| Estancia El Rocio |
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A long way to El Rocío
Patrice Graviere’s long romance with Argentina goes back to when he was two years old, only a young child arriving in Buenos Aires from his native France. This romance has continued to this very day. During most of his childhood he watched Argentina’s top polo players like Dorignac, Alberdi, Harriot and Heguy at the Tortugas Country Club, the Hurlingham Club and Palermo. It is Patrice’s fascination with Polo and the Argentine Pampas what probably drove him to find a perfect setting to build his dream house.
Patrice has always worked in the financial sector for investment banks and private and institutional investors in the US, South America and Spain but always kept his lifelong attachment with nature and sport. An old cottage in San Miguel del Monte
The dusty roads of La Pampa and his friends in the area, led Patrice to the old cottage in San Miguel, which would years later become Estancia El Rocío. It was the wide variety of birds that flew into the area (San Miguel is perfect for bird watching) and the wonderful trees that surround the colonial cottage that drove Patrice to buy the place.
The original structure of the cottage was impossible to rebuild so Patrice decided to pull it down and use its bricks for the new house that would have all the facilities and comforts he was used to. Patrice’s wife, Macarena Llambí who has a long history in fashion next to the world’s biggest brands like Hermés, was responsible for every detail of the decoration. Macarena personally chose each of the objects and trained the staff to offer an impeccable personalized service to their demanding international guests. Each corner of the house is finely decorated with exclusive pieces Macarena has collected in each of their trips and the colors of the walls were inspired by all the colors of the Argentine Pampas. Yellows and oranges resembling unforgettable sunsets and the bright greens of the surrounding trees are all present in each room welcoming the guests.
Macarena is El Rocío’s Hotel Manager and as such, she is personally responsible for every detail including the food and the decoration of the place. Guests unanimously decide that Macarena is the perfect host. She has carefully selected everything from the whitest linens to the Spanish China at the table and the unbelievable flavors of every dish and the best wines to go with them. Every moment at Estancia El Rocío is a special one, made to be enjoyed in the relaxing atmosphere created by the surrounding pampas. Main House - Central heating
East Wing:
Suite Las Rosas: King size bed. This room has a fireplace and private bathroom. It has two doors with direct access to the patio and the park.
Rooms Los Citricos and Los Damascos: Both rooms share a bathroom and have 2 beds. These rooms can be booked together under one same reservation; in this case the bathroom will be shared. On the other hand if guests wish for a private bathroom, one room is booked and the other room is closed for booking. West Wing:
Suite Los Cactus: This room has twin joined beds, a fireplace and private bathroom. It has two doors that open to the patio and to the park.
Eucaliptos Loft:
Colonial Loft. There are two joined beds and a bathroom with a shower (no bathtub) on the first floor. The ground floor has a comfortable living room facing a fireplace, two beds, a counter bar and a kitchenette. The fireplace and a salamander keep the Loft well heated in the winter and cold days. Installations and Services
Although the principal house is well heated through its central heating, the fireplaces brighten and give a warm, cozy atmosphere to the living room, dining room and library in the winter and cold autumn days. Guests can easily access Internet through Wi-fi, comfortably watch a DVD o a cable movie, or find a cozy corner where to relax and enjoy a great book from the library.
In the summer and warm spring days, guests can sunbathe and enjoy the pool, read, or simply relax and rest in the hammocks at the porch or under shady areas around the park. There are two polo fields in the estancia and guests that wish to arrange reservations in advance will be able to enjoy polo clinics and/or games. They will also be able to watch traditional Argentine exhibitions such as: Doma, Sortija or Jineteada. (See optional activities). At El Rocío, guests will also be able to access other authentic traditional areas of an estancia in the pampas to appreciate the estanciero criollo or gaucho’s way of life, such as the stable, the tack room and an exclusive Argentine room known as “la matera” where gauchos traditionally gather to take a break as they make and share the typical argentine “mate” and have regional pastries. At the estancia´s boutique they can appreciate and buy recognized craftsmen’s regional/traditional products or exclusive El Rocío merchandising from la Martina. Regional Food
Each meal at Estancia El Rocío is a perfect combination of flavors of the Pampa and Argentina. “Empanadas (small pies), locros, carbonadas (meet & vegetable stew), pollo al disco, mil hojas de dulce de leche, tortas fritas, pastelitos (regional pastries), traditional “asados” and “cordero a la cruz” (traditionally made roasted lamb) accompanied by the most Argentine exquisite wines are some of the proposals for our guests to enjoy. Meals are served, according to the day’s temperature, at the gallery under the wisteria, on tables prepared under the gentle shadows of the eucalyptus, at the “Olive patio”, the dining room or at “la matera”.
Breakfast: From 09:00 to 10:30
Lunch: From 13:30 to 14:00
Tea: From 17:30 to 18:30
Dinner: From 21:00 to 21:15
Polo at El Rocío Estancia El Rocío is an approved “Polo Club” by the AAP (Argentine Polo Association) and has become an “Affiliate Member” of the US Polo Association.
Estancia El Rocío is any polo lover's dream. Patrice personally chose the perfect setting for the polo field and stables, landscaping the surrounding grounds to embrace the true feel of the Argentine Pampas whether one rides on horseback or just walks around the estancia.
Polo Clinics At Estancia El Rocío Polo Clinics are organized by professional polo players who focus on participants learning through a very practical teaching style for both beginners and more advanced players. Classes are planned according to players' levels and may include practice games between teams and according to guests’ timetables.
Other Polo Clubs El Rocío offers its´ guests the possibility to have polo games organized for them at different clubs in the surroundings of the estancia and in the province of Buenos Aires.
Hunting The farm's surrounding area is a rich habitat for Argentina's local fauna and offers many possibilities for this sport. Activities are coordinated by expert guides with over fifteen years' experience and are therefore planned according to guests' requests.
Other activities at Estancia El Rocío and its surroundings Whether it’s polo lovers or people who just like outdoor activities, Estancia El Rocío becomes the perfect setting to enjoy nature, practice sports o just lay back and relax.
Activities at Estancia El Rocío
Activities near the farm San Miguel del Monte town: museum, lake and the adobe house of Juan Manuel de Rosas. Other visits: local craftsmen; dairy farm and cheese factory; 7,500 acres of neighboring farm land, adjacent to El Rocío with cultivated fields and cattle.
Location and Transfers “El Rocío” is located 3km away from Ruta 3, km 102.5. It is 10km from San Miguel del Monte, 64 km (45 minute ride) from Ezeiza International Airport and 105.5 km away from Buenos Aires Capital (1hr and ½ ride). Although transportation is not provided, all transfers to and from the estancia can be organized, by private car, including airplane (runway/landing-strip at San Miguel del Monte’s aerodrome, 12km from El Rocío) or private helicopter transfers from Aeroparque to El Rocío.
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