Religious images hang above ornately gilded beds, antique wardrobes sit on tiled floors and shutters open on to the garden.

The ranch is on the subtropical banks of the Parana, and as well as hiking, horseriding, swimming and football, guests can join gauchos at work.

Estancia Santa Cecilia, Ruta Nacional 12, Candelaria, Misiones (00 54 3752 493 018; www. santacecilia. com. ar). Doubles start at 150 La Candelaria Polo, Buenos Aires With its fairytale spires and fields of horses, the white-stone castle of La Candelaria, 100km north of Buenos Aires, is perfect for polo princesses. Built a century ago in the style of a French chateau, the property brims with regal decor. The gardens, created by acclaimed landscape architect Carlos Thays, are filled with banana trees and casuarinas as well as statues, fountains and even a Dutch windmill. But it is polo that takes centre stage with coaching and tournaments for all levels.

La Candelaria, Lobos, Buenos Aires (00 54 2227 424404; www. lacandelariapolo. com). Doubles start at 175, full board The House of Jasmines, Salta An avenue of trees guides visitors to the 120-year-old House of Jasmines in the north-west province of Salta. The owners are the Argentina-loving, tango-dancing actor Robert Duvall and his wife Luciana Pedraza. At the heart of the 300-acre ranch in the Andean foothills is a Spanish colonial inn filled with elegant cream furnishings, indigenous artefacts and candles. Homemade cooking is served while a spa completes the package.

The House of Jasmines, Ruta Nacional No 51, Kilometro 11, La Merced Chica, Salta (00 54 0387 497 2002; www. houseofjasmines. com).

Doubles start at 100, including breakfast Estancia Ancon, Mendoza Estancia Ancon sits 1,300 metres above sea level in the western province of Mendoza and is owned by the Bombal family, a stately clan of French origin and pioneers of the Argentine wine industry.

The 2,300-hectare ranch is home to vineyards, a modern winery and a cattlebreeding ranch. The Chateau D'Ancon was built in 1933 as a summer residence for the family. A library, music room and six guestrooms provide a suitably aristocratic retreat for ranch visitors.

Estancia Ancon, San Jose-Tupungato, Mendoza (00 54 261 420 0037; www. estanciancon. com) Doubles start at 310, including a wine tasting Rincon Chico, Patagonia An 'eco-ranch' in coastal Patagonia, Rincon Chico offers visitors the chance to view the region's wildlife as well as life on a working cattle farm. A simple, sun-filled building with white vaulted ceilings, it provides a serene base for exploring on the ranch's fleet of bicycles. Expect to spot elephant seals and sea lions in the ocean, while Patagonian hares, guanacos, grey foxes and armadillos abound inland.

Estancia Rincon Chico, Peninsula Valdes Lote 113, Patagonia (00 54 2965 471 733; www. rinconchico. com. ar). Closed from mid-April to August. Doubles from 160, half-board