The Remarkable Story of Estancia Cristina
Just what would it have been like in 1913 for English immigrants, Joseph and Jessie Masters and their 11-year-old son Herbert and 9-year-old daughter Cristina, when they first made this 30-mile journey across the lake by rudimentary steamship? To land in this never-before-seen wilderness, be dropped off and left to create a working Estancia from scratch—a place they would spend the next 80-plus years building out a life and legacy?
The Remarkable Story of Estancia Cristina
Estancia Cristina is not easy to get to, and it never has been. But the most remarkable places on earth are generally not easy to reach.
Estancia Cristina, with Lago Argentino and Cerro Carnero in the background, a fantastic four hour round trip hike from the estancia to the summit and back.
Situated right in the middle of over 3,000 square miles of rugged Patagonian wilderness, there are no roads that reach Estancia Cristina. The only way to get to it is by boat—a 30-mile journey across the azure waters of Lago Argentino, filled with massive icebergs calving off of dozens of glaciers that spill into the lake. The fierce Patagonian winds rip off the southern Patagonian icecap, accelerate downward through gaps in the jagged granite peaks, and explode onto the lake’s surface, whipping it into a cauldron of rolling swell and whitecaps on most days.
As you complete this journey and land on the broad, rocky beach at the head of the Caterina Valley, the deafening roar of silence and isolation overwhelms you. Taking a look around at the peaks, glaciers, and forests, you realize you made it to one of the most spectacular and secluded places on earth. You know you are one of the lucky few humans on the planet that get to experience this.
Present-day visitors to Estancia Cristina make this journey daily–no problem, in comfort–aboard modern vessels designed specifically for the lake conditions. The boats are decked out with radar, satellite GPS navigation, backup propulsion systems, dry heated cabins, comfy chairs to lounge on while soaking up the scenery passing by hermetically sealed windows, warm pastries, and coffee on offer. Just in case, life rafts in their white capsules are lashed into cradles and the captains’ VHF radio is perpetually tuned into channel 16, which on the other end is backed by the full resources and skill of the Argentine Navy and Coast Guard.
This journey is made only between October through April every year now; the height of the splendid Austral summertime when the Estancia is open to visitors. Once they arrive, guests drive in modern 4x4’s into the mountains to viewpoints overlooking the Upsala Glacier, hike, and horseback ride through mind-boggling scenery accompanied by jovial guides who know the land like the back of their hands and serve them elaborate picnic lunches. Back in the main lodge, they dine on fine Argentina steak, organic green salads, and wash it down with rich Malbec in front of roaring fires while flipping through coffee table books late into the night. They retire to their rooms and snuggle under goose-down comforters in their heated rooms listening to the wind roar outside. In the morning, they wake up to splendid sunrises over Cerro Norte before a hot shower. Another day of guided adventures punctuated with unfettered relaxation awaits.
The original sheep shearing barn at Estancia Cristina, now turned into a museum.
The rest of the year, the Estancia is closed down—shuttered, in fact. The extreme winter weather and limited daylight hours leave our imagination to wonder what it must be like on the other side of the lake during the heart of winter.
But just what would it have been like in 1913 for English immigrants, Joseph and Jessie Masters and their 11-year-old son Herbert and 9-year-old daughter Cristina, when they first made this 30-mile journey across the lake by rudimentary steamship? To land in this never-before-seen wilderness, be dropped off and left to create a working Estancia from scratch—a place they would spend the next 80-plus years building out a life and legacy?
This is the thing that is most powerful about a visit to Estancia Cristina—an intrigue and fascination that gets into your soul and psyche—a feeling you are never able to shake. Talk to anyone who has been out to Estancia Cristina, whether as a day visitor or as an overnight guest, and the conversation always contains two parts: 1) “Wow, what an incredible place…” and 2) “Can you even imagine what it was like for that family who founded it?”
