We booked through Gate 1 Travel. It is rated 3* but I think they forgot to put the minus sign before the 3. The reception is shabby, old fashioned and dirty. The rooms were worse. They were not only dirty but so filthy that what appeared to be a grey line around the base boards without my glasses on, turned out to be dust so thick and impacted it was a permanent feature! The orange carpets were stained so badly it looked like a kennel rug and the walls were splattered with liquids of goodness knows what. The view was a huge elevator shaft wall with trash at the bottom of it. What a let down! One thing in it's favour was the friendliness of the young lads in reception. You could see they got plenty of complaints and were unhappy about them, but because they didn't speak a word of English it was difficult to explain anything. There are a number of 4 star hotels in the same street that are of a much higher standard and only a few dollars more. We booked for 3 nights and at 6am after the first night we moved out.

I chose the Impala on the basis of (a) the best price I could find in downtown Buenos Aires for the period I needed (in this case only 2 weeks in advance, booking through OPODO at US$ 92 /night) and (b) the previous reviews in Tripadvisor.
The hotel is situated in the upmarket part of the Retiro Barrio about half way between the Microcentro and Recoletta, i.e. ideally - just off Santa Fee and plenty of shops nearby.
Although the street (Libertad) is pretty busy, I had a room at the back (small window looking out into concrete on all sides) which was really very quiet, except for the occassional noises of machinery.
First impression of the room was pretty small with tatty worn carpets and furniture that had had some stick, but it had been well cleaned and when I pulled back the bedclothes and found crisp white sheets and then discovered first class towelling in the bathroom, I knew it was going to be alright. I had a two bed room as a single, which was fine for me, but I would be really too small for two people for more than just a stopover. Both the room and hotel were purely functional - the room had the basic facilities (phone, safe, minibar, TV, 10 coat hangers! even a plug for the sink!) and had an air conditioning unit (that didn't actually look terribly safe), which I didn't need to use since it was winter. The hotel has no facilities. At least one of the daytime staff spoke basic but not fluent English and they were all cheerful and friendly, even if they didn't understand. Breakfast was included: the breakfast room was adequate rather than appetising; breakfast was Argentine - very good, fresh pastries, the ubiquitous rubber cheese and ham, fruit salad, cereals, etc., spoilt only by "breakfast coffee" (excellent cafes nearby to compensate).
To sum up - definitely not the hotel to choose for a honeymoon, but if all you need is a reasonable hotel where you can dump your stuff and sleep whilst exploring the city during the day (and night), for the location this is certainly not bad value for money.

If you're looking for a simple hotel with clean rooms, friendly staff, great neighborhood (Recoleta), this hotel is a very good choice. I stayed there from Nov 27th through Dec 7th and experienced no problems. The room was small but clean. The bathroom was average sized and also clean. The bed was comfortable. Noise was not a factor. I had no great view from my room, it did not matter to me as I only stayed there to sleep and shower. There's too much to do to stay cooped up in your room anyway. The staff was courteous and very helpful. There is free internet access in the lobby and a very nice continental breakfast. The food was fresh and tasty. All the major points of interest are very close by. Recoleta cemetery is within walking distance as well as is Florida street and many great restaurants/cafes.
If you're looking for a four or five star place, this isn't it. Stay at the Alvear Palace instead which may cost you from $US 500 to a couple of thousand US dollars. (it's also near the Impala hotel too.)
If you don't mind exploring Buenos Aires while staying in a great neighborhood in a regular place, then go with this one. I would stay there again!!!

Marie
Brooklyn, New York