Estancia Vik José Ignacio

Style

Art-inspired wonder ranch

Setting

Miles and miles of plain

Set on a seemingly endless landscape of Africa-evoking plains, but just a few minutes from the surf towns of the Punta del Este coast, Estancia Vik José Ignacio is the all-white, art-adorned dream home of a half-Norwegian, half-Uruguayan billionaire with a taste for isolation, contemporary design, and chargrilled meat. Each of the 12 suites has been designed and decorated by a local artist, and if your interests include polo, barbecues, modern art, outdoor pursuits or sun-soaking lethargy, you've come to the right place…

Facilities

Rooms

Twelve suites.

Checkout

Entirely flexible – just let the hotel know what time you plan to turn up or depart.

More Details

Rates include a buffet breakfast, free minibar and all soft drinks throughout the stay.

Also

Horse-riders and polo players will be in their element: there’s a stable of ponies and playing fields on site. If you’ve never played before, lessons are easy to arrange.

Hotel Closed

From 1 August to 30 September.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Pet Friendly

On-Site Restaurant

Spa

At the Hotel

Swimming pool; private beach deck on Playa Vik José Ignacio; polo field; tennis courts; putting green; spa; sauna and steam room; organic gardens; horse-riding; watersports; DVD library; game room with pool, darts, a ping-pong table, Nintendo Wii and board games; free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV; DVD player; iPod dock; free minibar, bottled water and soft drinks.

Our Favourite Rooms

Master Suite VIK must be the master of the house’s preferred option when he’s in town – it’s a bold, masculine room with dark wood-panelled walls, a high roof, and an enormous corner terrace. Master Suite Seveso is its feminine counterpart, with floor-length coral curtains, dreamily beachy artworks, lime-washed beams, rafters and floorboards, and wonderful views of the plains. Book the Trujillo Suite if you’re into nudes – that’s all we’re saying.

Poolside

There’s a black-granite swimming pool in a courtyard at the back, with a grassy lawn on one side and wooden decks lined with loungers on the other. Guests can also swim in the lagoon.

Spa

Painted in sultry tones of cerulean and burgundy, and hung with paintings of voluptuous bodies by artist Jose Trujillo, the spa is rather sophisticated. There's a sauna and steam room too, and guests are welcome to use the gym in sister stay Bahia Vik, around a 15-minute drive away.

Packing Tips

Chills do come at night, so be prepared to layer up for sunset strolls. Bring your iPod so you can make musical use of the in-room docking stations.

Also

Pets and smokers are allowed throughout the hotel. There’s a four-night minimum stay over Easter, seven nights over Christmas.

Children

Very welcome. One child under age of three can stay for free; after that, extra beds cost US$150 apiece. Babysitting can be arranged, with three days' notice. There’s a wealth of activities for adventurous littl'uns.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

It’s a communal dining-table arrangement, but get in early for the chairs by the fireplace. In summer, take a table on the terrace.

Dress Code

The atmosphere’s relaxed, but the dining-room decor is elegant, so laid-back eveningwear may be in order.

Hotel Restaurant

A set menu with two options is served beneath gigantic candle chandeliers in the brick-vaulted dining room and the kitchen is happy to cater to special requests. The star of the culinary show, however, is the parillero, a barbecue room walled with graffiti-daubed corrugated tin and housing a colossal fire pit: a temple to chargrilled meat.

Hotel Bar

Not as such: it’s a what you want, when you want, where you want kind of place. Glass panels in the dining room offer a glimpse of the 5,000-bottle wine cellar.

Last Orders

Breakfast is available from 7am to 11am, lunch from noon to 4pm, and dinner from 7pm until midnight.

Room Service

Sandwiches and salads can be brought to your room from 7am to midnight.

Planes

Punta del Este’s Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A Curbelo airport is the nearest, a 45-minute drive away. The little airport mainly handles flights around South America, so if you’re travelling internationally, it’s best to fly into Buenos Aires and grab a connection (less than an hour).

Automobiles

José Ignacio town is a short drive away, and Punta del Este itself is 15 minutes by car. Transfers are free and there's parking at the hotel.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Estancia Vik José Ignacio has 1,500 hectares to play with, and horses and mountain bikes to play on. Stables and a polo field on site mean riding and polo lessons are possible, and the José Ignacio lagoon is ideal for canoeists, windsurfers, birdwatchers and swimmers. The ‘experience managers’ assigned to all guests can organise all activities. In José Ignacio, 15 minutes away, there’s a surf school and plenty of seaside sand to sprawl on. Haras Godiva can arrange full-moon horseback rides on the beach. From December to March, the beach deck at Playa Vik José Ignacio is a lively spot with a cantilevered swimming pool, sauna, spa treatments and a gym, and mountain-biking, kayaking and a games room to entertain guests.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .