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rooms are not very large, but the setup—a small antechamber with the bedr oom to one
side, the bathroom to the other—adds a sense of privacy to the spaces, even when shared
by a couple. Suites are similar, but with an added living ar ea.
Av. de Mayo (at Lima and Av. 9 de Julio), 1152 Buenos Aires. & 11/4383-5000. Fax [phone]. www.
castelarhotel.com.ar. 151 units, including 70 suites. $150 (£103) double; $225 (£154) suit e. Rates include
buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking $12 (£8.20). Metro: Lima. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; small health
club; extensive spa; business services; room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; Wi-Fi; rooms for those
w/limited mobility (minimal accommodation). In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, minibar.
Inexpensive
Hotel Ritz This is one of my fav orite bargain hotels in B uenos Aires, due to its
price, the warmth of the staff , and its location at the junctur e of 9 de Julio and Avenida
de Mayo. Of the 38 rooms, 30 are large enough for doubles or triples, and 24 rooms have
balconies facing the str eet (anyone who saw the r eally awful movie Testosterone, starring
Antonio S abato, Jr., and S onia B raga, will r ecognize the balconies). H igh ceilings in
many rooms maintain intricate plaster work, French doors, and brass fixtures. The bath-
rooms are hit-or-miss—some have only showers with low water pressure. Wi-Fi is free in
the breakfast room. The maids here are very much like second mothers o verseeing your
stay in Buenos Aires. There is an elevator, but staircases lead to it, making it hard to access
for those with limited mobility. Most of the clients are Europeans or Argentines on busi-
ness but on a budget. R ooms do not have safes, but front desk staff will guard valuables
and arrange side trips and city tours as w ell.
Av. de Mayo 1111 (at 9 de Julio), 1085 Buenos Aires. & /fax [phone] units. From $50 (£34) double.
Rates include c ontinental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Off-site parking $12 (£8.20). M etro: Lima. Amenities:
Concierge; room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; small meeting center; Wi-Fi. In room: A/C, TV.
PUERTO MADERO
There are no convenient metro stops to this neighborhood.

5

Very Expensive
The Faena Hotel and Universe The Faena opened to much fanfare among
fashionistas in O ctober 2004, with its P hilippe Starck design and handsome, camera-
ready owner, who gave the hotel his name.The hotel is built into El Porteño, an old grain
silo, and feels like a r esort within the city. In the public spaces, decay ed Edwardian ele-
gance meets countr y chic—with tin metal sheeting, peeling paint, ne w ornamental
plaster ceiling molding made to look old. M any original elements of the grain building
were maintained. In the rooms, midcentury classical meets modern—with white Empire-
style furnishings in modern surr oundings, and cut-glass mirr ors reminiscent of colonial
Mexico. White and r ed ar e key color elements thr oughout the o versize r ooms, with
interesting touches such as heavy velvet curtains controlled electronically. Each room has
a home enter tainment center. Bathrooms are enormous, completely mirr ored, outfitted
with oversize tubs. Some of the rooms facing the city skyline and the port have incredible
vistas; others overlook the nearby Ecological Reserve and the Río de la P lata. The Faena
was designed as a sor t of resort within the confines of the city . The spa is spacious and
unique, using the r ound shapes of the silos to gr eat effect, with Turkish-style hammam
baths and a special stone I ncan-style sauna shaped like an igloo . Guests also receive free
private transfers from the airport.
Martha Salotti 445 (at Av. Juana Manso), 1107 Buenos Aires. & 11/4010-9000. Fax [phone]. www.
faenahotelanduniverse.com. 103 units, including 14 suites and 20 apts of var ying size, space, and price.
From $600 (£410) double; from $865 (£591) suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V. Parking