Punta Del Este, Uruguay
At the last minute I almost did not go on this trip because of work. In the end I decided I would rather have one eye on my inbox than not go at all. The value of travel has many different currencies and yes, it would have been ideal to be able to disconnect and press the reset button but guess what? I got to explore parts of the world that were completely new to me and that was pretty cool, with or without my phone in hand. Key Learning folks: It IS possible to stay connected and enjoy a trip. I was traveling with two friends and we spent the first and very quick night in Buenos Aires. We stayed the night at the beautiful Park Hyatt, loved the terrace and garden and the wine and cheese tasting with their sommelier and cheese monger was TOPS. Early the next morning, we headed to the famous Buquebus, which is a ferry that feels like a cruise ship and you check your bags like you're at the airport, go through customs (AR-->UY), put gauze booties over your shoes, hop on the boat, eat snacks, drink coffee, shop duty free onboard, then boom you're in Montevideo Uruguay. From there we rented a car and it's a 2.5 hour drive to Punta Del Este.
People often refer to Punta as the Hamptons for Argentinians. The reality is that it's everything I wish the Hamptons actually was. It's chic but relaxed and unpretentious. It's slow and beachy but there's great restaurants, shops, and things to do. In only a few days we managed to spend time in Punta, Manantiales, and Jose Ingacio.
STAY: The Fasano Punta Del Este has taken the spot as my favorite hotel. It opened in December and though it was the end of the season, it felt way too empty for how stunning it is- word is def not out yet on this one. The grounds, rooms, spa, pool and restaurants are out of a fairy tale. Photos! photos! photos!
EAT: The spot for breakfast is La Linda in Manantiales- coffee and all the baked goods. For lunch, I could eat at the Fish Market every. damn. day. The tuna, ceviche, calamari, and juices were so fresh and delish. We also had lunch at La Huella in Jose Ignacio. Everyone seems to love this place. In my experience, the food was good and the beach setting was beautiful but it is such a scene and they rushed us the whole time. For dinner, the restaurant at the Fasano was a total treat and my hands down fave dinner was this place called Cantina del Vigia which is about a 15 minute drive from Punta, very authentic with the warmest people and bomb Italian food.
KNOW: You definitely need a car to get around. Book your Buquebus reservations ahead of time and leave plenty of time (at least an hour) for check in shenanigans at the Buque, especially leaving from BA...that place is a mess with a million lines for checking bags, check in, customs for AR, customs for UY, etc. Moula- Most places in Punta took AR pesos, UY pesos or US dollars with a few exceptions. Skeeters- the bugs are OUT, bring the OFF. I do wish we had more time in Punta, it felt fast and we only got to hit a portion of places we wanted to- back soon for sure!