Most visitors to Uruguay will arrive in Montevideo. During the winter, there are direct flights from Miami, but it may be easier to connect through a hub like Panama City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires or Lima. Alternatively, you can fly directly to Punta del Este from São Paulo or Buenos Aires.

José Ignacio is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Montevideo or a 40-minute drive from Puna del Este. A simple, informal kind of place where everyone gets around on bicycles, José Ignacio is a complete contrast to the flashier, Miami Beach-like style of nearby Punta del Este.

The nine-accommodation Playa Vik José Ignacio is the work of Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, who also designed the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati and the Opéra Bastille in Paris. The property comprises three suites and six multibedroom casas, as well as a spectacular lap pool cantilevered over an expanse of lawn. A striking sculpture pavilion displays museum-quality modern art, including two pieces by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, among works by other blue-chip artists. Additional amenities include a small spa, a workout room with a sauna, a games room and a sunken barbecue pit where guests gather around the fire for a nightcap. Overall, the place has an upscale bohemian personality.

José Ignacio is a relaxed place where the pace of life slows down, even in the busy season. Spend your days on the beach – choose between the busy Playa Brava (with surf) on the east flank of a peninsula or the quieter Playa Mansa (with calmer waters) on the west. For lunch, dine by the infinity pool or visit La Susana, the fun beach club at nearby Bahia Vik. Spend the afternoon in the tiny town, where you can browse the chic caftans and swimsuits at Anushka Elliot Boutique or stop by Freddo for a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream.

Back at the hotel, watch the sunset while you sample Uruguayan barbecue at Cielomar, or venture into town for dinner.  There are numerous good restaurants in José Ignacio, including the excellent La Huella.

Visitors should consider combining time at Playa Vik with a stay at its sister hotel, Estancia Vik José Ignacio. This striking whitewashed property, with a distinctive red corrugated-iron roof, contains 12 suites, each decorated by a contemporary Uruguayan artist. The spectacular setting 8 miles from the coast affords sweeping views toward an inland lagoon, a winding river and the sea.

On this magnificent 4,000-acre ranch, the principal sounds you’ll hear are those of cattle mooing against a backdrop of chirping crickets. (And the occasional sound of a motor, since these days, many gauchos ride herd on Honda scooters instead of horses!) The main appeal of this profoundly peaceful place is equestrian activity. You can ride — on your own or accompanied — or take polo lessons on the property’s full-size private field. Lagoons and streams offer canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and fishing, as well as excellent bird-watching.

The restaurant here highlights the Uruguayan tradition of asado with authentic grilled meats alongside fresh local vegetables in a breathtaking setting. Don’t miss out on the superb wine from the Vik vineyard in Chile’s Cachapoal Valley. Oenophiles should also consider dining at Bodega Garzón, about an hour away, where you’ll find the first winery built outside North America to be LEED-certified for sustainability throughout its facilities. Argentine chef Francis Mallmann is behind the restaurant, where the kitchen is dominated by a Rube Goldberg-esque grill. Garzón’s young winemaker, Germán Bruzzone, bottles many different wines. His flagship, Balasto — a meaty, smoky, coffee-ish blend of Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Marselan — is an ideal sparring partner for the grilled rib-eyes on the menu.

An hour northwest of Estancia Vik in the Sierra de Carapé, Sacromonte Landscape Hotel is a vineyard retreat with just four accommodations — high-end, prefab boxes designed by the architectural firm MAPA — on the 250-acre estate.

Because Sacromonte is mostly undeveloped, there is ample habitat for flora and fauna. You’ll be sharing the land with lizards, rabbits, capybara and exotic land-bound birds like the colorful giant wood-rail and the quail-like spotted nothura. Spend your days hiking or riding around the property, where you can take in 360-degree views with mountains on one side and the seaside plain on the other.

Sacromonte produces award-winning wines, including its flagship Carapé, an elegant red blend. The restaurant serves South American-inspired dishes like meaty lamb croquettes, roasted artichokes strewn with pancetta, steak, and barbecued chicken, at tables with stunning views.

With its mild climate and seaside location, Punta del Este is more popular than ever. A stylish but quiet place in the 1940s and ’50s, Punta del Este has become a small city with lively beaches and nightlife. Due to a growing number of high-rise apartment buildings downtown, those in search of tranquility have been moving north along the coast to La Barra and José Ignacio or inland to the lush grasslands of gaucho country.

The sophisticated São Paulo-based Fasano Group opened its first Uruguayan property, Fasano Punta del Este, 4 miles inland at the Las Piedras development, a 20-minute drive north from the busy beaches.

The centerpiece of the 1,200-acre gated estate is a beautifully renovated chacra, or traditional brick-and-timber low-rise Uruguayan ranch house. It stands in dramatic contrast to the 20 concrete-and-glass Deluxe Bungalows and 10 Suite Bungalows designed by Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld. These have been sited on a hilltop to assure both good views and maximum privacy.

The hotel offers an outdoor pool along with a small spa that includes an indoor pool, sauna, steam room and six treatment rooms. It’s also home to a nine-hole golf course. Unwind at the property or take a short drive to soak in the last rays of sunshine at the beach before your trip home. Art lovers may want to spend a few hours at the nearby Atchugarry Museum of Contemporary Art and sculpture park.

The hotel has two great restaurants. Located on a hilltop overlooking the Maldonado River and the surrounding countryside, the dinner-only Fasano has an excellent regional Italian menu. The more casual Las Piedras in the main lodge also serves Italian food in a trattoria-like setting.

Transfer back to Montevideo’s airport, which is a little less than two hours away by car from Fasano Punta del Este, and board your flight out of Uruguay.