“If Having a Room When You Arrive in BA Is Important, Then Stay Away from this Dump”
I cannot rate the rooms on this so-called "apart hotel" for I was not given the opportunity to see them, less stay in them. Furthermore, judging from the lobby appearance, it might have been a blessing in disguise. But let us start at the beginning, shall we?
I had to fly to fly to Buenos Aires on personal business, at the last minute. Many of the usual hotels I was familiar with were fully booked or their rates were very high for my budget (U$ 90 and up). Searching the usual suspects Expedia, hotels.com, and kayak, I kept turning to this mid-size hotel on Ave. Cordoba, two blocks from 9 de Julio Ave., in downtown BA. (I'm very familiar with the area, for I was born in the city, and despite this particular area not being what it used to, it is practical to hop on the metro, buses, the ferry and the local airport).
I knew that for U$ 55 I could not ask for much, but the photos looked dated, and did not convey the idea "I want to stay there". Unfortunately, I was pressed for time. I went ahead and booked it. $53 plus taxes (VAT in ARG is about 21%) including breakfast. Got my confirmation number. I was ready to go.
I arrive in BA the next day, EZE (Ezeiza International) about 45km from city center. I get to the hotel about 11AM. My fears were confirmed when I saw the dilapidated building on noisy Ave. Córdoba, its small lobby, dirty and looking very distant from 1978 when this place may have been appealing.
I walked in, I go to reception and gave the lady at the counter my confirmation number and name. She looks at the clipboard for a match (yes, I said clipboard, and not the computer screen as in the other 95% of hotels you may book online) and tells me she does not find me. She says, perhaps, due to a last minute booking, the manager will bring the confirmation later on that afternoon (Mr. Gustavo García) at around 13.30.
She also explains, check in is not until 13.00. I said OK, I would wait. I left my suitecase, and went to meet a friend at a nearby cafe to kill some time while the manager arrived.
At around 14.00 Mr. García finally arrives and claims not to have my reservation, that the hotel has no rooms available and that there is nothing he can do about it.
Wow, that's a nice surprise, wouldn't you say? He didn't even try to find an alternative accommodation or anything. He only presented me with a letter (handwritten for it seems at this hotel, it is still 1978, not even a typewriter) to present to the booking agency.
He acknowledge overbooking, and that he did not know why the online agency had accepted the reservation. It was almost 14.30, and I needed it to find a room, in a city with little availability, on a weekend, with many conventions going on and lots of Brazilians on holiday.
While I waited in the lobby, I saw things like the remote control for the TVs in the room being handed out to the guests at check in and being reminded to bring it back when checking out, and other minor details I will spare you.
I'm a flight attendant for an American airline based in London. I travel quite a bit, stay in five stars hotels while on duty, and budget accommodations while on my own time. I know hotels, on every continent (except Antarctica), and this one is one I will advise you against at all cost, unless you want to save a few bucks, while gambling, will there be a bed when I show up? I leave it up to you.
Enjoy BA and Argentina, while staying somewhere else.
C.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC