I am amazed there are no updates :0 In any case, I am here once more - greeted on arrival by name, the "suit" wanted to shlep my carryon with a cart, but I merely took his directions to the 8th floor lounge desk and was checked in speedily and warmly. Even at 9:00 AM, I was welcomed and given a key to an executive floor room with great views of the waterfront, Sarmiento bark and the Casa Rosada, and told about breakfast, hors d'oeuvres in the evening, etc. Great service! (I´d not expect to be allowed a room if it was crowded or there was a function going on - checkin is normally 1600 hrs / 4 PM.)

(Yet another stay, June 12 - 14 2009, at a $135 (+ onerous 21% taxes) rate. Checked in at the Exec Lounge desk on floor 8, was given #919 at noon and a courtesy late checkout, as occupancy seems less than stellarly high.)

I hope they pay a few more pesos to get some mini-chorizos without all the "spare parts" in them. Nasty burnt offerings for VIP guests don't get it.

The hotel has undergone refurbishment (finished late 2008) and is looking good; the only thing different is the mobile house wireless phones are gone. The pools are very clean, everything is well kept up and this continues to be one of the top Hilton properties. ^

Evening hors d'oeuvres were diverse and good - chicken and beef empanadas, smoked salmon minibagels, quite a bit more, as well as a large selection of soft drinks, some alcohol and a selection of (iirc, Alamos, not brilliant but just OK) wines. The goodies do get consumed, and if you arrive later, they will not likely be replenished.

The only time you will get free pours of anything alcoholic is during the cocktail hours in the late afternoon. Juices, teas, soft drinks, coffee and Villavicencio sparkling water are free.

Breakfast was less thrilling if you like hot cooked breakfasts, with "wet" scrambled eggs, uncooked rashers of bacon ("pancetta," and uncooked is typical of many locales out of the USA,) and small sausages labeled "mini-chorizos" that are chock full of bony, gristly and fatty bits - bleagh!, a broad selection of breads, some fruits, yoghurt and "fiambres" - cold cuts including jamón serrano, smoked salmon, etc. (but it's fine for me.) It's OK - but not at the top of Hilton breakfast lists, IMO.

I was offered a late checkout, but rather checked my carryon for the day, and had the availability of using the lounge, pool, workout room, showers and bathrooms, the two computers, etc. N.B. The computers are not maintained properly, are buggy and I would suspect chock full of malware.

All in all, I will return - SUCH a better experience than the Sheraton Libertadór (as a SPG Gold,) it's quite difficult to compare them.

BTW, currently, a taxi to Ezeiza (EZE) is about 60 pesos, a remise from the hotel is now USD $55 (no peso prices.) You can put the charges to your room, and at least will get nine or six points on your HHonors AMEX card (not bonus HH points, as the service is not actually an inside hotel service.) Give yourself an hour if you are heading out to the airport during afternoon rush hour (slightly later than the normal US rush hour, perhaps 1800 - 2000 / 6 - 8 PM, and the worst of it on Thursdays of a three day weekend, and Fridays.)

The Manuel Tienda León remise from Ezeiza / EZE to the hotel is currently ARS 144 pesos, about USD $38.00 at the ARS 3.76 exchange rate this weekend.

A bit off topic, there will be a Conrad not far from there, as well as the new Hiltons in Iguazú and / near Bariloche.

"Located in the fashionable Puerto Madero district within Argentina’s capital, the Conrad Buenos Aires will consist of a distinctive 190 guest room hotel. In addition, 350 Conrad Residences will form part of the complex.

Each of the guest rooms at the uniquely decorated Conrad Buenos Aires will be a spacious 430 square feet and will be designed to reflect the local culture. In addition, the hotel will feature a signature restaurant, a stylish lobby bar, the latest fitness facilities and close to 7,000 square feet of meeting space.
...
Both the hotel and residences will form part of a diverse development project offering close to 160,000 square feet of office space, and 54,000 square feet of retail space as well as underground parking for 1,200 cars, all within easy reach of Ministro Pistarini International airport.

Construction of the Conrad Buenos Aires is expected to begin in 2008 and completion is scheduled for early 2010." (www.4hoteliers.com)