South American Hamptons: The New Polo Capital
- Sep 4
- 4 min read
Uruguay’s eastern coast, epitomized by the sophisticated Punta del Este, is experiencing a remarkable boom in polo club development and related luxury ventures, transforming it into a premier global destination for the sport.
For years, Gonzalo Pieres—founder of the Ellerstina empire, a visionary often credited with inventing modern polo—has championed Punta del Este's potential to extend the international season. His thesis: once the legendary Argentine Open in Palermo concludes and the polo frenzy in Buenos Aires winds down, the action should seamlessly move across the Río de la Plata.
Uruguay, the small, stable South American nation, is literally next door. Punta del Este is a mere 40-minute flight or a short two-hour drive from the Argentine capital. Pieres’s vision is now becoming reality. Teams and international patrons are increasingly viewing Uruguay’s coastal haven as the perfect opportunity to keep playing, especially when seeking refuge from the intense summer heat of Buenos Aires. Punta del Este offers world-class polo, vast equestrian facilities, serene countryside, gourmet dining, and breathtaking golden sunsets over the Atlantic.
While the roots of polo here are humble—traditionally an amateur, friends-and-family affair that peaked in the 1990s with the Medellín Polo Club—the current wave is anything but. The closure of Medellín around 2000 paved the way for Pieres's ambitious vision to take hold.
The momentum is now undeniable. In December 2024, the Brazilian luxury brand Fasano debuted a gated community and hotel complex featuring a pristine polo field, a private airstrip for guests, and a golf course designed by the late Arnold Palmer. According to Forbes, Fasano ranks among the top five hotel brands favored by the ultra-wealthy.
Nearby in José Ignacio, German ex-investment banker Michael Klein developed the impressive Estancia Santa Cruz. This sustainable, solar-powered resort and polo club spans roughly 250 acres and can host nearly 200 horses on superb Tifton grass fields, alongside a luxury hotel, gourmet restaurant, and guest cabins.
But there's more. José Ignacio is also home to the Vik Polo Club, founded by Norwegian billionaire Alexander Vik (net worth: $1 billion, per Forbes). This retreat is a masterpiece of artistic design and avant-garde architecture. Beyond polo, guests can enjoy horseback riding, tennis, cycling, and kayaking.
On the coast, Argentine millionaire Eduardo Costantini has teamed up with living polo legend Adolfo Cambiaso to build an all-inclusive destination for the so-called “sport of kings.”
These new developments join the established Punta del Este Polo Club, an impressive country club set within a dense eucalyptus forest and home to the Uruguayan Open.
Argentine entrepreneur Jorge “Corcho” Rodriguez is also making his mark with Yellow Rose Polo Ranch near San Carlos. The property blends rustic and modern design with vintage decor, reflecting Rodriguez's passion for the sport. The ranch has hosted events with top players and features its own vineyards, a helipad, and the Wild Ranch Studios recording facility, where global music stars have recorded and Rodriguez himself jams on the blues with friends like Johnny Depp.
Meanwhile, seasoned Uruguayan player Matías Carrique, who teams up with Swiss investor Sacha Fedier of VT Wealth Management AG, has developed Rincón del Polo in José Ignacio. This natural retreat offers a polo field, a training school, horse training facilities, and guest bungalows, attracting visitors from around the world.
This is all part of a broader polo renaissance solidifying Punta del Este’s status as a year-round hub for both old and new money. A growing number of Europeans and Americans now call Uruguay home for part of the year, seeking a sunny, safe haven for investment and retirement.
Punta del Este offers a rare mix of established wealth and relative stability in a region often known for volatility. This appeal, combined with an influx of star Argentine players and horses—facilitated by a recent bilateral agreement that saw horse imports jump from 34 to 240 in a single season—is fueling the boom along this stretch of sand often dubbed the Hamptons of South America.
The sport’s elite is taking notice. At the Fasano, rooms start at around $700 a night in peak season. Its polo field is a partnership with Nacho Figueras, one of the sport’s top ambassadors and a former Ralph Lauren model.
Yet, Uruguayan polo retains a uniquely accessible spirit. The Uruguayan Polo Association encourages clubs not to charge spectator fees. “Here polo is open to everyone. You have the chance of crossing paths with billionaires, actors, models, or whoever,” says Chairman Alexis Guynot.
The high-octane growth extends beyond the polo fields. In December, Punta’s airport inaugurated a new private jet terminal triple the size of the old facility. The concentration of wealth is palpable; as reported by The New York Times, a significant portion of the Americas' wealthiest individuals ring in the New Year here.
The real estate market mirrors this energy. Alongside Cipriani’s $500 million complex (which includes a $17 million penthouse already sold), a World Trade Center-branded tower is slated to open soon, complementing massive new film studios dubbed the "Hollywood of South America." Developers are also breaking ground on gated communities featuring amenities like massive pools with artificial wave generators for surfing.
Polo will only boost the cachet of Punta and trendy enclaves like José Ignacio, potentially attracting an audience beyond players’ inner circles as well-heeled visitors begin to see it as premier entertainment.
As investor Michael Klein, who poured over $10 million into Estancia Santa Cruz, asserts: “Punta del Este will be in the top 10 locations for polo in the world.”
Eduardo Costantini, a real estate titan behind projects in Key Biscayne, Bal Harbour, and Buenos Aires's Nordelta, has long had an eye on Punta. Now, he plans to invest at least $50 million in a new private enclave north of Punta. The 358-acre project, developed with Cambiaso, will feature 400 housing lots, a polo club, a gym, swimming pool, and at least one regulation-size field—adding to the area's existing nine—with an expected completion date of late 2027.
