Country Article / Postcards

"I Simply Fell in Love With the Place"

Date: 11/05/2003

I first visited Arelauquen, in the Lakes District of Argentine Patagonia, in March 2003 with an International Living tour group. My husband Paul and I already own a cabin in the Lakes District, on the other side of the Nahuel Huapi Lake in Villa La Angostura, so we were not looking for another property here.

But…I simply fell in love with the place. Within 24 hours we were the proud owners of a lot in the Arelauquen Golf & Country Club. Although we don't intend to sell, we've already been offered 20% more than we paid for it.

Arelauquen is a popular area year-round. The country club is 12 minutes from one of the best ski resorts in South America, Catedral. Bariloche--the main tourist destination in Patagonia--is 15 minutes away. There, you'll find gourmet restaurants, cultural activities, an international airport, and excellent healthcare facilities.

This is one of the best golf courses in Patagonia, surrounded by snowy mountains and banks of forest. Other amenities include two polo fields, tennis and squash courts, a boutique five-star lodge (with great food), and a 1,000-acre natural reserve ideal for hiking or riding on horseback or mountain bike.

The country club has a marina on Gutierrez Lake, which is great for kayaking, sailing, motor boating, or rowing.

The lots in phase one of the Arelauquen Golf & Country Club are almost sold out and phase two has just been launched. These are half-acre to one-acre lots and range from $55,000 to $140,000. The first 15 lots in phase two will be sold at a 5% to 30% discount, and the first 10 houses will be sold at a 20% discount. The total cost of construction--including central heating, hardwood floors, and granite countertops--is usually $58 to $63 per square foot, but Arelauquen are building for $48 per square foot (almost at cost).

If you'd like to know more about the lots and houses at the Arelaquen Golf & Country Club, you can write to me: argentina@internationalliving.com.

María Reynolds
For International Living
E-mail: argentina@internationalliving.com