Imagining what life would have been like for the Masters family at Estancia Cristina has a light and a dark side. You envision how pure and beautiful life must have been, cut off from the problems of civilization and surrounded by nature's majesty, watching the slow roll of seasonal progress. From amazing sunsets to rainbows, bursts of wildflowers in springtime, thick runs of salmon cascading up the river in summer where you must have been able to just reach out and grab one by the tail for dinner. But you can also imagine how hard life must have been. Back-breaking work, terrifying storms, dark, cold winters, and frightening encounters with pumas. The isolation from society and yearning for human contact at times must have been utterly suffocating and depressing.
Clark, atop Cerro Carnero, with a full view of the Cristina Valley behind. One of the most amazing hikes in the National Park, only accessible to overnight guests of the Estancia.
There are no shortage of luxury lodges built within the last decade or so around the national parks of Argentine and Chilean Patagonia. Places with incredible food, lodging and excursions, ideally situated to get guests out to those postcard-perfect photo opportunities to be able to say “I was there, too!” And travelers have responded en masse. The closest town and airport to Estancia Cristina, El Calafate, receives over half a million visitors every year, offers 8,000 hotel beds, and is a well-oiled logistical machine in getting those 500,000 people out to the Perito Moreno Glacier on day trips to see the ice and lake before flying on to their next destination.
But Estancia Cristina has something more to offer. The historical aspect of the Estancia and the Masters family is unparalleled and utterly unique when it comes to lodging options for modern day travelers to Patagonia. It’s the type of thing you just can’t create, no matter how much financial capital you have behind you.
Exploring the vast Estancia on horseback with the resident Gauchos.
Luckily, the current team that runs Estancia Cristina has done a great job in preserving the history of the Estancia and the Masters family and presenting it to modern-day visitors. The original sheep-shearing barn contains a delightful museum covering the chronological history of the Estancia and displays a wealth of original artifacts and displays. The Estancia staff are all well-versed on the history and take guests on docent-led tours through the museum, but for those seeking a comprehensive history, here is the history of the Masters and their remarkable story.
The Masters Family from L to R: Joseph Masters (1876-1977), Jessie Masters (1876-1971), Herbert Masters 1902-1982 and Cristina Masters (1904-1924)
Upon the family’s arrival in the valley in 1913, besides the gargantuan Upsala Glacier (the largest glacier spilling off the Patagonian icecap), there were no buildings or infrastructure in the area. The family pitched a tent beside the lake and got to work with the few tools they had and a few head of cattle and sheep they had brought with them.
Over the years, they built up a lovely Estancia, all by hand, and their livestock operation grew in leaps and bounds. They officially founded the Estancia in 1914 and ended up having 27,000 sheep, 50 horses and a healthy stock of cattle for milking and breeding prime beef. In total, their Estancia covered close to 50,000 acres. Their initial small house of stacked stone and adobe still stands next to the guest common areas, and the grove of small willow trees they planted as a wind block around the buildings are now close to 100 feet high and still shelter guests from the constant Patagonian winds.
The viewpoint of the Upsala Glacier and the Southern Patagonia icecap from Estancia Cristina. Many scientific and military operations utilized the Estancia as a staging area for research and training on the ice.
Back then, their only connection with the outside world was an old steamboat they owned, brought from Buenos Aires in 1915 and rebuilt on site by Joseph Masters. Christened the “Cesar,” she was 40 feet in length and had a 10-horsepower steam-powered engine that could make the trip from Estancia Cristina to Puerto Bandera in seven to eight hours, weather permitting. The collective hard work of the family paid off. Their success allowed them to import and furnish their home with lovely items, serve spirits out of cut-glass decanters and beer out of metal-lidded ceramic German steins, and adorn their living area with leather-trimmed vanity cases and hat boxes from Paris. These period details still decorate the Estancia today, and have not lost any of their charm over the years.
Modern cozy guest cottages for present day visitors to the Estancia.
In the early 1920’s, just when Joseph and Jessie Masters must have felt that they had finally established a safe haven in the wilderness for their family…tragedy struck. Their beloved only daughter, Cristina, became seriously ill. With prolonged heavy weather that didn’t allow them to depart for help across the lake aboard the “Cesar,” Cristina’s conditions worsened. Cristina died of pneumonia in 1924, at age 20. Parents Joseph and Jessie and their surviving son, Herbert, decided to rename the Estancia in her memory on the day she was buried. So, since 1924, the Estancia has been called Estancia Cristina.
