Interestingly enough, I am also just back from a quick trip, with slightly different results.

Staying on cash and points, no upgrade, charged $70 for early arrival, told no breakfast, was not told of Exec. lounge. As plat, got NADA in the room.

Bed bug bites on ankles in the morning after the first night, changed rooms for the second night. Asked for, but was denied, water view.

Charged, after check-out, for mini-bar items not consumed.

Was, however, granted a 6 pm late check out (9 pm flight) and the concierge desk was very knowledgeable and helpful.

Now, the truly inexcusable:

Buenos Aires, I now know, suffers from a virulent strain of thievery known as the stain-and-distract. As its name reveals, the thieve causes you a stain (by throwing or spraying something on you) and then robs you while you are distracted.

I was hit with such an attack, and while I escaped without loss, the stain part was unbelievably messy and smelly. While that is not the fault of the Towers, what follows is: as a I walked into the lobby one of the bellboys actually let out a half-laugh, smile and nudged the bellboy next to him to have a look.

Let's consider this for a moment: a guest at a luxury collection hotel was just targeted by thieves and might well have just lost his passport, credit cards, currency, property and the hotel employee's response to it laugh -- to effectively add to the indignity of the guest being covered with smelly goop! It seems to me the reasoned response would be to 1) ask the guest if he is okay, 2) ask if anything was lost, 3) ask if the police should be called 4) ask if any critical numbers are needed (passport, CC, etc.) and 5) rush ahead of the guest to call the lift so as to minimize the guests discomfort being in public.

But hey, great location.