Las Balsas, Villa La Angostura

Location

Sited near the village of Villa La Angostura in the heart of the Argentine Lakes, Las Balsas is surrounded by 20 hectares of native forests and the vast nature of Nahuel Huapi, the country’s first national park. It’s hard to imagine a more restful setting. Lakes and rivers offer shimmering reflections to their forested fringes, themselves the foreground to towering mountain peaks. In the winter, there’s skiing and snowboarding to be had at Cerro Bayo while summer brings idyllic walks through this treasured landscape, dotted with stone and wood village houses.

Accommodation

Timber gables rise above colourful rooms in accommodation that perfectly balances luxury and character. Standard rooms look out over either the estate’s forests and gardens or out to its lakes with near floor-to-ceiling windows making the most out of pristine views. In all, feather pillows and Egyptian cotton line the beds while satellite TVs and complimentary WiFi round out the mod cons. For extra space, there’s the larger tongue-and-groove walled Studios along with the five individually designed Suite rooms, complete with roll top baths, bay windows and paintings by local artists.

Dining

Between plentiful breakfasts and candlelit dinners, the Las Balsas restaurant never fails to deliver. Gourmet Argentinian food is served to lake views, invited in by picture windows. A particular treat is the tea ceremony where you can choose from ten different options, including the house’s very own blend to be enjoyed with a selection of sandwiches, jams and pastries. In the evenings, the hotel’s stone and cypress wood cellar comes into its own with its more than 150 varietals each stored in ideal, temperature and humidity controlled conditions.

Facilities

After a day’s skiing and hiking in the mountains, return to the lake-facing spa for Jacuzzis, massage rooms, body treatments, an indoor/outdoor pool and an excellent sauna. Open from 7:30am to 10pm, it’s ready whenever you are. For a bit more of a workout, there are also Pilates sessions and a fitness area. Alternatively, immerse yourself into the Argentine way of life with a tango lesson for two or simply head out for a walk around the lake.