Buenos Aires - Argentina - page 75

Expensive
Claridge Hotel The Claridge is living testimony to the once-close ties betw een
England and Argentina. The grand entrance, with its imposing Ionic columns, mimics a
London terrace apar tment. The lobb y was r enovated in a classical style with color ed
marble. Guest rooms are spacious, tastefully decorated, and equipped with all the ameni-
ties expected of a five-star hotel. The restaurant's hunting-themed wood-paneled interior
is a registered city landmark, with a good-value menu of carefully prepared international
food for as little as $8 (£5.45), and an inviting br eakfast buffet included in the r oom
rates. Because it occasionally hosts conventions, the Claridge can become very busy. The
rates at this hotel can go do wn significantly during website promotions, pushing it into
the moderate category.
Tucumán 535 (at San M artín), 1049 Buenos Air es. & 11/4314-7700. Fax [phone]. w ww.claridge.
com.ar. 152 units. $125 (£85) double; from $176 (£120) suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC,
V. Metro: Florida. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; health club w/heated outdoor pool; exercise room; sauna;
concierge; business center; room service; massage; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, high-
speed Internet, minibar, safe.
Pan A mericano An enormous hotel, the P an Americano faces both the
Obelisco and the Teatro Colón, offering conv enient access to tourist sites as w ell as the
subte lines that conv erge on this par t of town. The South Tower rooms are a good siz e,
but the N orth Tower r ooms ar e ev en larger, and bathr ooms hav e whirlpool tubs and
separate shower units. All r ooms in both to wers come with desks, extra side chairs, and
ample closet space. The health club, spa, and sauna, in a thr ee-story glass rooftop struc-
ture, giv e the sense of floating abo ve Avenida 9 de J ulio. The health club r estaurant,
Kasuga, becomes a sushi bar at night. Two other r estaurants are located in the lobb y.
Lucíernaga, the main lobby bar where breakfast is served, is enormous, but the space has
an intimate feeling due to its niche-filled lay out and Jacobean tapestry-upholstered fur-
niture. Tomo I has a modern decor . Both spaces ser ve international, Argentine, and
Italian cuisine.
Carlos Pelligrini 551 (at C orrientes), 1009 Buenos Air es. & 11/4348-5115. Fax [phone]. w ww.
panamericano.us. 386 units. $217 (£148) double; fr om $300 (£205) suite. Rates include buffet breakfast.
AE, DC, MC, V. Free valet parking. Metro: Lavalle or Diagonal Norte. Amenities: 3 restaurants; enormous
health club w/indoor/outdoor pool; exercise room; spa; sauna; c oncierge; business center; salon; room
service; massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, mini-
bar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, safe.
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel and Convention Center Across from Retiro
train station and the British Clock Tower, the Sheraton has an ideal location for business
travelers and tourists alike. R ooms ar e large, and all r ecently r eceived ne w S heraton
trademarked Suite Sleeper bedding. The lobby is v ery busy, serving as a hub for many
activities and stor es. A ne w interactive game and business center combination ar ea was
also installed in 2006, called Link@S heraton. The hotel boasts four r estaurants that it
shares with the P ark Tower, including Crystal G arden, ser ving r efined international
cuisine in an atrium dining r oom overlooking Alem; El Aljibe, cooking Argentine beef
from the grill; Cardinale, offering Italian specialties; and Café Express, a fast-food and
pastry shop off the lobby. Its “Neptune” pool and fitness center are among the best in the
city. The entire pool and spa complex is set in a gar den, giving the sense of being in a
resort, rather than in the hear t of the city. One of the pools also contains a pr essurized
current to boost your workout during your swim.

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