Source: Beyond Black Magazine Online
By: Billy Tolson
03.13.2013
If Buenos Aires is considered the “Paris of the South”, then there is but one hotel which exemplifies the joie de vivre spirit.
Perfectly situated within the Recoleta district’s nostalgic Belle Époque architecture, Algodon Mansion exudes class through every pore of its French classical façade. Boasting just 10 suites across 4 floors, this boutique hotel assigns 24-hour butlers to each room, which helps to convey the elegance and establish the privacy one can expect during their stay in this Argentine masterpiece.
Each room hints at its own storied history with imported dark woods and Italian marble throughout, yet a recent renovation brought with it increased comfort and technology upgrades. The steam-showers feature multi-jet fixtures, and the comfortable soaking tubs emit a warm glow of colorful lights.
In the Ambassador Suite, the sumptuous bed is surrounded by cream-colored suede walls and silk curtains, while ample light filters across the room courtesy of the light well waterfall that travels down five stories in the adjacent lobby.
The crown jewel of Algodon Mansion is the spacious Royal Suite. Clocking in at a generous 1,300 square feet, this opulent chamber includes a dining room, living room, and a wet bar that serves as a shrine to wine.
When you are able to pull yourself away from the comfortable confines of your room, make your way to the lobby bar, which features a Veuve Clicquot branded lounge. Known for serving the finest Cognacs, this is the perfect spot to whet your appetite, as the in-house restaurant Chez Nous is just across the hall.
Just as Algodon Mansion is the first Relais & Châteaux hotel in Buenos Aires, the famed Chez Nous is the second restaurant in the city to be awarded this noble distinction.
The restaurant’s limited number of seats allow for an intimate dining experience, which is almost required as the dishes deserve your full attention. The seasonal menu reinterprets traditional Argentine dishes with a French twist, all the while using locally-sourced ingredients. Additional ingredients are acquired from sister property, Algodon Wine Estates, in San Rafael, Mendoza. This award-winning wine resort provides the restaurant with fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and a multitude of fine wines. As you comb through the menu, seeking out the perfect meal, your server brings a trio of breads that are baked in-house, complimented by a delicious olive-butter tapenade. When in Argentina, you must try the local favorite: empanadas. The Chez Nous version includes a delicate pastry that did not interfere with the gourmet beef filling, while the accompanying chimichurri provided a fragrant focal point.
The staff is far from obtrusive, but masterful at filling your wine and water glass so that it never appears to have emptied at all. Before you know it, the entrées arrive promptly, almost out of thin air. We dined on free-range grilled chicken with sautéed vegetables and a cut of the legendary Argentine beef, which was surrounded by crisp roasted potato wedges. The portions were quite generous, but we managed to parlay the evening into a nightcap of delicious Dulce de Leche.
The next morning, we took breakfast in the comfort of the oversized King bed, before spending a lazy afternoon relaxing in the summer sun on the rooftop teak deck. When the heat becomes too much, you can easily cool off with a quick dip in the adjacent plunge pool. This penthouse veranda oasis also has a Davidoff Cigar lounge on offer, and a cocktail bar serving refreshments. Across from this playground is the hotel spa, providing the latest treatments and technology from Europe’s finest spas. With an emphasis on organic, non-invasive, and non-aggressive products for the face and body, Le Spa is the ideal retreat for the weary traveler.
The hotel is also available for private events and parties, and has a nice collection of top companies that have taken advantage of this fact, including Chanel, Citibank, and Sotheby’s. Should you require complete privacy for your family and guests, Algodon Mansion offers you the privilege of renting the entire mansion.
Algodon Mansion in Buenos Aires, Argentina
www.algodonmansion.com | info@algodonmansion.com | +54 (11) 3530 7777
About Algodon Mansion
Algodon Mansion is an all-suite luxury boutique hotel in Buenos Aires’ most elegant residential neighborhood, Recoleta. The mansion’s hotel and restaurant are proud members of Relais & Châteaux, whose fellowship represents the best of the world’s finest hoteliers, chefs and restaurateurs, setting the standard for excellence in hospitality. Algodon Mansion is currently ranked the #2 Best Luxury Hotel in all of South America and the #1 Best Luxury Hotel in Argentina from TripAdvisor’s 2013 Travelers' Choice® awards, and is featured among Andrew Harper’s 2013 Grand Awards, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2011 Hot List, Travel+Leisure’s 2011 It List, and Elite Traveler’s Top Hotel Suites 2011, among many other accolades. Algodon Mansion currently features the Veuve Clicquot Lounge in its ground floor lobby bar, and the Davidoff Cigar Lounge located on the hotel’s open-air rooftop.