House of Jasmines is an estancia at La Merced Chica, at the foot of the Andes, about 15 minutes from the centre of Salta and 10 minutes from the airport. The old main house stands at the end of a long avenue of eucalyptus on a 100-hectare estate, and it was once the home of the actor Robert Duvall. Jasmine, roses and wild orchids grow around it, and there is an organic garden. There are 14 rooms and suites spread across three houses, furnished with antiques, cowhide rugs and hand-embroidered linen. La Table de House of Jasmines serves traditional northern Argentine cooking, with bread from the oven and asado in the garden, and the bar pours Malbec cocktails and local Torrontés. The spa has a sauna, a hammam and massage rooms, with a gym and a pool facing the mountains. Guests can ride, cycle and walk the estate, or take a class in making empanadas. Cafayate and Purmamarca are about three hours away, which makes the estancia a practical base for the north-west.
- Nearest airport
- Gen Belgrano (SLA), 2 Miles / 3 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 14 rooms and suites
Insider tip Ask for a Superior room on the upper floor with a terrace for the views, and book the empanada class with the chef.
Why I choose it It is a gracious, quiet estancia close to Salta airport, ideal for the first or last nights of a journey through Argentina's north.