*It’s interesting to note that there was not a medical doctor in El Calafate, a full day of travel away from the Estancia, until 1935. This puts into perspective just how self-sufficient the family had to be in situations such as the health of their children.
Arriving to Estancia Cristina by boat. Cerro Norte in the background dwarfs the Estancia below. What were the Masters’ family feeling arriving here for the first time in 1913?
Los Glaciares National Park was created in 1937 and Estancia Cristina sat right in the middle of it. The Masters family, through many legal battles, were allowed to stay and continue their sheep operations. The Park Service granted them a temporary permit for occupation and grazing land, but stipulated that these rights would be “non-transferrable after the death of the original settling family”. This must have been a painful reality for the family in light of the death of Cristina, all responsibility for the continuation of the Masters' family bloodline and legacy fell to the remaining son, Herbert.
The mourning family continued to toil away at their sheep operation and the exportation of wool which was quite lucrative through the 1930’s and into the 1950’s with World War II increasing demand for all types of materials. Two major things, detailed below, happened during this time period which are documented beautifully in the museum at Estancia Cristina.
One of Herbert’s shortwave radio models from the 1970’s and a collection of “QSL Cards” sent to him from around the world - A QSL card is a written confirmation of a two-way radiocommunication between two amateur radio stations, usually sent by post after contact was made to commemorate the occasion.
The first is Herbert Masters’ intense interest in shortwave radio. There are notes in archives that the Masters family installed a shortwave radio sometime in the 1930’s. They had no electricity back then, and still don’t, due to the Estancias isolation. (Today everything is run off of a diesel generator or solar power.) But the radio sets back in the 1930’s were coming out of rural America, an area which also was not “on the grid” until after WWII. These radio sets were powered by a “wincharger,” which like the name implies, provides it’s six watts of power from a wind turbine, of which there was no shortage in Patagonia. Shortwave or HAM radio were something that the younger Masters’ son, Herbert, poured his energy into. He became one of the most skilled HAM radio operators worldwide and was a certified member of the American Radio Relay Society. The historical display of Herbert’s radio operations at the Estancia today is fascinating. The wall is covered with “QSL” postcards sent from the farthest reaches of the world, certifying the date and time in which Herbert established radio contact with that particular station. Remote villages in Alaska, Kenya, India and from the metropolises of Tokyo, Moscow, Sydney—each of which would have also received, eventually, by mail, a beautiful reciprocal blue postcard with the station number of Estancia Cristina signed by Herbert. Experiencing this display, you have to conjure images of Herbert, alone, on a dark night with the wind howling outside and a sky spilling over with stars, hunched over his radio set listening intently through headphones to faint emissions from strangers on the other side of the planet. Imagine the thoughts that must have gone through Herbert’s mind to talk to someone in the outback of Australia, to envision just how different their surroundings must have been from those of where Herbert sat, surrounded by glaciers, granite peaks, and the ever-present Patagonian wind. We take global connectivity for granted today, and this display really drives that point home.
The second fantastic display which brings to light just how difficult it must have been to complete some tasks in this isolation, as well as the extreme self-sufficiency and ingenuity the Masters family possessed, is the display chronicling the family’s building of the steamship “Cristinita” or “little Cristina.” The “Cesar” which had navigated the lake for over 40 years and initially brought the family to Estancia Cristina and served as their personal and financial connection with the outside world, was on her last legs and they needed a new boat. Rather than buying one they decided to build their own from blueprint plans they found in a 1948 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine! The greasy tattered copy of the magazine, creased open to the schematic diagrams, sits in a display case in the museum and is almost vertigo-inducing to fathom how you would start such an undertaking, even today. For the Masters family, a local hardware store was never an option. Anything they had done at the Estancia, they just figured out how to do it themselves. So they fell, cut, milled and shaped all the wood on site, machined iron nails and hardware from a coal-fired forge, and got the vessel together. There is no exact record of when they started, but it is assumed they began in the early 1950’s. The very famous British explorer, Eric Shipton, who visited the Estancia during one of his climbing expeditions in 1958 noted in his journal that “the ship was almost ready but the family is waiting on the diesel engine to arrive, which they mail ordered from Detroit in the United States.” It is believed that the engine took over four years to arrive to the Estancia from Detroit, and was installed around 1962-63. The “Cristinita” served the family well and cut the travel time to Puerto Bandera down to four hours. The boat was sadly shipwrecked in the early 1990’s right on the beach in front of the Estancia, where it still sits today for visitors to admire. The long-awaited Detroit diesel engine resides in the museum along with the original shipping manifests, invoices, and blueprints. It’s a remarkable thing to see in person.
