Historical Hotel to open in downtown Montvideo with style and opulence

Pestana Montevideo Hotel

The Pestana Group entered into an agreement with the Jockey Club building owners, to make it a 5 star hotel that would feature 100 rooms. Rooms for social and corporate events, indoor pool, spa, restaurants and fitness center.

Photo courtesy of Karin Porley von Bergen.

The Pestana Group, an expert in restoration of old buildings must retain the original style of the place and period décor, both in the furniture and uniforms of the staff.

The refurbishment of the hotel will begin in December 2013.

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Casino Park Hotel in the city center of Montevideo

The grand Casino Park Hotel with Park Rodo and Ramirez Beach at its doorstep

Photo Fariba Golesorkhi for Life in Montevideo

in the vicinity of the city center of  Montevideo.

Fariba Golesorkhi

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Copyright (C) 2012 all rights reserved

Cafe Brasilero - Beautiful colonical architecture.

A charming cafe with atmosphere and beautiful colonial architecture.

Get a great cup of expresso, cortado or other varieties. of coffee in this cozy environment You can also enjoy cakes, warm or cold lunch.

The cafe is tastefully decorated with a old photos of artists and politicians that have frequently visited this place. Uruguayan famous writer Enrique Galeano goes there very often in the mornings.

Address: Cafe Brasilero, Ituzaingó 1447 (e/ 25 de Mayo y Rincón), Montevideo, 11000, Uruguay. Café. Get directions. +598 2917 2035.

Picture of Cafe Brailero

The cafe is usually very busy at lunch time.

Fariba Golesorkhi

www.lifeinmontevideo.blogspot.com

Plaza Matriz

Plaza Matriz has been beautifully restores in its original 1930's style. New benches and disposal bins are placed and beautiful flowers are planted. The second hand market and artists playing musical instruments contribute to make a nostalgic atmosphere.

Buenos Aires is said to be the Paris of South America, Montevideo with its beautiful buildings, green space and artistic atmosphere must be the Vienna of South America..

Exposición de Arte "Filosofía y Poesía"

American artist Ross Keegan exhibits his paintings in Cafe Bonafide Yi 1371, near Plaza Gagancha in the city center of Montevideo from August 17th 2010 to September 7th 2010.

The latest about Hotel Pestana Montevideo

Uruguay will be the 4^th South American Country in which the hotel group will be present; Pestana announces a new hotel in Montevideo.

The future Pestana Montevideo Hotel results from the reconstruction and renovation of a building from the beginning of the 20^th century which housed one of the most famous and aristocratic clubs of Uruguay – the Jockey Club. The building is considered emblematic of the city and has been classified as a Historic National Monument since 1975. Its Art Deco architecture is evident from its façade as well as its numerous decorative stained glass windows, marble, wood panelled walls, and large bronze doors.

The building is located on the most important street of the city- Avenue 18th de Julio - and only a few meters from the “Old City”, the historic district which houses the Presidency of the Republic, theatres, art centres and a commercial zone.

Brazilian architect, Jaime Morais, will be in charge of the interior and exterior. He is responsible for various other projects of Grupo Pestana in Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela. Morais was also responsible for the extraordinary decoration of the recently inaugurated Pousada do Porto. The reconstruction work will begin in March 2010 with hopes to end in the first quarter of 2012.

The Pestana Montevideo Hotel with be a luxurious 5 star hotel with 100 rooms, a spa, an indoor pool, and many meeting and event rooms. It will have two restaurants, one of which will be located on the top floor with an excellent view of Montevideo. This property will be especially desirable for the corporate and event worlds, but it will also be an excellent option for those who travel for leisure in Montevideo. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Spain will be the principal markets for the property.

The Uruguayan locale has been studied by Grupo Pestana for years. For Dionisio Pestana, President of the Group, “the entrance into a new country in South America is part of our growth strategy for the continent. It’s very important that we are present in the major cities of South America and are promoting cross-selling among the different properties and countries. This building is exactly what we were looking for.”

A touch of Middle East

In the heart of the city center across the road from Teatro Metro there is an Armenian snack bar where you can enjoy shawarma, flafel and Turkish coffee in a friendly atmosphere. The food is delicious and the coffee is excellent.

Modern shopping mall in the center

The former cinema Trecadero (18 de julio and yaguaron) which is currently accommodating the The Universal Church of Kingdom of God has been purchased by a Uruguayan business man. This building is going to be transfered into a modern shopping mall, the first of its kind in the center. As per today, all the galleries and shops on the 18 de julio close around 2.00pm on Saturdays, leaving the center empty and dull. The new shopping mall will attract people at weekends and keep the center lively and lovely.

Business is booming in the city center

According to the latest news announced by the spokesman of Center Group, there is not any commercial space available between Plaza Independencia and El Gaoucha any longer. This is very good news for the inhabitants of Montevideo, those familiar with the depressive look of the city center between 2002-2006 would certainly notice a big difference in both the look and the atmosphere.

The Spanish chain Zara is also interested in opening a new store in the center and they are looking for the suitable space. Other projects in development are a new hotel financed by Argentinian investors  and an office building, both will be situated behind the Executive Tower.

Food in Montevideo

Uruguay is not only a paradise for meat lovers, but for food lovers. The meat here is of excellent quality and the most popular way of preparing it is grill / barbecue (parrillada) or charbroiled beef  (asado). The other specialty is the Uruguayan sandwich called chivito with slices of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, ham, cheese, bacon and eggs.

There is also a variety of local fish which you can either enjoy in fish restaurants or buy fresh in specific open markets and prepare yourself.

A wide range of fruit and vegetables can be purchased directly from the farmers in open markets on specific days of the week. In addition there is an association of organic farmers, they offer their products both in an open market  and a shop in the city center.

Montevideo Today

Montevideo has the appearance of a large garden due to its healthy climate, many green squares, parks and gardens. The long line of sandy beaches also add to its natural beauty. The old part of the city (cuidad Vieja) has colonial style architecture and in the recent years the government has made a lot of effort in restoring the old buildings. The center of the city begins where the old city ends, This is the down town of Montevideo with various shops, restaurants, cinemas and theaters. In this part of the city the imported European urbanism is noticeable. there are some magnificent Belle Epoque architecture and beautiful squares.The main university, the national Library, various ministries and several embassies are also situated in the city center.