It seems like every month or two we get a press release about some new Buenos Aires boutique hotel that has been featured in a magazine’s “hot list” or “it list” some other accolade of trendiness. Very few of these hotels are as good in practice as they are through a magazine photographer’s eyes.

I’m happy to say we’ve added reviews of two new ones, however, luxury boutique hotels that held up to the scrutiny and are worth your consideration.

MIO Buenos Aires is in Recoleta, the fashionable district that houses most of the city’s other upscale hotels. MIO is different though, with only 30 rooms and plenty of friendly, personal service. You don’t have to put up with the tiny, underfurnished rooms offered by many other boutique hotels in the city and these are stocked with more amenities than even some of the big luxury brands nearby. (For starters, there’s an espresso machine and chilled wine dispenser in the rooms.) Our reviewer says, “From the quirky textural details that make the place truly comfortable and one-of-a-kind, to some of the friendliest service in the city , there is something about MIO Buenos Aires that gets under your skin and leaves you wanting to stay forever.”

Fierro Hotel Boutique is in Palermo Hollywood, a neighborhood teeming with hipsters and fashionistas, so of course it had to be stylish and modern—that’s a given. Beyond the sleek lines and contemporary furniture, however, are basics done well: effective double-glazing to keep out the city noise and ultra-comfortable bedding. The terrace suite is well worth the splurge, with its own terrace whirlpool and outdoor grill.

Fierro is a magnet for foodies, thanks to the well-known restaurant Hernán Gipponi. Our reviewer says, “Ranked in some publications as the number one rated restaurant in the city, chef Hernan brings his years of experience from the Guggenheim Bilbao and Quique Dacosta’s El Poblet in Valencia, both of which received two Michelin stars under his guidance. To be able to experience his ever-changing, seasonal menu, complimented with organic vegetables and herbs grown in an on-site garden, without leaving the comfort of your hotel, is a rare treat. A must to try is the 9-course tasting menu, which includes a tapa, two entrees, fish of the day, a rice dish, a meat dish, pre-dessert, and two desserts, all paired with great wines. The massive wine list is overseen by Andres Rosberg, who happens to be the President of the Argentine Sommelier Association.”

A lot of Buenos Aires boutique hotels look pretty and are staffed with beautiful people, but these two actually function well and have staffers who can meet your needs—often before you even know what you need.

This week we posted a detailed story on a journey to Antarctica with Quark Expeditions. Yeah I know, Antarctica is not in Latin America. It’s not really anywhere grounded in geography—it’s own continent meant for penguins, not people.

But if you’re going to Antarctica, you’re going to go through Ushuaia, Argentina. On the right tour, you’re probably going to see more than that too, maybe stopping in Buenos Aires for a while, maybe even heading over to Tierra del Fuego.

So we’ve got this story in our Luxury Travel in Argentina section. Somehow I don’t see us ever starting a whole Antarctica section—no hotels or vacation homes there, that’s for sure!

Go check it out, whether you’ve ever wanted to go there or not. As for me, I’ll be content to just check out the beautiful photos: Through the Drake Passage to Antarctica.

Sure, ski season is just getting going in the U.S. and Canada, but if you’re planning a vacation for when it’s summer in the northern hemisphere, you can still do a ski trip—in Argentina or Chile.

When we go into shorts and flip-flops mode, they’re pulling out the skiwear to shush down the slopes in places like Catedral, Las Lenas, and Valle Navado. So if you’ll like to make a ski or snowboard vacation in July or August, check out our guide to the best resorts and slopeside hotels – Southern Hemisphere Skiing: Argentina and Chile.

It can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out which resorts to focus on in these countries, so as usual we’re trying to be a filter and save you some time separating the best options from the also-rans. So we’ll not only point you to the best places to ski, but also the best beds while you’re there. Click on the link above or the photo.

See more stories on luxury travel in Argentina or Luxury Travel in Chile.

A couple years back we posted a story on touring the wine regions around Mendoza, Argentina by vehicle and bike. It seemed plenty decadent until I edited the new one we just posted from a different writer, our Buenos-Aires-based correspondent Bridget Gleeson. She really did Mendoza right with a multi-day tour set up by the company Malbec Symphony. Here’s a sampling:

“I barely sit down before a server is pouring more wine into one of the five glasses that’s been laid out for me. Hors d’ouevres are brought out, followed by grilled steak and capped off with a memorable raspberry and chocolate dessert plate, paired with a tiny glass of port wine.”

That was her third stop of the day, with one more lined up after that! At least she could return to Le Terrada Suites for a nap. See the full story here: A Decadent Symphony of Wine & Food in Mendoza.

Related website: Wine Lovers Guide

Whether you call them Iguazu, Iguassu, or Iguaçu, the waterfalls on the border of Argentina and Brazil are an amazing sight. Unfortunately, I have to be content with photos. I never made it up there when I was in Argentina because I only would have been able to spend one night in the midst of flying up there and back. That just seemed like a waste.

Our regular correspondent Nicholas Gill was more fortunate and he recently got to see the falls from above, behind, underneath, you name it. He’s given us a great rundown on all the options in this travel feature story: Adventure Excursions in and Around Iguazu Falls.

There are plenty of companies offering tours in this area, but Gill went with the one with the best reputation: Aguas Grandes. “Inside of the park the excursions do not differ form one company to the next; however, guides and transfers do differ considerably.”

As always, we’re trying to point out how “to do it right” by going with the best of the best. Click on the link or photo above to see how it went.