Design and Luxury in José Ignacio in Uruguay

By Luciano Garcia
Production Cleber France

BAHIA VIK

Amidst the sands of Mansa Beach, Bahia Vik extends through dunes and preserved coastal vegetation. It has 11 contemporary style bungalows and straight lines, elegantly rustic.

The beautiful project is signed by the Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio, in partnership with the couple Alexander and Carrie Vik, owners and also responsible for curating art spaces, which became the trademark of Vik properties.

The bungalows have living room and have two, three and up to four suites, with discreet access through the dunes to ensure the privacy of guests. Works of art – paintings, murals, sculptures and installations give personality to the accommodations and environments.

Each bungalow at Bahia VIK has an original bathtub that matches the material chosen from outside the suites.

In gastronomy, the highlight of Bahia Vik is the Zodiac, led by chef Marcelo Betancourt, which emphasizes authentic Uruguayan cuisine with its quality meats and fresh fish. The exceptional VIK wine, produced and bottled in the sister property, Viña Vik, in the Valley of Millahue, Chile, gives the perfect sophistication to the dishes.

Everything in Vik excels for sustainability: natural ventilation, solar heating, recycling and reuse of rainwater

Guests can also enjoy visits to artists’ ateliers, bicycle tours, wildlife observation with an expert, spa massages, among other activities, as well as a wide variety of sports such as polo, tennis on grass courts and golf. It’s the Experience Concierge program from Vik properties.

Parque das Esculturas at the Pablo Atchugarry Foundation: one of the most respected sculptors today. The artist draws from unmatched pieces of Carrara marble pieces.

VIK BEACH

Also on the seafront, Playa Vik is a sophisticated retreat in avant-garde design with its central sculptural building, sloping glass facade, side walls and ceiling lined with double titanium panels.

Here, lined with Patagonian ebony floors, all environments gain a lot of style with contemporary Uruguayan and international art pieces

Projecting itself as an extension of the large living room and library, the spectacular infinity-edge pool in black Uruguayan granite seems to invade the sea. Perhaps it is the most surprising place of the hotel, especially at night, when small optical points of light draw, in the background, the stellar map of the southern hemisphere.

The main building is flanked by six smaller houses, also in contemporary style, with two or three bedrooms, fireplace, private gardens, and roof covered with green and country flowers, integrating the landscape. Under the houses, wine cellar, games room, fitness center, small spa with two treatment rooms, and a dining room with outdoor barbecue, facing the Mansa Beach.

The Playa Vik’s restaurant is the Cielomar, which combines high gastronomy with delicious wines. The high point is the barbecued fish and the smoked vegetables with unparalleled flavor.

La Susana: Attached to the hotel is the trendy beach club La Susana, a restaurant and a beach-and-sand bar where guests can enjoy the day in the best lifestyle of José Ignacio.

STAY VIK

In a bucolic setting, of pure inspiration, lies Estancia Vik, amid plains and pastures, about 12 km inland from José Ignácio. It is a country house in Spanish colonial style, designed by the architect Marcelo Daglio in partnership with the owners, Alexander and Carrie Vik.

With 50 thousand m2, the property has white adobe walls and red zinc roofs, with outdoor walkways interconnecting patios and gardens, with a space for the cultivation of organic herbs.

There are 12 luxury suites, of which 8 of 500 m2 and four master suites of 900 m2. In the south wing, there is the granite pool, with a background dotted with lights that reproduce the constellations. Fitness center, spa and game room complement the leisure structure.

The curvilinear ceiling dining room, lined with bricks without the use of any kind of mortar, houses a charming cellar. Already the traditional space of the Uruguayan parilla, gains contemporary airs with the graffiti of Marcelo Legrand.

In the gastronomy of Estancia, the authentic Uruguayan parilla is tasted in El Asador, installed in a shed that reproduces the traditional gaucho inns, but with contemporary airs by the graffiti of Marcelo Legrand. The main highlight is the grill, or “fogón”, right in the middle of the space, where they are baked the most tender cuts, such as chorizo ​​steak, ancho steak and famous sweetbreads.

 

In outdoor activities, Estancia Vik seems to blend the gaucho pampas with a bohemian-chic atmosphere typical of St. Tropez, such as horseback riding, canoeing and fishing in the lagoon, bike trails and wildlife observation.

A great feature of Vik Retreats is that guests can take advantage of the gastronomy, activities and common areas of any of the other hotels.

SERVICE

VIK Retreats

www.vikretreats.com