The wineries have been visited, sightseeing done, now the need is for a quiet, comfortable place to relax, unwind and savor the ambiance of a small town away from the bustle of Mendoza. The place is Chacras de Coria – about 30 minutes south of Mendoza City Center and, within Chacras, the place is Finca Adalgisa.

Chacras, originally the summer retreat for Mendocinos due to its climate, has been “absorbed “ by the expansion of Mendoza, but it still retains all of its charm (e.g., cobblestone streets, colonial small church and plaza, small local restaurants with Argentinian and International cuisines).

Located 4 blocks from Chacra’s central plaza, on Puerreydon Street is Finca Adalgisa. Formerly a private house, the Finca has been expanded and become a bed and breakfast. What sets it apart is not just the physical infrastructure and location; rather it is the quality and friendliness of the staff. They are all extremely service oriented and cater to the guests.

The house has been renovated but kept fairly intact – there is the library, sitting room, several guestrooms in the building, breakfast room – and pictures of the family are scattered throughout. This gives the impression and feeling of being a guest in someone’s house and not at a B&B. Gabriela runs the hotel. It is her house you are staying in! She, along with the rest of the staff, provides the personal family touch.

There is a separate two-story wing, perpendicular to the house, with 8 suites. The suites overlook the swimming pool and provide an unimpeded view of the Finca’s vineyards and the Andes.

The B&B is surrounded by 2 hectares (approximately 5 acres) of Malbec Vineyards. These grapes are used in the Finca to make and bottle their own top-end Malbec.

Guests are encouraged to walk through the vineyards along the trails and see the grapes and olive trees there.

Perhaps, the best part of the day at the Finca is the late afternoon. After spending a day sightseeing and visiting wineries, guests can sit either inside in the lounge, which is located right next to the winery, or outside on the terrace.

There while watching the sun setting over the Andes, guests are treated to a glass of the Finca Adalgisa Malbec – or a white if that is preferred- and a cheese/antipasto plate. This is the wine produced right there at the Finca in the cement vats located just off the lounge.

Sitting inside the lounge, one can’t help but notice the tree in the middle of it going up through the roof. That’s right, the lounge was built around the tree!

The walk to the square, from the Finca is down a tree-lined avenue. The trees are so tall and have spread their branches so that they form a green canopy over the avenue. On Sundays, the square hosts an arts and craft fair showing products made by the local artists. There are also miniature horse rides for children. A pleasant Sunday afternoon can be spentsitting at one of the restaurants on the square, watching the world go by.

The staff can recommend places to eat and will also set up tours for the guests to visit wineries. (They can set up a tour that focuses on the smaller, traditional family-owned wineries in the region – a lot more personal and fun than taking a tour of the “large” well-known wineries!) They also provide concierge service to and from the airport. When in Mendoza, the Finca is worth a visit.