|
In the last few years, a number of St. Barts's habitués - along with
other members of the bold-face crowd - have begun to drift southward to
Punta del Este, the South American resort town. Set on a peninsula in
the southeast corner of Uruguay between the Atlantic and the Río de la
Plata, Punta has served for decades as the Hamptons of Latin America, a
January and February playground for a glittery mix of international
personalities, beautiful people, luxury houses and wealthy South Americans.
Models like Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bündchen are Punta regulars,
as is the fashion photographer Mario Testino, while the author Martin
Amis and the hotelier Alan Faena own houses nearby. Once the
playground for 1960's film icons like Gina Lollabrigida and Yul
Brynner, Punta - known as the Pearl of the Atlantic - fell out of favor
in the 90's with the development of one too many high-rises and the
economic breakdown of nearby Argentina, but celebrities are now back in
full force. "In the last three years Americans and Europeans have been
discovering Punta," said Mr. Faena, the owner of the much-publicized
Faena Hotel + Universe in Buenos Aires. "It's a special place with
kilometers and kilometers of beach and a really interesting mix of
people, from New York socialites to Brazilian models to musicians." He
should know. Mr. Faena has been a regular on the Punta scene for the
last 15 years, and his spacious estancia on the ocean is near José
Ignacio, about 25 miles north of Punta and the secret epicenter of its
bohemian jet set. The newest addition to José Ingacio, scheduled to
open late this year, is the Setai Club - sister property to the Miami
Beach hotel of the same name whose club members, including Lenny
Kravitz and Heidi Klum, reportedly pay an initial membership fee of
$300,000 and $7,800 a year in dues. Michael Breene, a co-owner
of the Setai, said of José Ignacio, "It's one of the most pristine
places I've been to. I imagine it's what Montauk was like 30 years ago:
rural countryside meets the ocean. There's laid-back dining, great
weather and a surfing element as well." Mr. Breene said the new Setai
would be intimate and environmentally minded, (think exclusive thatched
roofed bungalows) with a small spa. Until the Setai opens, visitors might want to stay at the 12-room Posada del Faro, in José Ignacio (598-486) 2110, www.posadadelfaro.com, with rooms from $150. Another good option, in Punta del Este is the 28-room Hotel-Art las Cumbres, (598-42) 578689, www.cumbres.com.uy, with rooms from $120. For dinner, both Mr. Faena and Mr. Breene favor La Huella, (598-486) 2279, www.paradorlahuella.com,
a rustic beachside spot in José Ignacio that serves grilled fish and
sushi. But the ultimate insider spot is Marismo, a restaurant in José
Ignacio that, according to Mr. Faena, "only people with good directions
know how to find." O.K., here's the phone number: (598-486) 2273.
|
