Estancia la Constancia

My wife and I spent three nights at La Constancia in December. There is only a small number of rooms and ours was very comfortable. All of the staff were terrific, going out of their way to please. The chef accommodated the requirements of a celiac diet and meals were very good. It is apparently rare that guests come from outside of Argentina, but that made it a special find, for us. There is some very nice hiking in the area, but the all-day hike up to the top of the big mountain took place the day of our arrival and so, we missed it. A big surprise was the 5km road up the mountain. If driving in a small, rented car, expect that portion of the drive to take up to one hour, with almost all of it in first or second gear, in order to avoid the big potholes and protruding rocks. While we thought that we had managed the drive well, when we got to the top, we found that we had a damaged fender and protective shield under the engine. We recommend renting a vehicle that does not have a low clearance. One disappointment is that while earlier reviews on this site spoke of the very enjoyable horseback riding, which is a major reason for why we chose this estancia, riding was no longer offered at the estancia itself. Instead, it was suggested that we drive back down the mountain to the home of a gaucho, who offered riding. Since the road back down and then up again would be such a tough drive on the car, we decided not to risk it. Also, be advised that electricity is shut off from late night to about 7:30 in the morning. Having a battery charger for iPads and cell phones came in very handy. The Internet connection was good. There is a spring-fed pool to cool off in and at about 15C in mid-December, it was certainly "refreshing."