La Viuda sits in Arenas de José Ignacio, a quiet, green corner minutes from the village and about 200 metres from the beach. The rooms are its strong suit: modern, light-filled, all with jacuzzis, some looking out to sea and others with small private pools facing the garden. It is a hotel designed for adults who want to truly disconnect without giving up easy access to the restaurants by the lighthouse.

Days here fall into place on their own: an à la carte breakfast with homemade bread and jams that stretches until one in the afternoon, massages and treatments at the spa, a deck with a heated outdoor pool in season and free bikes to pedal down to the beach. If you are travelling as a couple and looking for a seaside spa escape without the crowds of Punta del Este, this is your place.