The steamship “Cristinita” sits abandoned on the shores of Lago Argentina in front of the Estancia since the early 1990s. Built by hand by Masters family between 1950-1962, the diesel engine and construction plans are displayed in the museum.
The Masters family seemed to keep to themselves for much of the history of living there, although there are mentions of a few ranch hands and carpenters who must have been their closest friends. But in the 1950’s, outsiders started to come to the Estancia with greater regularity in the form of scientific and military expeditions sponsored by the government. Due to the Estancia’s incredible location next to the Upsala glacier and the southern Patagonian icecap, it was used as a staging area to build a series of shelters and scientific research stations on the icecap. Numerous army and air force operations were staged out of the Estancia, specifically used to train pilots for landing on the Antarctic continent.
Historical trinkets sit atop a dresser in one of the 20 guest rooms the Estancia offers visitors today.
As Joseph and Jessie Masters began to grow older, they knew they needed more help than just their son Herbert to keep the Estancia running. But it was extremely difficult to find someone who would be willing to live in such an isolated location, and who shared the extreme work ethic of the Masters family. However, in a stroke of serendipity in 1966, Janet Hermingston (originally from Edinburgh, Scotland) was sent to the Estancia under a medical order to be a “woman of company” to Jessie Masters, as her husband’s health was becoming fragile. Janet fell in love with the beauty and isolation of Estancia Cristina—and seemed to be the only individual who was truly taken in by the Masters family and treated as one of them. Janet cared for Joseph and Jessie while helping Herbert with daily tasks. Jessie Masters died in 1971 at 95-years-old and her husband, Joseph, died in 1977 at 101-years-old. They were buried in the Rio Gallegos cemetery alongside their beloved Cristina, but Herbert built three white crosses as a memorial and placed them in the ground outside the farmhouse, they are still there today. With their passing, only Janet and Herbert were left to run the Estancia. Having lived and worked beside each other for decades, Janet eventually married Herbert on his eightieth birthday in 1982. Obviously, this was a joint decision to ensure there was a lineage in the family when he passed away to ensure the dream wouldn’t die. Herbert passed two years later in 1984, bequeathing the entire Estancia to Janet.
One of the 20 guest rooms at the Estancia
Janet kept the dwindling sheep operation running by herself, tended a large organic garden which still feeds visitors today, and spent a lot of time “painting bad pictures,” as she put it. Janet unknowingly laid the seeds for the future of Estancia Cristina as a tourism enterprise. Her time at Estancia Cristina from 1966 until her death was the golden age of international mountain climbing expeditions and Janet seemed, unsurprisingly, to get along well with these extremely motivated and adventuresome mountaineers that frequented the Estancia. Janet was there to host Eric Shipton on the first solo crossing of the southern Patagonian icecap in the late 60’s, got to know the famous Italian climber Casimiro Ferrari whose name is stamped on first ascents all over Patagonia, and also befriended the Slovakian-born brothers Jorge and Pedro Skvarca, who had such a fondness for Janet that they looked after her during her final living days at the Estancia in 1997. Many of these mountaineers who became her friends encouraged her to start fixing up buildings at the Estancia to house guests for tourism in order to share the magic and history of the location, and to provide an alternative income to ranching. One of the most direct links to the present-day tourism operation came from Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia clothing company. Yvon stayed with Janet on his 1968 Fitzroy expedition, together with and became enamored with the place, telling many of his friends who were pioneering “adventure travel” at the time about its potential. Two of those friends were Al Read (founder of Exum Mountain Guides and Geographic Expeditions) and James Sano (ex-President of Geographic Expeditions and current vice president of Travel, Tourism, and Conservation for the World Wildlife Fund). Al and James led frequent commercial trips to Estancia Cristina in the 1980’s, staying with Janet and helping her navigate Estancia Cristina into the world of hosting paying guests which continues to this day.
