The Coolest Boutique Hotels in Uruguay

Playa Vik, Jose Ignacio | Discover Your South America Blog

The Coolest Boutique Hotels in Uruguay

You can find some seriously cool boutique hotels in Uruguay. Whether you’re wine-tasting your way around Carmelo’s countryside, sight-seeing in Montevideo, living it up in Punta del Este or soaking up the wild ocean views in José Ignacio, there’s a boutique Uruguay hotel with its own unique character to suit the setting. Here are some of the coolest boutique hotels in Uruguay that provide another reason to journey to this delightful country in South America.

Hotel Fasano, Punta del Este | Discover Your South America Blog
Hotel Fasano, Punta del Este

Estancia Vik, José Ignacio

For many, the concepts of traditional Uruguayan ranch life and modern art wouldn’t come as a pair, but for Estancia Vik, it’s the perfect mix. Why shouldn’t you blend a beautiful colonial building on the exterior with hip, innovative design within? Two thousand acres of rolling pampa and working farms with a glittering pool and spa? Estancia Vik is one of the best hotels in Uruguay, where you can muck out on the farm, learn to play polo, enjoy watersports on the lagoon, admire artwork by some of the country’s best artists and indulge in fine-dining cuisine, against a beautifully bucolic backdrop. What’s more, the beaches of José Ignacio are a short drive away, for surfing, swimming, and horse riding on the sand; bliss.

Estancia Vik, Uruguay | Discover Your South America Blog
Estancia Vik, José Ignacio

Playa Vik, José Ignacio

Estancia Vik’s sister hotel lies on the sand dunes of La Mansa Beach in José Ignacio, serving up ocean views with cutting-edge cool design. The same artistic approach is applied to this gorgeous boutique hotel, with works by artists like James Turrell, Zaha Hadid and Anselm Kiefer on display, along with dramatic architecture hewn from titanium, and wraparound windows to frame the seascape outside. Playa Vik’s beach-facing, open-air restaurant comes with a sunken lounge and firepit, where you can taste locally sourced fare while gazing out to sea, while its black granite swimming pool is studded with lights strategically placed to reflect the southern hemisphere constellation above.

Casa Zinc, La Barra

In stark contrast to the strikingly contemporary Vik hotels, Casa Zinc channels vintage chic from top to toe. Owner Aaron Hojman is a keen antique collector, which is evident in the many elegant furnishings and artefacts festooning the posada; expect to find a glorious melange of old globes, mantlepieces, antique furniture and weathered books. Casa Zinc is located in La Barra, a more laidback alternative to bustling Punta del Este to the south, providing a warm and welcoming retreat thanks to friendly staff and the homely design. There are just six guestrooms here which enhances the intimate atmosphere, adorned with leather sofas, wooden floors and lamps plucked from an old laboratory. You won’t find any fine-dining restaurant here, nor a pool, but the no-frills vibe is precisely what Casa Zinc is all about.

Hotel Fasano, Punta del Este

The Fasano is a ground-breaking hotel in Uruguay, owed to its clever architecture that blends harmoniously into the landscape of Maldonado, just outside Punta del Este. The Fasano is built from a sophisticated concoction of wood, stone and glass to respect nature, while simultaneously exhibiting an artistic, contemporary and award-winning style. The freeform pool segues into the land thanks to large rock boulders, making you feel as though you’re enjoying a dip in a natural swimming hole. Meanwhile, open-air restaurants, balconies and terraces bring you closer to the lush scenery; so too does the indoor lap pool, with wide panoramic windows overlooking verdant Maldonado.

Hotel Fasano, Punta del Este | Discover Your South America Blog
Hotel Fasano, Punta del Este

Hotel Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa, Montevideo

The most palatial hotel in Uruguay, the Sofitel Montevideo is housed in a beguiling Belle Epoque building erected in 1921, a landmark in the Montevideo skyline. Rising from the upmarket neighbourhood of Carrasco in the Uruguayan capital, close to the sea, this exceptional hotel is a confection of gleaming marble, twinkling chandeliers and stained-glass ceilings, making for an utterly regal retreat. The original features have been painstakingly restored to their former glory, though the Sofitel have injected their chic style in the form of sophisticated guestrooms, a spa with hydrotherapy tubs, and swimming pools too. As boutique hotels in Uruguay go, the Sofitel Montevideo is undoubtedly the queen of them all.

Narbona Wine Lodge, Carmelo

Emanating an aura of authentic heritage and boutique design, Narbona Wine Lodge is a charming bodega hotel that brings together bountiful vineyards, wholesome food and upscale facilities too. A day here could begin with a dip in the outdoor pool, followed by a hearty lunch laden with homemade cheese and bread enjoyed beneath the gazebo, with wine tastings and cellar tours for the rest of the day. Indeed, wine is a central part of any stay at century-old Narbona, with delectable bottles of Pinot Noir and Rose to sample, among others, and views of the vines to relish from the lounge and two of the five elegantly decorated guestrooms. While here, you could spend your days exploring Carmelo, horse riding, cycling through the vineyards, or reading in the library and on the terrace.

Want to start planning your trip to Uruguay? Handpick the boutique hotels and activities you want, adjust the durations depending on how long you want to stay in each place, and have fun in the process! Surtrek is always at hand to help out. Call us on 1 866 978 7398 (Canada and USA) or 080 8189 0438 (UK) to talk to an expert, and Discover Your South America with Surtrek!

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