Auberge du Vin, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Tupungato

August 13th, 2023

Posts in this series:

Introduction - The Andean Crossing

Review - American Airlines Business Class B777-200 New York Kennedy to Buenos Aires Ezeiza

Review - Anselmo Buenos Aires, Curio Collection by Hilton

Review - Flybondi Economy Class B737-800 Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Mendoza

Review - Auberge du Vin, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Tupungato

Review - Mandarin Oriental Santiago

Review - The Ritz-Carlton Santiago

Review - Air Canada Business Class B787-8 Santiago de Chile to Toronto Pearson

Review - Air Canada Express Business Class CRJ-900 Toronto Pearson to Washington Dulles

Enroute:

We picked up our rental car from Mendoza Airport, which was an easy enough process. The drive from there to our hotel was roughly 1.5hrs. The roads were in great condition, not to mention it was picturesque at every turn.

The last 10kms or so were on a dirt road, but you’ll live. Before we pulled into the hotel compound, the (bare) vines came into view.

Check-in:

We left our car outside the reception building. Parking was free, not that it would’ve been a problem - we were told only four rooms were occupied during our stay…

Check-in was efficient, and we were upgraded to a grand king balcony room, which was the highest room category at the property.

Unpack:

When I made the reservation here I knew I wasn’t getting the most luxurious accommodation - the hotel looked rather dated on the website. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to see the room in perfect shape. Sure, the furniture had probably been around longer than I had, but at least they didn’t look as haggard and beat up as I was walking out of Barry’s.

Upon entry, there was an average-size closet to the right.

Next to the closet was a kitchenette with a full range of cookware.

A small tea and instant coffee selection was available.

In the rest of the room you’d find a couch with ottoman and the king bed.

I was skeptical of the fireplace when I saw it online, as many hotels nowadays simply kept them as a decorative piece. This one, however, was fully functional. We just needed to whatsapp the front desk, and they were happy to set it up for us. We almost made a habit of messaging the hotel while we were on our drive back from our last vineyard of the day, so that our room would be nice and toasty when we got back. It was such an underrated feature to have in a hotel room, especially in Mendoza where the temperature dropped significantly after sunset.

The bathroom was quite generously sized and featured dual vanity.

Last but not least, the balcony. There was no furniture on it, but it didn’t bother me when I had a view like this…

The colors at sunrise and sunset were hypnotic.

Unwind:

The hotel was located on a working vineyard, so we were able to roam around.

Within the courtyard was an indoor/outdoor pool, which was attached to the gym. Unfortunately it wasn’t heated, so it wasn’t really usable in winter.

There was a rooftop as well, though it appeared abandoned given the way the furniture was scattered. Or maybe it’s just the low occupancy in the off season.

You really come to this hotel for the view.

Refuel:

On our first night we decided to dine on property. There was a single all-day restaurant. Additionally, room service was offered.

We first ordered a bottle of wine, so a charcuterie board seemed to befit. While I knew Argentina was affordable due to its hyperinflation and currency issue, I didn’t know just how affordable. I opened the menu and thought to myself, oh, $7 glass of Malbec, love that. Well, it was a whole bottle, and it was quite possibly one of the best wines I’ve ever had. 98% of the wines I had in Argentina were fantastic. I even liked their chardonnay, which I usually avoid like I avoid going to Costco on a Sunday afternoon.

You can’t come to Argentina and not try the Argentine-style empanadas, so that’s what we did.

The charcuterie board was a lot, so we could’ve stopped there. But having a gorgeously bold red without some kind of chunky meat felt illegal, so we shared the wild boar.

The next morning we came back for breakfast. The spread was basic but agreeable. You could also order eggs.

One day my partner had to do some work, so we just called in room service. Both the chorizo pizza and ravioli were good enough.

Depart:

I enjoyed our stay at the Auberge du Vin. The service was friendly, and the setting was beyond entrancing. I wonder if this hotel will go through a major renovation in the near future. The facility was inarguably old but had good bones. I think with an updated style and some extra amenities this property has the potential to charge 5x the price.

I loved our time in the Argentine wine region. I vastly prefer it to Napa. The scenery was undoubtedly unrivaled. The architecture of the vineyards was sublime, and the wines stacked up handsomely to the best Oakville Cab. Most of these vineyards offered wine-paired lunch, whereas in Napa you mostly just get some cheeses. It elevated the wine tasting experience tremendously. The quality of food and execution put many mediocre Michelin restaurants to shame.

I hate that we didn’t have time to go further south into the Patagonia, but that motivates us to return to Argentina - a beautiful country with genuine people. I’m bullish on Argentina, and it’ll be interesting to see what the new president will do.