In the heart of the pampa, just 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Buenos Aires, La Bamba de Areco is an early 19th-century estancia that emanates charm and character. The colonial-style buildings have been tastefully converted into a luxury hotel infused with the gaucho spirit. The dark red facades of the main house and the stables, the immense tree-shaded grounds and the warm, attentive service make this a unique, magical place. A polo team practices on the field next door, and the rooms, fittingly, are named after famous horses. Decorated in leather, wood and wool, each one has its own distinctive “thoroughbred” style, making La Bamba de Areco a veritable microcosm of Argentine culture.