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There are quite a few inns and B&Bs scattered around the Mendoza Wine region of Argentina, but only a few hotels that are geared to luxury travelers who want to sip and stay in style. Earlier this decade we reviewed a new luxury wine resort option in the Lujan de Cuyo area: Entre Cielos. This year, as it closes in on its 10th birthday, we returned to see how it was faring and to create an updated review.
The best parts haven’t changed. The strangest room choice originally is still the most popular. That tubular white structure in the photo at the top is not a partially dismantled UFO. Rather it’s a free-standing suite, set amidst the grape vines, with panoramic view of the Andes Mountains. It has a bathtub and comfy lounge chairs out on that terrace, plus skylights on the roof for stargazing.
There are 24 rooms in all though now instead of 16 and some of the new ones are also free-standing structures amidst the grape vines. Last year the owners created eight Vineyard Lofts in prefab rectangles. These were spaced out among the hotel’s eight acres of Malbec vines. These newer rooms are well-equipped and still get a WiFi signal if you need it, even having USB charging ports by the nightstand. You can sip a glass of wine while watching the sun set over the Andes from your furnished patio.
There are also some more traditional suites in the main building. These have TVs and all rooms at the property have a mountain range view. The artistically designed rooms all also include robes and slippers and a robust breakfast buffet is included in the rates.
A big point of differentiation at Entre Cielos is that the Swiss owners installed South America’s first Turkish steam bath complex.
Inspired by a beloved hammam in Bern, Switzerland, the 6,500 square foot facility at the hotel took nine months to build. The self-serve hammam circuit includes pools, a steam room, a mud room, an exfoliation room, and more. The circuit ends in a relaxation room where a table is set with water, juice, and a few small snacks. To foster a private spa feeling, circuit visits are timed by reservation only to minimize guest overlap. Massages (the hotel masseuse was trained by a Swiss hammam master) and skin treatments are also available, some done with products containing grape seed extract..
There’s an inviting swimming pool with a view that’s worthy of a much larger resort, plus a a multi-station Vita Parcours outdoor fitness course.
Naturally there’s plenty of great wine on hand and the hotel is connected to a working vineyard. There’s a guided wine tasting for all guests each Friday, or can be arranged by appointment at other times. Otherwise, the best way to sample it is in the Katherina indoor-outdoor restaurant. If you get tired of that, there are plenty of other great restaurants in Mendoza you can try.
Yes, competition has heated up in the country’s premier wine region and there are now quite a few hotels in Argentina that combine a vineyard, hotel, and spa into one package. A decade on though, Entre Cielos is now one of the polished veterans in the land of Malbec.
Source: luxurylatinamerica.com
