Four-star One MICHELIN Key Inland from the village, José Ignacio
Estancia Vik José Ignacio
A horse and cattle ranch of 4,000 acres behind José Ignacio, with twelve suites, each one finished by a different Uruguayan artist.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- One Key
- Suites
- 12, each by a different artist
- Opened
- 2009
- From the airport
- About 30 minutes from Punta del Este
The hotel
A ranch house filled with art.
Alexander and Carrie Vik opened the estancia in 2009; they also own Playa Vik and Bahía Vik in the village. The Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio drew it as a colonial ranch house of cement, glass, old brick and timber beams, set around patios on 4,000 acres of pasture near the José Ignacio river and lagoon. A windmill and solar panels supply part of its power.
The curator Enrique Badaró Nadal brought in more than twenty artists and architects. Most suites carry the name of the artist who shaped them. An oil fresco inspired by maps of Brazil and Uruguay covers the living room ceiling, there are sculptures by Pablo Atchugarry and work by Clever Lara, and the black granite pool is lit at night with fibre-optic stars laid out like the southern sky.
- Riding with gauchos Criollo and Quarter horses, ridden across the pampas to the José Ignacio river, with swims in the lagoon on horseback.
- Polo The estancia has its own polo field, with lessons and games alongside professionals.
- Asado Open-fire cooking at lunch in El Asador, and a full Uruguayan asado every Saturday night.
Rooms & suites
Twelve suites, twelve artists.
Four suites take the upper floor; eight open onto the patios below. Most are named after the artist who shaped them.
- Upper floor Master Suite About 85 square metres, with a private terrace, a sitting area and a fireplace. Four of them, among them the Daglio Suite, named after the architect.
- Ground floor Guest Suite About 55 square metres, opening onto the patios and the land. One, Cardozo, sleeps up to four.
Dining
Fire, beef and the cellar.
Venues as listed by the estancia. No MICHELIN Guide covers Uruguay. Shown for information.
- El Asador Open-fire cooking Lunch
- Brick Dining Room Dinner In the main house
- Gran Asado Uruguayo Uruguayan asado Every Saturday night
- La Cava Wine cellar Tastings and private meals
Good to know
Before you go.
- Season The estancia opens from September to May and closes through the southern winter. We check dates with the hotel before booking.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by noon.
- Pets Accepted, with a charge.
Getting there
Flying to José Ignacio.
Punta del Este International at Laguna del Sauce is about 45 kilometres away, some 30 minutes by car. Private jets use its general aviation terminal, with customs on site. Montevideo Carrasco, with flights all year, is about 140 kilometres from José Ignacio.
- Buenos Aires 45 min
- Córdoba 1 h 35
- Santiago 2 h 15
- São Paulo 2 h 20
- New York 11 h 40 long-range jet
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does Estancia Vik have?
- One. Estancia Vik José Ignacio holds one MICHELIN Key.
- Is Estancia Vik open all year?
- No. It opens from September to May and closes through the southern winter, from June to August.
- How far is Estancia Vik from the beach?
- The estancia lies inland, about ten minutes by car from the village of José Ignacio and its beaches.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to José Ignacio?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to José Ignacio, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in José Ignacio
Other hotels worth the trip.
- LUZ Culinary Wine Lodge Opened in 2021, a lodge of a few suites whose kitchen is built around open fire.
- Playa Vik José Ignacio A handful of suites and casitas straight onto the sand, each with its own garden and a different piece of art.
- Bahía Vik José Ignacio The third Vik address in José Ignacio, also in the MICHELIN hotel selection.
Staying at Estancia Vik José Ignacio?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to José Ignacio, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.