HOTEL BEL AIR BUENOS AIRES

A little tired on the inside but the staff and location make up for it. Rooms clean and comfy but nothing flash. Breakfast basic but well stocked. It's the helpful reception staff that made this Hotel and our stay here. We increased our stay here due to airline changes and they could not have been more helpful.

I stayed here for two nights with a colleague in a separate room. We were both most disappointed. I was even more disappointed when I noticed that the hotel failings (which are minor and easy to rectify!) have been mentioned by other guests before me in these reports but the management ignore them. Firstly, I like an ironed shirt when I go to work. That means when I arrive late from the airport and need to iron a shirt I need an iron! They are very inexpensive. To be told that in the morning the staff will iron my shirts at a cost of P21.00 each is just not acceptable when I need to start early! Secondly the treadmill in the little gym is very dangerous. The belt slips and is worn out. This is a health and safety issue. The manager has been made aware of it but clearly is ignoring it. When you go above fast walking pace and try to run, the rubber belt slips an grabs which constantly puts you off balance unpredictably and risks making you fall off the machine. Thirdly the shower heads in our two rooms both needed replacing. They are broken and more water spreads sideways than actually comes out of the shower head. Again, cheap and quick to fix. Fourthly there were light bulbs in my room that needed replacing. Three to be precise. Two in the vertical uplighter which didn't work at all and was the only light at the far end of the room and the desk lamp bulk which flickers constantly and will give a headache in a very short time to anyone who has to use it. I know because it did to me! In general the lighting is terrible throughout. It's dark and dingy. The bathrooms have just one light over the sink which means you're showering in the dark... potentially romantic for two, but sadly the bath/shower arrangement is cramped and the last thing you would consider is any form or romance there... Yes there is a financial crisis in Argentina, but this hotel wasn't cheap, yet every corner that can be cut is being not just cut but shredded. If you had the patience to read this then I would suggest you are equally patient and look for a different hotel. The only good thing about this one currently is the district.

I stayed here for 8 days on a business trip and was very content. The hotel is one block away from the main shopping street of Santa Fe, opposite a quiet park. It is a pleasant hotel with good sized rooms and decent wifi. I had a double bed, desk area and bathroom. The latter, particularly the shower, was in need of renovation, and the open drain could cause the bathroom to smell a bit, but not to the point that it was overbearing - it's just reality in many South American cities. The hotel restaurant was the only part that let the hotel down. The menu is extremely limited, and doesn't differ between lunchtimes and dinner, so if you've had one meal in the hotel chances are you'll be stuck to find another! It's mainly sandwiches and chips, etc - very little salads, and the one Caesar salad which I tried was so overpowered with mayonnaise that it was like some hideous gloop. Opposite the hotel sit a couple of restaurants, although service standards tend to be slow - something I have found in many South American countries. The breakfast the hotel offered was limited, but there was enough to choose from (fruit salad, yoghurt, toast, cheese and ham). The hotel had good security, and I felt very safe, even walking around the area in the early to mid evening (B.A has plenty of horror stories, many of which are sadly true). All in, I paid around £90 per night and feel I got value for money. The next time I am in Buenos Aires, I will not hesitate in staying there again - I just hope they have changed the menu!

Helpful info: There's no iron in the room, but they will send one. There is a hair dryer in the room and a mini-bar. But there is no coffee service in the room (bring your cup and instant, with 220-capable water heater). Both outlet types are present in the room and you'll need the v-shaped one to plug in in the bathroom. The bad: 1) They claim they have a fitness room, but don't be fooled. There is an ancient treadmill that does operate, if you can figure out how to make it go. However, it is absolutely dangerous to use. Your feet will occasionally go down instead of back on the tread, which jerks. If you use it, hold on tight, seriously. There's also one of those weight machines, but I didn't try it out. That's all. 2) On weekdays, the free coffee with breakfast is not drinkable. On weekends, they bring out the big machine and it's good. 3) The elevator requires that you scan your room key to go up. However, the door to the stairs just past the reception desk is always unlocked, so anyone could enter without a room key. That said, I felt very safe there. Just sayin'. 4) The building itself is old and has old plumbing, so that is expected. But that is not an excuse for the mildew in and around the shower. That was gross. The bathroom smells, but cover the drains and keep the door closed. The drains are slow. The good probably outweighs the bad though: Friendly service, good food, good location (walking distance to many interesting places), room was very quiet, comfortable bed and pillows, good lighting, plenty of electrical outlets, updated room that wasn't huge, but perfectly fine for working.

3 star hotel, however beds were super comfortable and staff was exceptional. Location to walking many different sites was ideal. I only ate breakfast every morning I was there and the food was plentiful but average. Workout room needs updating.