Rich history, culture and entertainment abound in the Argentinian capital, home to the charming Recoleta Plaza Boutique Hotel
Buenos Aires, the most European of South American cities, is back. Actually it never really went away, for even when the country was struggling and the peso nearly worthless the city was an exciting place to be. Today, with the troubles behind her, it is even more so.
At 203sq km Buenos Aires is a massive place. Distances are great and even crossing 9 de Julio, said to be the world’s widest boulevard (nine lanes each way and a park in the middle), takes time. With 48 official barrios (neighbourhoods), some a lot nicer than others, it is important to know where to stay. The 52-room Recoleta Plaza Boutique Hotel answers that question nicely.
First the area. When the cholera epidemic of 1867-68 swept through the city, those with the means, the moneyed bonaerenses, moved quickly to higher, and safer, ground. Thus Recoleta, the city’s most elegant barrio was born. With a look strikingly like Paris yet with a bit of added Latin charm, today Recoleta is elegant and chic. Each evening the streets are abuzz with the city’s great and beautiful on their way to one of the many gourmet restaurants or cool clubs.
Situated in the centre of Recoleta, and within walking distance from the financial and commercial districts of Buenos Aires, the Recoleta Plaza Boutique Hotel offers a quiet home in the heart of the action.
The rooms are decorated with Louis XV and Queen Anne-style furniture and come equipped with the latest in creature comforts, including wide screen plasma TVs, DVD players, broad band internet access, pillow menus, 24-hour room and on-call butler services, and hydro-massage bathtubs.
The true charm of the hotel, however, lies outside the rooms, in the chilled-out atmosphere of its common areas. From the welcoming drink to the daily afternoon tea service (featuring the hotel’s own special blend), to the quiet library, everything here is imbued with a feeling of relaxation and good vibes.
Any stress you bring back from a day’s shopping or sightseeing can be quickly soothed away, be it in the relaxing spa; among the lush gardens of the Mallorca Terrace, complete with a turn of the century, iron-and-wood frame gazebo; or with a cool drink on the Ibiza terrace, situated in one of the building’s towers and offering incredible views of the city.
For foodies, Recoleta offers a fine dining bistro, famous for its selection of tapas and, of course, the ever-present Argentine beef. And music lovers should note the Jazz Voyeur Club, which combines excellent live music with a delicious tapas menu, aptly called ‘Big Band Tapeo’.
Finally, don’t forget to visit the cemetery, one of the most popular attractions of Buenos Aires, and within walking distance of the hotel. Although it was told not to, this is where Argentina comes to cry for Eva Perón, whose tomb is among the thousands of elaborate marble mausoleums that fill the grounds. – Guy Fiorita
