Argentine Resort – Posada Itaca

The sun soaks through the curtains, slowly flooding the room with soft morning light. You are gently roused from a truly restful sleep that was uninterrupted by the sounds of impatient traffic or insomniac neighbors. Opening your eyes, you look up at the natural wooden beams and whitewashed ceiling. You slip out of bed and scuttle across the hardwood floor of a rustic chic cottage. Leisurely you prepare yourself a cup of coffee, grabbing the milk out of a red vintage refrigerator and heating up your milk on a classic gas stove. You pull back the curtains and sit down at an adorable artisan designed table. While you sip your coffee, you look out at the greenery. You reminisce about last night’s horseback ride at sunset and the midnight dip you took in the pool under the stars. How much do you want to start your day like this?

This is the experience Posada Itaca offers. There is no one word to describe this uniquely tranquil getaway located a short distance outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a working farm sans the smell you usually associate with grazing animals. It is an ecotourism spot but has all the modern amenities you could want including new flat screen televisions with satellite, Wi-Fi, and stereo systems. This place is a wonderful contradiction with an eclectic mix of fairytale imagination, artistic detailing, picturesque landscapes, and flexibility.

The farm was purchased in 2007 by an American expat named Guy Corte and his Argentine partner Claudia. At the time the farm was rundown; a mishmash of unfinished and abandoned projects. Inspired by the Constantine P. Cavafry’s poem, Ithaca, they dubbed the location “Posada Itaca.” Itaca is the Spanish rendering of the name.

As Corte describes, “The name has to do with the poem that was inspired by the story of Homer, which has to do with him traveling and finally returning to this place which is this little island. Where really there isn’t anything special other than its central place in his world, and that is kind of what I tried to set up here. This is my little island.”

It opened as a bed and breakfast in November of 2013. The bed and breakfast was actually a secondary plan. In the beginning the couple focused on turning the abandoned milking farm into their personal retreat. They began breeding dogs and horses, and recently got into pecan farming which has been a great source of income for the farm.

When asked why he chose Argentina, Corte describes his interesting life journey. He was born to an Argentine father, giving him a familial entry way into the culture of Argentina. His parents had their own wanderlust, and world travel was a way of life he was brought up with. Previously, Corte worked as a custom broker and owned a software company, “This was kind of my retirement plan; it could have been a farm in Vermont or anywhere. It happened to be in Argentina. It was kind of a dream come true.”

One thing that makes this place unique is the attention to detail and the diversity of activities on such a small and intimate scale. Guests can get involved in anything that is happening here. There is a large pool with a diving board, multiple locations for barbecues (in Argentina they call that an asado), outdoor loungers, horseback riding, bikes you can freely use, and beautiful landscaping.

The art and furniture is mostly custom painted and built by Corte. Hailing from an artistic family, he turned a large shed on the farm into his work room. The plan is to turn that space into more than his studio. With a vaulted ceiling and a vast amount of open space, Corte explained to me how he envisions it as a room for conferences and events.

Posado Itaca is currently a self-catering facility. At the moment, however, guests can request a traditional asado to be thrown. On New Year’s Eve, the farm arranged a party for the 6 couples who were staying for the holiday. Another plan in the works is to have a small restaurant where guests can come and enjoy an intimate meal together, after engaging in any number of activities. You can arrange an event and have a stay that is as catered as you need, as long as you discuss your desires with them.

It is a truly unique location to hold a retreat, have a romantic getaway, or to get a taste of Argentine country culture without the stress of language barriers. To negotiate the pricing of accommodation and various activities, visit their website to get in touch with this extremely welcoming and charismatic couple.