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If you’re looking for a place to slow down, choose Casa Mara. Set in the hill range of Cuchilla Grande, just over an hour from the international airport, this small complex of designer cabins is magical. No neighbours, no traffic, no power lines overhead — just gentle hills, giant rocks, sky and silence. And to combine coastal and rural Uruguay, Casa Mara Uruguay is just a half-hour detour off the coast.
The idea began with a trip to Scandinavia. Owner Marcelo was in his mid fifties when he decided to reshape his life around the countryside, eventually buying three hundred hectares in the Sierra de las Ánimas and starting a small Angus cattle operation on part of the land. Inspired by the mountain huts he had seen on a trip through Scandinavia, he built three cabins — each a little different from the next — two around dramatic, spaceship-like fireplaces, then furnished them with materials and fittings brought over from Europe. The result is a notch above the Uruguayan average for countryside stays, and guests notice it immediately.
Privacy is the whole point. The three houses are spaced far enough apart on the hillside that it is genuinely impossible to see or hear one from another. Each has a fully equipped kitchen, a private deck with its own gas parrilla (barbecue grill), and panoramic windows that run from the living room through to the bedroom and even the bathroom — with views so private that nobody will ever walk past. During my stay, five minutes with a birdwatching app turned up 23 different species, two of them unusual for the area, which gives some sense of how untouched the surroundings really are.
The pool is open all year round. A short walk above the three cabins, a natural infinity pool has been cut directly into the rock, with two lounge areas with firepits and views stretching 180 degrees across the sierra. The pool is heated to a tropical 30 degrees C in the warmer months (how most Uruguayan guests prefer it). However I visited in August — still winter — and as it was a lovely sunny day, I couldn’t resist. It looked so inviting. I channeled my inner Brit and jumped in anyway. Bracing and well worth it.
Watch the sunset from your own deck and the stars from your bed. Every house has uninterrupted views over the sierra, and the sunsets here are consistently spectacular — no need to go anywhere to see them. Skylights above the beds slide open for stargazing and close again with full blackout blinds for a lie-in.
Go horseback riding. Casa Mara’s horses are famously gentle, and rides can be arranged with the property’s capataz (ranch overseer) when he is available.
Walk the hillside trails. There is plenty of ground to explore on foot, with granite boulders — several times taller than a person — scattered across the slopes.
Sleep under the stars at Casa Mara Cielo (picture below). The newest addition to the property is totally unconventional. Your luggage is taken to the very top of the hill. Your canopied four-poster bed sits entirely in the open-air on a private platform. Your dining table and kitchen nestles down below among boulders and the shade of centuries-old coronilla trees. The open-air bathroom and shower are tucked between the rocks. A small covered cabin stands by for anyone who prefers to sleep indoors, or if the weather turns — and Casa Mara Cielo is only rented in high season. There’s a full refund if it rains.
This is a house rental, not a hotel. As Marcelo puts it, Casa Mara is a rental of houses, not a hotel with services. There is no daily staff, no meals provided and, generally, nobody around during your stay — guests come with their own provisions and cook for themselves, since there is nowhere nearby to eat out or shop. The kitchens are very well-equipped.
Couples and solo travellers only. No children and no pets are allowed.
Not suited to mobility issues. Between the rocky outcrops and the steps up to each cabin, this is not a property for anyone with limited mobility.
Arrive before sunset. The final approach follows an unpaved country lane. Lower your stress by arriving by day. Once through the main gate, follow the signs to Casa Mara and ignore the turn marked propiedad privada (private property).
Meet the resident alpaca — from a distance. A territorial alpaca called Juaco grazes at the entrance to the property; he won’t hurt you, but best not to approach him.
The owner is often around. Marcelo isn’t on site every day, but is usually there on weekends and speaks English.
Cash or bank transfer only. Credit cards are not accepted. A 50% deposit by bank transfer confirms any booking and is non-refundable. In case of cancellation, the deposit may be applied to a new date within 12 months of the original check-in date.
Casa Mara sits in the Sierra de las Ánimas, near Pan de Azúcar, about two hours by car from Montevideo, just over an hour from Carrasco International Airport, and around fifty minutes from Punta del Este.
From 190 USD/night.
Casa Mara Cielo: 280 USD/night, high season only, fully refundable if it rains.
Big discounts for mid-week stays and stays of 3+ nights (for example, through December offers three midweek nights for the price of two). Just reach out to Marcelo.
Casa Mara
www.casamara.uy
Cno. Mattos Moglia, Sierra de las Ánimas, Pan de Azúcar, Maldonado, Uruguay
+598 98 532 548
info@casamara.uy