With such an incredible heritage and story, it is no wonder Estancia Cristina is one of our most beloved destinations in South America. If you are a lover of wild places, fascinated by history, and seek unique and authentic travel experiences, Estancia Cristina is the perfect destination for your next adventure.
To learn more about Estancia Cristina and how to sell it, see our recorded WEBINAR. If you really enjoy this type of history, feel free to read the full historical document about Estancia Cristina, HERE.
Awasi: Setting the Table for Reopening
What have the staff at Awasi been up to during the pandemic? Setting the table for a spectacular reopening.
Awasi: Setting the Table for Reopening
Everyone who works in the travel and hospitality industry has been in a constant state of flux since March 2020. We find ourselves faced with a situation we don’t have immediate control over, the desire to get back to work in delivering outstanding experiences to international travelers. Until the borders are open and flights resume again, all we have is time on our hands. How have the top properties in Latin America been using this time besides fine tuning “health and safety protocols” which is just a given at this point, for every player in worldwide tourism and hospitality, and frankly should have been a matter of major importance even before this global pandemic.
Tomas and Chris - Guides at Awasi Patagonia
I wanted to share an inspiring story about some things that Awasi has been doing.
Awasi has made it a priority to retain all of their staff for as long as financially possible. No amount of beautiful hotel infrastructure is ever going to replace the talent and special energy brought by the hard working people behind the experience. You take away the people, you take away the soul of a property. So what do you do with such a large staff during such slow times? You take the opportunity to make them even better.
There is nothing more motivating than seeing and hearing an individual talking passionately about what they love to do. We seldom get a chance to really take a peek behind the scenes into professions that differ from our own. But running a top tier luxury hotel draws on so many diverse talents, and they all must come together perfectly, in order to deliver a seamless guest experience.
In that spirit, “Awasi Talks - For and By Us”, was created as an internal exercise to share knowledge between different sectors of staff and build company cohesion. The idea was simple enough, allow staff members from the three different geographic properties in the Atacama, Patagonia and Iguazu Falls - working in different sections of the hotel operation, to create and carry out a presentation for the whole company, via zoom. This was not mandatory, but put out there to staff if they wanted to share. The topics turned out to be fascinating, here are just a few of them that have already been completed:
“History of the Jesuit Missions” - by guide, Jimmy McCormick
“A Cup, A Story” - by sommelier, Dana Cordoba
“How to Make Churros” - by pastry chef, Valentina Marambio
“Electrical Installation” - by maintenance staff, Nicolas Arman
“How to Speak in Public” - by excursion manager, Paula Bertotto
“Excursions We Offer” - by excursion manager, Tomas Navarette
Nicolas Arman, maintenance at Awasi Iguazu, presenting on electrical installation.
The Awasi Talks have been a fantastic way for employees of Awasi to get to know one another on a personal level, and for each to deeply understand the small part they play in the big picture. The Chef and Sommelier probably don’t think much about what the guests and the guides are doing out on excursions every day, but after learning how strenuous certain excursions may be, it could just make them think about throwing in a few extra energy bars or picking a wine warmer on the palate for the picnic supplies when they know Tomas is hiking to the Base of the Towers with his guests today - and likewise, Diego might be more on top of his time management when he knows that the Chef has prepared a special asado for the guests that will begin promptly at 7pm. This creates a cross pollination of awareness and appreciation for the team and the role everyone plays in it. How great is it that the head of maintenance offered to do a presentation on electrical installations?! Again, every single part of the hotel operation has to be seamless, and these Awasi talks have allowed for the staff to deeply understand and appreciate this fact.
