Food and wine: Vineyards of Argentina and Chile

Just over 20 years ago, the home of the proprietor of Santa Rita Vineyard in the Maipo Valley was converted into the veritably unique, first class Casa Real Hotel.  Within an hour's drive of Santiago airport, this is a fine place to unwind before or after your flight. It’s a classically romantic, Pompeian-style estate house whose aristocratic history is well respected: there’s a beautiful restored neo-gothic chapel, Roman baths, French/Italianate cherubs and gargoyles and a museum displaying a private collection of Andean artefacts. The garden parkland, designed by a renowned French landscape architect, is dotted with ancient trees and ponds. You'll also have the chance to visit the renowned Santa Rita winery and taste its splendid premium wines.

The accommodation is in large, sumptuous guestrooms decorated in classic style, with rich fabrics and polished wooden furniture. Each has a huge multi-paned picture window overlooking an internal courtyard featuring an ornamental pool and fountain. Meals can be taken in the smart restaurant, where you can sample unique wine pairings, or ask for a gourmet picnic to enjoy in the grounds.

This striking and elegant boutique hotel is well placed for exploring the historic downtown of Santiago and the arty Lastarria neighbourhood which has excellent restaurants and a lively street scene. The delightful Santa Lucia Hill park, favourite among couples for romantic rendez-vous, is just a stone's throw away.

Originally a large family residence it's been beautifully renovated and its public areas cleverly blend original styles with an ultra-modern finish, each feature successfully offsetting the other: exposed brick walls, a showpiece marble stairway, stained glass windows, black-and-white tiles and suspended glass floors. The guest rooms are ultra-contemporary. There's also a lobby bar and restaurant for lunch and dinner. A particularly nice feature is the hotel's rooftop terrace which has a second bar and good views - great for a pisco sour at sunset on a warm summer evening in Santiago.

Hilton has several sub-brands, and the Anselmo belongs to the Curio collection, where a quirky, unique element is added to each property. This property certainly does not have a corporate feel. Here, the Curio element consists of a unique lamp per guest room and an album of photocopied pages from the London Times in reception.

It doesn't claim to be a boutique hotel - the handful of guest rooms, on two floors, are similarly decorated in fashionable muted colours (grey, white, black, cream).  Floor-to-ceiling windows and clever lighting give the guest rooms a bright and spacious feel. Also reflecting contemporary style is the use of polished wooden flooring, exposed concrete, glass and minimalist furnishings... 

Facilities include a business centre, free Wifi, fitness room, restaurant (breakfast and lunch, dinner and a wine bar.

The biggest attraction of this hotel is its location, especially for guests spending the weekend in Buenos Aires. It is right on Plaza Dorrego, the main square of San Telmo, the tango and antiques quarter with plenty of street life and people watching opportunities. 

Vinas de Cafayate's modern property, which has been constructed with  neo-colonial  flair, is situated in the centre of extensive vineyards at the foot of Cerro San Isidro. It’s a stately place, with colonnades shading a terracotta veranda from where you can survey the vines and to granite hills and a ravine beyond. The guest rooms are classically cosy with large bathrooms

Facilities include a large outdoor swimming pool, library, and lounge with open fireplace - it can get a little nippy at night. The smart gourmet restaurant uses produce from its own organic kitchen garden. The establishment doesn't produce its own wine but it has an impressive wine cellar, from which you can choose an excellent wine to accompany your dinner. 

 

There are many converted, refurbished mansions in the colonial heart of Salta and Balcón de la Plaza is one of the most charming, offering a genuine personalised experience. It also has the advantage of being just half a block from the city's pleasing main square, its baroque cathedral, shops, banks and restaurants. The staff are consistently highly rated for their welcome and helpfulness (in our view, Salta is justifiably renowned for its friendly population).

The hotel décor maintains the atmosphere of the building's history, with tiled and wooden floors, cast iron furniture, a small fountain and antique knick-knacks. Some of the handful of guest rooms have beamed ceilings and terracotta tiled floors. The hotel offers Wifi, parking and a laundry. A breakfast buffet is served but there is no restaurant (although there are plenty of options nearby).  

House of Jasmines is an elegant hotel set on a large estancia with views over the Andean foothills. It is a luxurious and very romantic property - one of the distinguished Relais and Chateaux portfolio.

The property features has a gorgeous combination of cream walls, white linen and modern leather furniture. You enter straight into the welcoming living room area, made cosy with an open fireplace. In fact, it does not feel like a hotel at all; there is no reception, there's only a small desk with free internet access at the rear of the building.

The hotel offers just seven snug guest rooms including two suites with a huge outside terrace. There is a communal dining room with one large table so that guests can mingle while al fresco dining can also be arranged on an outside terrace. The food has a distinctly regional bias and cooking lessons can be organised. There is also a spa (open to the public), a short walk away with a Finnish bath, sauna and massage.

The Colomé experience is about much more than just a place to sleep. A working vineyard and winery in the heart of Argentina’s prime wine producing areas, the recently relaunched countryside property offers nine guest suites each with modern amenities such as under-floor heating, open fireplace, and a balcony with views over the Calchaquies valleys.

In addition to the library, gym, huge living room and gift shop, there’s a restaurant serving high class cuisine where you will savour a variety of dishes prepared with organic ingredients cultivated on the estancia itself. All the dishes are prepared by an expert chef.

But beyond this you will appreciate culture, tradition, history and art. You may visit the James Turrell museum, a striking contemporary building housing original works of art, take a tour of the vineyards and of course sample some of the fine Malbec and Torrontes wine produced in the sun-blessed region. 

Set on an award-winning vineyard, this small boutique hotel has been converted from a 19th century estate house into a stylish and original property. Contemporary décor accentuates and complements the original architecture; there is even a clear glass panel in one of the wooden floors revealing the cellar beneath as though to showcase the building's multi-layered past. Club Tapiz is located on the outskirts of Mendoza but feels disconnected from the city – the ambience is far more rural, dominated by the limitless sweeping vineyards that blend into a magical backdrop of snow-dusted mountains.

There are just seven spacious rooms in the hotel, along with a further four in the old Governor's House, Casa Zolo. Each is individually decorated in an elegant, country-meets-contemporary style. There is also a spa complete with sauna and Jacuzzi, and a bar, lounge and chic restaurant with sumptuous wine-red walls. A highlight of your stay may be the nightly tastings in the old winery, atmospherically lined with rows of old oak barrels.

Outdoors, you can enjoy the rural scenery on one of the bikes provided free for guests, or cool off in the swimming pool looking out over the vineyards and the wooden sundeck. As well as wine, the estate produces high quality olive oil, and you are welcome to watch the production process in action. You can also participate in the daily activities of the vineyard, from pruning the vines to harvesting the ripe grapes depending on the season.