Duque Hotel Boutique & Spa

The pool and patio were a nice way to cool off after a busy day. It’s a large old terrace home that’s been converted, in a great location, with 24-hour staff who provided terrific service. My room was small but worked well, with nice bed linens and average towels. Breakfast was disappointing, the Wi-Fi barely worked, and there were no toilet amenities. Worth trying, though a bit overpriced for what you get.

The staff were attentive and welcoming, which was the saving grace. Still, when I arrived early, they told me to go out and said they’d contact me when the room was ready. I came back 20 minutes before check-in and the room was prepared, but nobody had contacted me. I don’t understand the high rating. With 4.6 / 5 stars I expected a luxurious stay with all the details taken care of, and that wasn’t what my party or I got. The rooms are small, which I expected of a boutique hotel, but having to shut the bathroom door completely just to use the toilet was ridiculous. The floor towel outside the shower had to be moved every time the door opened or closed. The pool didn’t look particularly clean, and there was a fan I nearly hit my head on, even though I’m only 6’2” / 188cm. You have to ring the bell to get into the building, then wait for reception to open the front door. I was left outside waiting more than once. If I needed to get inside quickly for safety, what then? No key card access is an odd and frustrating setup. The Wi-Fi kept dropping, and they often reset the routers. There are 10+ networks. Maybe half that number could work consistently. I’m writing this from the hotel lobby on my expensive global data. For the price, I think you’d get more for less at a nice Airbnb.

Ricardo was especially helpful when I needed to book a flight because of strike action in the country. We stayed five nights, and the room was very comfortable. The hotel owner put on an asado in the beautiful garden, which was interesting and fun. Everyone made us feel warmly welcome in Buenos Aires. Thanks to all the staff.

Candela was so sweet and knows the area really well. The hotel sits just off a main street, within walking distance of the planetarium and hop-on hop-off bus stops. I had a great stay and am coming back.