Who's Going
Stylish Weekenders, BA Couples, Playa Blanca Guests
Reason to Stay
Budget Boutique, Pool, Bar, Lounge
Hotel Type
Posada
On a gravel road linking Jose Ignacio to its two top eateries, Marismo and Namm, Arenas de Jose Ignacio is a charming design hotel that lacks the pretense and high prices of many local competitors. Designed by Uruguayan architect Fernando Sosa, a cubist facade of teak siding and walls of glass encloses a small front patio privy to overflow drinkers from the very small lobby bar. Like staying at a private residence, the compact reception area is often tended by someone who doubles as bartenders, restaurant server and room service runner in the type of laid-back privately owned hotel that was once the Jose Ignacio norm. Inside, stark white walls and high ceiling offset chocolate hardwood floors and minimalist teak sofas with fluffy white pillows. The L-shaped pousada is also home to a casual outdoor space with infinity edge pool and an interior pool and grassy lawn framed by a thickly forested horizon.
The Room
In a town dominated by 5-star hotel projects and January room rates that rise well above $600 per night, Arenas de Jose Ignacio is one of the towns few affordable offerings. It’s distance from town and the beaches are remedied with a rental car and short drive. A total of 8 rooms are more practical than posh, with cement floors complimenting sometimes-utilitarian modern design like pure white porcelain bathrooms and fireplaces without any wood to burn in sight. Rooms are outfitted in simple Indonesian wood furnishings straightforward in design with an ebonized black finish. Better suited for budget travelers that don’t mind forsaking 1000-thread count sheets for $150 room rates, peaking to $250 during January high-season, Arenas de Jose Ignacio offers a rare budget chic boutique in South America’s glamour capital.
Preferred Room
Superior Room
Special Features
Modern Architecture, Beach Close, Lagoon Location
Amenities
Pool, Bar, Lounge, Breakfast
