Hosteria de Iruya

A simple mountainside retreat in one of the most remote and beautiful villages in the Argentine Andes

Your trip to the idyllic local hub, Iruya, is likely to remain the most memorable part of your time in Argentina. Leave the UNESCO-listed Quebrada de Humahuaca (a 10,000-year-old trade route along the spectacular Rio Grande) and take a beautiful winding unpaved road up to 4,000m and the Abra del Cóndor, then travel down breathtaking slaloms and beside a river gorge to where the village of Iruya, with its parish church, is perched on the mountainside.

The pink hostería at its summit seems miraculous. A simple hotel with grand views, it’s a sanctuary of tranquillity: perfect for resting, walking and absorbing the local Andean culture. The 15 comfortable rooms are plainly furnished with white walls, terracotta floors, local weavings and clean bathrooms. The airy lounge/dining room has touches of modern Argentine chic with cowhide lampshades and designer sofas. Sit on the long terrace and gaze at the backdrop of ruckled and eroded mountains (we saw condors soaring high above!), and the patina of roofs piled up vertiginously below. After a day here you'll adapt to the slower pace of life: all around, pre-Columbian Andean life is going on as it has done for centuries.

Highs

• Spectacular landscapes - unlike anywhere else in Argentina - a great contrast. Perfect for hiking, riding, and contemplating. If you’re looking for a serious retreat, come for a week: this is the place for writing or painting
• Rooms with a heck of a view
• A rare chance to experience tranquil Andean life
• Comfort: though understated, the hotel’s modern amenities take on a new significance compared to the rustic, ancient way of life all around you
• You can reach Iruya on public transport. In fact, the bus to Iruya north from Salta or Jujuy via Humahuaca is one of the northwest’s great adventures

Lows

• Rooms are spartan in feel
• Don't expect slick city service: staff performed their duties efficiently but without warmth, few have much English. From the local community, they multi-task as waiters, receptionists and in the kitchen; the hotel is well maintained and the food we thought pretty good
• No information on hand about Iruya, the local indigenous population, local activities or excursions. We found our own way in the village (there's a helpful tourist office down the road), perhaps if we had some Spanish we would have found out more
• Prepare to be flexible about your travel plans if you come in summer, when rains may wash the roads away!
• Very remote, but those looking for peace, tranquillity and excellent trekking will find heaven; seize the chance to see traditional Argentine life while it is still here