474 Buenos Aires Hotel

I wouldn't stay again. During my three weeks in Buenos Aires I stayed at two other hotels that were better overall for me. This place is easy to reach on foot from lots of city spots, and the staff were friendly and helpful. They even found my item caught in the towels headed to the laundry, which I really appreciated. The rooms are large but worn. I was surprised they were said to have been renovated a year ago: the sink was badly cracked, the toilet was hard to flush, and parts of the walls were banged up. You can hear noise from the hallway. I also found out the pool is at another location a couple of blocks away. Breakfast was nice, with good pastries and fresh fruit, but espresso drinks from the machine in the breakfast room cost extra. I didn't know the price and got a bill at checkout. After quite a bit of back and forth with the manager, the charge was waived, which I appreciated.

The room was very large and clean, and the toilet was spotless. The shower had great water pressure, and the location was good.

The rooms were nice, clean, and spacious, but this was probably my worst hotel experience in BA. A few hours before check-in, I got a message saying they couldn't charge my card and needed a CREDIT card or they'd cancel the booking. Luckily I was online. If I'd been on a plane or without coverage, I might have arrived to find the reservation gone. The other shock was a 100 USD laundry charge for three pieces: a jumper, shirt, and denim vest. Seriously? In 10 years of traveling around the globe, that's hands down the biggest hotel rip-off I've encountered. Hope they used some magic potion on the laundry.

The staff were very friendly and ready to help. The location in Microcentro made it easy to get everywhere. The wheels were clean and new, and I loved the bed and the hot water pressure. Both were wonderful, probably the best bed and shower I've had in years. I even took naps during the day and stayed in bed longer in the mornings.