Matias de Cristobal, Managing Director
These talks have been capped by leadership webinars for all staff by Matias de Cristobal, Managing Director of Awasi on “The Awasi Concept” - exposing all staff to the concept and methodology behind what Awasi does and how Awasi does hospitality and tourism differently. My favorite analogy that Matias uses to describe the Awasi Concept is a round table, sitting outside in a natural setting - on which the guest experience sits. The natural setting, i.e The Atacama, Patagonia and Iguazu Falls cannot be improved upon and were carefully selected as a place to set down that table. However, that table, which holds up the guest experience, is only supported by three legs. Those three legs are; 1) The Physical Hotel 2) The Excursions 3) The Gastronomy. If any one of those three legs is shorter or not as strong as the other ones, the table will wobble and not be solid. The Awasi Talks play right into this analogy, the role of every employee at Awasi is vital in keeping their leg of the table strong, so the guest experience is phenomenal.
The Awasi table is set, the legs are stronger than ever, and we look forward to inviting you to pull up a chair to it very soon.
Explore the Awasi Properties:
Awasi Atacama Travel Trade Page
Luisella Garmendia of Inkaterra La Casona - The People Behind the Experience
Inkaterra La Casona has a reputation as one of the most bespoke and exclusive properties in all of Cusco. It can be hard to book for your clients due to its limited availability and sterling reputation, but it's so worth it when you can! We sat down with Luisella Garmendia, the General Manager, to learn a bit more about Inkaterra La Casona and what sets it apart.
Luisella Garmendia of Inkaterra La Casona
- The People Behind the Experience -
For travel professionals that organize and sell high end travel to Peru, most have a love/hate relationship with Inkaterra La Casona. They love when they are able to get availability in one of the 11 exclusive suites for their clients, it allows them to offer something so authentic and exclusive that sets their services apart from the masses. But due to the small size and sterling reputation of the property amongst industry insiders, they hate that availability, more often than not, results in the dreaded waitlist game.
We sat down with Luisella Garmendia, the General Manager, to learn a bit more about Inkaterra La Casona and what sets it apart in Cusco
First, what was your background prior to becoming GM of Inkaterra La Casona?
I worked many years for the Belmond chain of hotels, when they were still called Orient Express Hotels. I worked as receptionist and then in guest services at the Monasterio Hotel, which sits just across the Plazoleta Nazarenas from La Casona. Then I spent a few years in sales for the Belmond Miraflores Park Hotel in Lima. In 2008 I was offered a role in guest services for Inkaterra and took it, eventually assuming the role of GM at Inkaterra La Casona in 2010.
...only those with one of the 11 rooms keys get a chance to experience the history behind these doors.
Considering that Belmond is one of the most internationally recognized luxury hotel brands, what was it that made you decide to go work for Inkaterra?
Correct, I'm extremely grateful for my time with Belmond and still have the utmost respect for the brand, their hotels and service standards. With that being said, first, I wanted to get back to Cusco, there is something magical about this city that never leaves you. Second, I had worked in hospitality long enough to know that what I loved doing, and what makes me happy, is interacting with guests. Inkaterra La Casona, having only 11 suites compared to the much larger hotels I had experience working in, was just a perfect fit for me. You can really get to know each and every guest on a personal level, and the setting is more intimate. I never think anymore in terms of check in and check out, but rather of welcoming them into my home for a few days and making sure they leave feeling like they were part of something special for the time they were with us. Third, I'm proudly Peruvian...and had watched this beautiful colonial building sit in a state of sad abandonment for many years before Inkaterra acquired it in 1999. Then over years and years, the most thoughtful and dedicated restoration process unfolded by Inkaterra. Although known for their hotels, Inkaterra is a true champion in sustainable development and in conserving the biodiversity and cultural heritage that Peru offers visitors. So being invited to be part of such a tremendous local vision, the pride that came along with being able to share that with visitors, and the simple fact of working in Cusco's most storied building every day was just something I would never pass up. Inkaterra La Casona is also the only Relais & Chateaux property in Cusco, a real distinction for travelers looking for someplace unique.
One of just two of the Plaza View Suites at Inkaterra La Casona
Speaking about the history of Inkaterra La Casona, in a nutshell, what makes it so unique in Cusco?
