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international cuisine and a wrapar ound vie w o verlooking the O belisco. There is a
medium-size heated rooftop pool, but its location in the back of the building means thee
is no view from up here.
Carlos Pellegrini 507 (at Corrientes), 1009 Buenos Aires. & 11/4320-3500. Fax [phone]. www.colon-
hotel.com.ar. 173 units , including 35 suit es. From $165 (£113) double; fr om $225 (£154) suit e. R ates
include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking $12 (£8.20). Metro: Carlos Pellegrini or 9 de Julio. Ameni-
ties: Restaurant; bar; pool; small health club; c oncierge; business c enter; 24-hr. room service; laundry
service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, minibar, hair dryer, safe.
Howard Johnson F lorida Street Value Having taken o ver this pr operty
from Cour tyard by Marriott, this H oward Johnson is an ex cellent choice for trav elers
who don't require many special services. It has a great location off Calle Florida near Plaza
San Martín, with access through a shopping-and-restaurant gallery on the ground level.
Guest rooms come equipped with sleeper chairs (in addition to the bed), large desks and
dressers, and w ell-appointed bathr ooms. R oom siz e is abo ve av erage in this categor y.
Each room has two phones, and local calls and I nternet use are free—a rarity in Buenos
Aires. There's a small, air y cafe and bar in the lobb y, with additional food ser ved in the
gallery below. Four small budget-priced function r ooms off the lobb y are available for
business and social ev ents. The hotel also adv ertises extensively as gay-friendly. There is
no pool or health club on pr emises, but access is offer ed fr ee of charge to a nearb y

facility.
Calle Florida 944 (at Alvear), 1005 Buenos Aires. & 11/4891-9200. Fax [phone]. www.hojoar.com.
77 units. $157 (£107) double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: San Martín. Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; business services; room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; conference center; Wi-Fi in
lobby. In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, large safe.
Lafayette Hotel Kids Popular with European and Brazilian travelers, the Lafay-
ette Hotel has spacious r ooms, with some ev en large enough to accommodate an entir e
family. Each has a desk, and all rooms have Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are hit-or-miss—some are
large, others seem like jammed-together after thoughts. Street-side r ooms ar e gr eat for
people-watching in the MicroCentro, though you should expect some noise. Back rooms
are quieter but offer limited vie ws. The location is ideal for M icroCentro's Lavalle and
Calle Florida shopping, and the sub way is only a fe w blocks away. The buffet breakfast
is generous and varied, offering made-to-order omelets on r equest. The hotel is built in
two par ts with two differ ent elev ator bays, so if y ou're staying with friends or family ,
request rooms in the same division of the hotel. A tiny new 24-hour gym and sauna also
opened in the building's basement, along with a ne w lobby renovation.
Reconquista 546 (at Viamonte), 1003 Buenos Aires. & 11/4393-9081. Fax [phone]. www.lafayette
hotel.com.ar. 83 units, including 2 suites. From $168 (£115) double; from $300 (£205) suite. Rates include
generous buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Florida. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; fitness room; sauna;
concierge; small business c enter; room ser vice; laundr y ser vice; dr y cleaning. In room: A/C, T V, Wi-Fi,
minibar, hair dryer, safe.

5

NH Florida This is a simple, well-located, four-star hotel less than a block away from
the Galerías Pacífico. It opened in 2001 in an older apartment hotel, but the original old
building was completely gutted. Views are not the focus at NH F lorida, surrounded by
buildings of the same siz e, but the r ooms ar e larger than most in this price categor y.
Almost all have wood floors with small carpets, adding a simple elegance to the modern
decor. All rooms have free high-speed Internet access and a good workstation. Suites are
much larger, with large doors to wall off the guest ar eas from the sitting r oom. At the
time of this writing, this hotel had plans to expand b y adding ne w rooms on the first