions. We also had a display from the local horse whisperer, an astonishing 15 minutes of a sort of horse yoga demo. Amazing.

Hated

Being a vegetarian in such a place. The BBQ smelt delicious.

The verdict

Beautifully restored and decorated. Traditional but modern, secluded and peaceful but close to a great city, and operationally flawless.

The bottom line

Rates start from US$580 (Dh2,130) per night, per room based on double occupancy and full board basis inclusive of drinks. Guests can also reserve the entire estancia for more private gatherings; rates start from $6,620 (Dh24,311) per night (www.labambadeareco.com).

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