Buenos Aires - Argentina - page 84

86 V. No parking. Metro: Callao. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; gym; business ser vices; room service; laundry

service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, minibar, safe.
Etoile Hotel Value In the heart of Recoleta, steps from the neighborhood's fash-
ionable restaurants and cafes, the 14-stor y Etoile is an older hotel with Turkish flair. It's
not as luxurious as the ar ea's other fiv e-star venues, but it 's not as expensiv e, either—
making it a good v alue for the neighborhood. Color ed in gold and cr eam, guest rooms
are fairly large—although they're not really “suites,” as the hotel describes them. E xecu-
tive rooms have separate sitting areas, large tile-floor bathrooms with whirlpool tubs, and
balconies. Rooms facing south have balconies overlooking Plaza Francia and the Recoleta
Cemetery.
Roberto M. Ortiz 1835 (at Guido overlooking Recoleta Cemetery), 1113 Buenos Aires. & 11/4805-2626.
Fax [phone]. www.etoile.com.ar. 96 units. $145 (£98) double; from $190 (£129) suite. Buffet break-
fast $10 (£6.80). AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. No metro access. Amenities: Restaurant; rooftop health club
w/indoor pool; exercise room; concierge; executive business services; room service; laundry service; dry
cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, high-speed Internet, minibar, hair dryer.
Inexpensive
The Recoleta Hostel Finds This is a gr eat inexpensive choice for y oung people
who want to be in a beautiful neighborhood close to ev erything, but can 't or dinarily
afford such a location. A ccommodations are simple, with 22 bunk bed-filled r ooms for
8 to 12 people each. Two double rooms with private bathrooms can also be r ented, but
they hav e bunk beds, too, so couples wishing to cozy up will hav e to get r eally cozy.
Rooms ar e simple, with bar e floors and walls, beds, and a small wooden desk in the
private rooms. The decor is reminiscent of a convent. Public areas have high ceilings, and
there is a public kitchen, a TV room, laundry service, lockers, and an outdoor patio.
Libertad 1216 (at Juncal), 1012 Buenos Air es. & 11/4812-4419. Fax [phone]. www.trhostel.com.ar.
75 bed spaces, including 4 in 2 bedrooms with private bathroom. From $11 (£7.45) per bed; $45 (£30) per
private room. Rates include continental breakfast. No credit cards. Metro: Lavalle. Amenities: Concierge;
high-speed Internet; Wi-Fi; shared kitchen; outdoor patio; lockers. In room: Hair dryer.
SAN TELMO
Inexpensive
El Lugar Gay This is Buenos Aires's first exclusively gay hotel, but it is open only
to men. It's inside a historic turn-of-the-last-century building less than a block from Plaza
Dorrego, the heart of San Telmo. It has a homey feeling, with industrial chic well blended
into a century-old interior. Nestor and Juan, the gay couple who o wn the building, run
a friendly staff, but most don't speak much English. Ask for the r ooms in the back with
the beautiful views of the Church of San Telmo, which is beside the building. Rooms are
small and sparse. S ome shar e bathr ooms with adjacent r ooms, but one gr oup has a
Jacuzzi. Rooms do not have phones, but some have small desks or tables for use as work-
stations. Several flights of narrow stairs leading to the hotel 's lobby and rooms might be
a problem for people with limited mobility. The hotel becomes a de facto gay community
center at times, with its small cafe and Sunday evening tango lessons at 7pm, conducted
by the gay tango gr oup La Marshall. These are open to the public, so ev en if you don't
stay here, you can still visit.
Defensa 1120 (at Humberto I), 1102 Buenos Aires. & 11/4300-4747. www.lugargay.com.ar. 7 rooms, some
with shared bathrooms. From $35-$55 (£24-£37) double . Rates include c ontinental breakfast. No cr edit
cards. Metro: Independencia. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; business center. In room: A/C, TV, small safe.

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