Punta del Este

Slick, low-slung new hotel by the Fasano Group ("the smartest hotel group in South America", says Tatler), in La Barra (Punta del Este). La Piedras' hillside setting offers "sweeping" views of the coast.  [Tatler]  In June 2012, Harper's Bazaar says La Piedras is a great spot to chill and enjoy "rugged" vistas. "Hotel Fasano Las Piedras' rooms are vast and state-of-the-art; its pool seems to have been carved out of the rocks, and melts into the epic landscape."  [Bazaar]  La Piedras is also a great spot to "paint the town red," according to Uruguay native, Gabe Saporta, Cobra Starships's front man. "it’s a great date spot if you can get a reservation," he tells Vanity Fair in the attached review of his favorite spots in Punta del Este.  HOT TIP BY GABE SAPORTA:  "The beach scene can get crazy in Punta, especially in the weeks around the New Year. But there are some amazing secret beaches you can go to if you know your way around. One of the easiest things to do is to go to Isla Gorriti, which is a small island right in front of La Playa Mansa. If you don’t know anyone with a boat, you can take an inexpensive ferry from the port downtown. It drops you off in front of the island (the side visible from the shore), but if you walk through the island, you will find some of the most unbelievable yachts docked in the back for the day."