Originally Posted by
mczlaw
As much as anything, Puerto Madero feels like a whole different city compared to the older neighborhoods. I couldn't imagine staying at the Faena for that reason alone.
Like others here, I'm struggling to decide between Alvear Palace and back to the PH where I've stayed the last three times in BA on my return in March. The Old World look of the Palace and its location right near all the green spaces at the top of Avenida Alvear have been sorely tempting, but I've been persuaded away by the relative comfort and creature comforts of the PH. Maybe it's time to try the new rooms at the Palace. Regardless, I really love this city despite all of Argentina's economic troubles.
I understand about the Faena. That's why we stayed at the Alvear!
I don't think you can make a bad choice between the Alvear and the PH; both are wonderful hotels that offer slightly different ambience and pros and cons.
If you like having a strong sense of place, I think you'll find the Alvear to be an amazing option. If you like a more modern/clean design, the PH might better suit the bill. For service and F&B, I think the Alvear beats the PH, but that can be so personal. If you're a WoH Globalist, the value of the PH is obvious.
I normally don't prefer a more formal environment, but we were surprised how comfortable we felt at the Alvear. I was able to be as casual as I liked despite the slightly more formal sensibility of the hotel and many of its patrons.
For us, there is only one Alvear Palace--that helped make the choice a lot easier for us in Buenos Aires. There's always another PH. We felt the same way with the Hotel Imperial in Vienna. We feel the same way about the Royal Mansour in Marrakech.
But go with your gut. Don't overthink it. They're both great hotels.