Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tourists. In the nearby village of Cruz Chica, you'll find El Paraíso ( & 354/849-1596 ),
the home of famous Argentine writer M anuel Mujica Lainez and no w a museum dedi-
cated to this fascinating character 's life. To the nor th of La C umbre, near the village of
Capilla del Monte, is a mountain known as Mount Uritorco, popular with trekkers. The
mountain is also a mecca for fans of the supernatural, with a r eputedly unique energy
source and po werful healing pr operties. The area is famous for UFO sightings as w ell.
You can investigate this phenomenon at a specially built UFO center called OVNI Cen-
ter, Intendente Cabus 237, Capilla del Monte ( & 354/845-1257 ). Farther east, along a
dirt track, you'll find Parque Natural Ongamira, a weird and wonderful moonscape of
pink rock amid green rolling hills.
259
WHERE TO STAY
Expensive
Dos Lunas Sheep graze on the expansiv e lawn like silent lawn mo wers, while a
giant circular swimming pool reflects the second moon in the estancia 's title. Dos Lunas
offers the best of both worlds—a lodge that affor ds the countr yside experience without
sacrificing luxur y. The centur y-old building is genuinely pioneer-built, with P russian
blue window shutters, tin roofs, and wrought-iron lamps. Yet the interior design is pur e
urban, boutique chic. Giant, modern rooms have striped bedsheets, subtle lighting, and
wicker toilette kits at the end of each king-size bed. Bathrooms are also generously sized,
with showers and tubs. The dining room is a fabulous salon of red lamps, darkly polished
oak furniture, and black roof rafters. The two living rooms are decked out with DirecTV,
board games, an honor bar (no barman, just a book to note y our liquor consumption),
and a librar y collection that includes the diar y of the original o wner—an English lady
who mostly complained about water problems. The tidy stables exude country glamour,
and the horse tr eks across the 3,000-hectar e (7,410-acre) property are both scenic and
invigorating. A y oung Porteño couple named G onzalo and Lor ena runs the place with
efficient attention to detail and bilingual charm. The estancia is situated on a countr y
lane, a 45-minute drive north of La Cumbre.
Alto Ongamira, Todos los Sant os, Ischillin. & 11/15-6219-5390 (cell). w ww.doslunas.com.ar. 8 units .
$250 (£170) apts. Rates include all meals. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; honor bar;
outdoor pool; TV room; library; board games; Wi-Fi.
9
Moderate
Hotel La Viña This charming, ivy-covered, red-brick house is a good budget choice.
Its leafy location is close to the town center, affording good views of the mountains. The
old-style furnishings and cavernous dining room make you feel like you are on a school
outing to your grandmother's. The owners, the Zampieri family, make you feel at home,
right down to the homemade scones and jam. S ome rooms are spacious and pleasant,
while others are monastically bare. Everything is perfectly clean and respectable, and the
garden pool beckons.
Caraffa 48, La C umbre. & 354/845-1388. www.hotellavina.com.ar. 19 units. $41 (£28) double . AE, DC,
MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; outdoor pool; TV room.
Los Cedros Posada Kids A long driveway takes you up to a well-endowed mansion
of red tiles and white walls, with a glorious pool out fr ont. Family-run Los Cedros con-
sists of three buildings, the oldest of which was built in 1929. H ere you will find a well-
furnished interior of bright yellow walls, floral curtains, purple sofas, and brick walls.The
rooms are of a good siz e, with built-in war drobes and large bathr ooms (most of which
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