CasaSur Recoleta

Our time at Casa Sur Recoleta stood out among the couple of hotels we stayed in across Argentina. The hotel was spotless but still felt comfortable, and breakfast was excellent. The front-of-house team were charming throughout and always ready with help or recommendations. We also joined a fascinating, really fun Mate masterclass hosted at one of the sister hotels. It was first class from beginning to end.

The location is excellent, the staff are friendly, and breakfast is great. We still found it more like a four-star hotel than a five-star one. Most days, construction in the building next door began at 9am with intense banging. I also found it bizarre that tea and coffee weren't complimentary in the room. There was a Nespresso machine, but each pod cost $3 USD. The mattresses were very old and needed updating. Even with those downsides, we had a great stay because of the location, and we didn't really need to be in the room during construction hours.

Breakfast was nice and the location was good, but the final charge left a bitter taste. I started the shower and stepped out of the bathroom while waiting for hot water. Water spilled onto the bathroom floor, so I used towels to mop it up. I was then charged 21,000 pesos for using the towels and getting them dirty, though that only reflected the state of the floors.

All the staff, from reception to housekeeping and the restaurant, were friendly and helpful. Breakfast was attractively presented, with eggs made to order and scrambled eggs on the buffet. The hotel is intimate, with no more than three rooms on each floor. Basic rooms are a reasonable size and have nice bathrooms, but after a week I wished I'd chosen a larger room. I'd especially recommend that if you plan to work during your stay. It's ideally placed for walking around Recoleta, though not especially close to the Subte. Traffic noise wasn't an issue despite the busy street.