Oh, wow...in a nutshell? Hahaha... This site during Inca times was the Warakos Academy, it was the training center for the most elite of the Incan army. The foundations of the current building here are original Inca walls from that period of time. Then after Francisco Pizzaro's conquest of the Inca Empire during the late 16th century, this was the first colonial building erected on top of Incan ruins after the siege of Cusco. The house was first home to Diego de Almagro, who was one of Pizarro's Captains during the Inca conquest and later become the first European discoverer of Chile. Next, La Casona was home to Captain Francisco Barrientos and Don Juan Alvarez de Maldonado who is credited with expanding the conquest into the Amazon. And then the most notable resident of the home was Simon Bolivar who lived here after leading the independence of Peru from Spain in 1825.
So, what about during your time as General Manager, who are some of the most memorable guests you have cared for?
Well, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones has a special affinity for Peru and La Casona is his home when in Cusco. We have also had Bono from U2 and Antonio Banderas, to name just a few.
But probably my most memorable guests were in 2014 when the Dutch Royal Family - King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, along with their children and grandchildren were our guests, they were such a lovely family to host.
When you are not working, what do you do?
I'm always working. But, I have two precious little girls, so I'm enjoying time with them on days off....while still always attentive to what is happening at the property.
Hacienda Bambusa's Olivier Dufeu & Diego Ruiz - The People Behind the Experience
Hacienda Bambusa is a hidden gem in Colombia. It's remote, tucked away at the foothills of the Andes in the lush central coffee region, a position that is equal parts magically charming and logistically challenging. Colombian Contemporary artist Santiago Montoya owns the property; here we find out more about the magic of Bambusa.
Hacienda Bambusa's Olivier Dufeu & Diego Ruiz - The People Behind the Experience
Hacienda Bambusa is a hidden gem in Colombia. It's remote, tucked away at the foothills of the Andes in the lush central coffee region, a position that is equal parts magically charming and logistically challenging. Colombian Contemporary artist Santiago Montoya owns the property; he and his family still keep a house nearby and used to oversee the management of the Hacienda personally. But balancing a hospitality role with the demands of an escalating international art career proved impossible and four years ago, the Montoya family decided to suspend operations at Hacienda Bambusa, closing it to the public.
Enter Olivier Dufeu, a Frenchman who worked in Chile & Argentina and Diego Ruiz, a Cali native who became a Buenos Aires restauranteur. Partners in business and in life, they were traveling through Colombia three years ago while in search of potential business opportunities and fell in love with the Coffee Triangle Region. With backgrounds in hospitality, tourism and restaurant management, their skill set and passion were exactly the magic that Hacienda Bambusa needed to reopen her doors. Through Clark Kotula, Olivier & Diego connected with the Montoya Family and Hacienda Bambusa reopened under their creative vision and detailed management.
Olivier and Diego have a compelling story and were kind enough to answer a few questions for us. We hope you enjoy this interview with the People Behind the Experience at Hacienda Bambusa!
First, the most important question. How did you two meet each other?
We met five years ago in Buenos Aires and while we tell people that we had an initial great connection, in truth is was love at first sight! I (Olivier) was working for a travel agency & tour operator in Buenos Aires after traveling around South America for several years and Diego owned a restaurant. We met at a bar in BA and bonded over our love of travel, music, excellent food and South America as a whole.
Why did you make the leap from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Armenia, Colombia?
Diego is from Cali, Colombia, and I was always interested in exploring more of that particular country beyond what I had already experienced during my backpacking days. We took a trip together three years ago and just really fell for the friendliness of the Colombia people and the beauty of the country, especially the mountains surrounding the Coffee Triangle. That's when the idea of relocating to Colombia and taking on a project in the destination really started to form. Colombia also had and has a really positive energy; tourism is increasing and with the opportunity to work together to reopen Hacienda Bambusa, all of the stars seemed to align. It was just the right time to make the move.
Today, we spend most of the year at Bambusa and live just ten minutes away from the property. We have full autonomy to manage the hotel but the Montoya Family still owns and cultivates the 500 acres surrounding the house.
What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of operating a high-end boutique property in a fairly remote and somewhat obscure location?
First, its the limitations of the location itself as well as clearly setting expectations for what the Hacienda Bambusa experience is. It is sometimes a struggle to convince travelers that they should stay at a property that is somewhat remote, in the middle of a farm and surrounded only by nature, though fortunately Avianca offers good flight schedules so we aren't too far out of the way. Also, Bambusa is a rustic countryside house made out of Bamboo (Bambusa actually refers to a type of clumping bamboo.) We simply don't have all of the comforts and luxuries that a 5* city hotel offers. Weather can affect the wifi, our verandas aren't screened and bugs are a fact of life when surrounded by flowering plants, and we don't have an elevator so all eight of our Jr. Suites must be accessed by stairs.
Spacious verandas & gardens surround every room at Hacienda Bambusa, which is built circling a central enclosed courtyard.
The greatest reward is when our guests leave with a huge smile in their faces, sad to leave but assuring they will not forget the days they spent staying with us. We recently hosted a lovely newlywed couple from the UK and arranged a surprised private dinner for them in the middle of the garden, surrounded by candles and flowers. They loved it!
Or, last year, we hosted a French family who adopted twin girls from Colombia thirteen years ago. This was their first trip back in Colombia since the adoption. The parents wanted to show the girls what a beautiful country Colombia is and the trip was very emotional for everybody.
What do you feel is often a surprising and unanticipated highlight of guests staying at Hacienda Bambusa?
I think our customers are surprised with our attention to detail and the balance between the relaxing countryside atmosphere and world class service. We try to get to know our clients in advance so we can surprise them with attention to personal details during their stay.
A highlight for guests is undoubtedly to walk around the property with Camilo, our naturalist guide, through the cocoa plantation and the bamboo forest. And many guests are surprised that much more than just coffee is grown here!
What are you most proud of since reopening Hacienda Bambusa?
A hot air balloon ride offers guests a unique perspective of the Hacienda & surrounding countryside
Bambusa was already known when we arrived; the hotel had developed a niche following among guests with fond memories of their time there. We started with the goal of reconnecting with those guests, recreating those memories and going beyond that. And we've added lots of details to improve the stay of our guests, from AC and WiFi in each room to expanding the types of activities and experiences that guests can have on the property. We've also managed to attract more media and industry attention so Hacienda Bambusa is more recognized than before.
We are always thinking of ways to improve our experience and stay fresh. This exercise of constant renewal goes from the smallest detail in the garden to making adjustments to our menu or training our staff.
Tell me why someone should experience the Coffee Triangle without using the word “coffee.”
As our guests discover, the region produces way more than its namesake! It actually also produces also cocoa, plantains, pineapple, avocados, etc! The area is very lush and ideal for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Cows far outnumber coffee trees on the plantation grounds surrounding Hacienda Bambusa.
As we are at the very foot of the Andes, the green mountains surrounding us offer amazing views and many options for activities. There is excellent hiking, birdwatching and horseback riding right beyond our doorstep.
And last but not least, the culture of the region is phenomenal. People in this part of Colombia are especially friendly and welcoming and are very candid about sharing their history. They have their own culture, food and identity which sets this area apart for the rest of Colombia, much in the same way that Salta feels very different from the rest of Argentina. When people think of Colombia, they tend to focus on the cities like Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin and Cali. These are great and should not be missed, the the countryside surrounding us offers a more complete and complementary picture of Colombia as a whole.
Typical street scene in a town near Hacienda Bambusa; WWII era Jeep Willy loaded to the brim with plantains.
Lastly, please share some of your Insider's Tips on Colombia! What are your favorite places to eat, hike, stay and experience Colombian culture (aside from Bambusa of course!)
Aside from Bambusa? This is a hard question...
When we want culture and great food we go to Bogota. The city is not one of those cities that strikes you at first glance, but as you grow to know it you appreciate it more and more. Bogota has a very vibrant and up and coming food and art scene.
I also love the region of Santander to the north of Bogota, especially Barichara village. The whole region is perfect for active adventures and we've done some amazing hikes and white water rafting there.
Olivier and Diego look forward to welcoming your guests at Hacienda Bambusa. Make sure to get in touch with personalized traveler details so that they can prepare special touches in advance!