anabolism

Our Tienda Leone car had not the slightest hesitation about dropping us off at the main entrance, helping with out bags, etc. Same for the return trip, which we ended up booking with Tienda Leone as well, but via the web, which gave us a nice discount (ended up under 800) and let us pay by credit card on line. Car pulled up front and waited for us.

The Tienda Leone price each way specifically said it included tolls and driver tip, which is perhaps why the drivers didn't try to avoid the tolls. (We would have contacted the company to insist on a refund.)

I stayed in March of this year, and also a couple of years ago. Both stays were very similar. No fruit in room, and I did not even open the mini-bar so I can't say what was or wasn't in there. I never use glasses or mugs in the rooms at any hotel anywhere unless I see carts full of freshly washed ones rolling through the halls, since if they aren't washed en masse in the kitchen, they are washed by hand by housekeeping in the rooms, and I don't trust that. Neither my room from a couple years ago, nor either of my rooms from March were what I would call shabby. They weren't ultra-modern, but they were clean and functional and pleasant enough. The bathroom was in decent shape, sink, shower and toilet worked fine. Bath amenities were nicer than standard Hilton-issue ones. The executive lounge was decent but got very crowded at times (obviously depends on hotel occupancy) so best to get there just before service starts.

I've had breakfast in both the lounge and the restaurant. The restaurant has much more variety, including smoked salmon (a breakfast favorite of mine), custom egg station, etc.

I disagree that the property is comparable to a "run of the mill Hiltons you find in odd corners of the US" because in my experience, US Hilton properties tend to be what I would call shabby -- worn out room furnishings, a depressing and overcrowded executive lounge with a pitiful breakfast, and no restaurant breakfast offered to Diamonds. Don't get me wrong, this property is nowhere near the level of luxury or service you'd find at, say, the Hilton Tokyo or the Conrad Hong Kong, but it's comparable to Hilton properties all over the world. Plenty of European Hiltons have far smaller rooms, for example. The Hilton Sydney has rooms the size of postage stamps (they do have a nice restaurant breakfast, although not nearly as nice as it was just a few years ago). I'd say this property falls somewhere in the mid-range of non-US properties.

I'm certain this is highly dependent on hotel occupancy and time of day. In my experience, I never had a wait for a table downstairs, but after I was done I often saw a long line waiting to be seated; when the hotel is busy earlier is usually better than later.

Eastbay1K

The Curio is in a nice location. Also, don't discount the bus - the Metrobus del Bajo (a bus rapid transit lane) is just a few blocks east, on Paseo Colon. While it might be a bit confusing at first, and you need to know your bus line in advance, the 152 will take you all the way to Retiro in a few minutes, and extends out (on city streets) through Palermo, up to Martinez. And there's no car access to the hotel on Sunday, all day until sometime at night.

IAN-UK

But mine not only hesitated, she stopped on the street and asked "is this OK, or do you want me to pull into the entrance?".

ARS800 is a stonkingly good fare - the price of two Tienda Leon BUS tickets to the airport. The regular rate for a remis is 1550.
Could you share how you managed it?

By he way, there's nothing shabby about the bus service. The terminal is an easy walk from the Hilton and the E-line metro. And discounting any wait time to synch with the schedule, it's about as fast as a taxi - mainly because it has a dedicated through route at tolls.




thanks! I'm pleased I wasn't singled out for bad treatment.

So it's no cups, mugs, glasses or spoons; a completely empty mini-bar; no bottled water (though two bottles offered at check-in, to carry to my room in the Holiday Inn Express style); no available bedside power points; no slippers, no turn-down service.

And that's in the top level rooms of a hotel that promotes itself as a luxury option in Buenos Aires

It's not a bad hotel. But it's an expensive hotel with executive-level rooms that come nowhere near any definition of luxury I'd use. Penny-pinching is a definition that fits more closely.


It wouldn't, then, be too difficult to put a platter of smoked salmon alongside the sugary carbs and ultra-cheap cuts of cold meat in the lounge breakfast array. Not beyond the logistical capability of a 5-star hotel. But I guess that would go against the management theme of cost cutting.

Yes. To someone inured to the standards of Hiltons in the US, or in thrall to Diamond-world, the hotel could well be acceptable.

anabolism

Sorry to hear that.

No secret, the web offered it. Perhaps it was a special.

Good to know. We passed the bus terminal often on walks.

I think there were mugs with spoons, but since I never use those I can't be certain. We did have ample bottled water in the room, with more available by asking a housekeeper or calling. We did have robes and slippers as well.

Of course they could easily do so if they wished. My first stay, a couple years ago, smoked salmon wasn't out on the buffet in the restaurant breakfast either, but was available by request. On our stay in March it was out.

I wouldn't say "inured" but I was responding to the statement that this property is what you'd find in an out of the way corner of the US and that's not accurate. Domestic US Hilton properties are much worse than this. True, there are other international properties that are better, but this isn't the worst international property either.

flieduk

Has anyone been here recently?

Can you pay in Pesos or is restricted to paying in US Dollars?

IAN-UK

Sure you can pay in pesos (cash); but your potential gain from the blue exchange rate is reduced somewhat by having to pay the taxes visitors and credit cards avoid.

GUWonder

You can always pay in Argentine pesos at this property. Whether or not it’s the best thing to do, YMMV.

flieduk

Thanks for your reply, I am still trying to get my head round this though...

So how does that work, do you pay Sales Tax if you pay in Pesos but no tax if you pay in dollars?

craigthemif

Argentine residents pay the tax. Foreigners are exempt, PROVIDED they pay with a foreign credit card. (I think you still pay in pesos, but would end up with the official FX rate instead of the black market rate)

You probably come out ahead by going to the "blue" market with USD cash and buying pesos.

MP001

You still pay in local currency, the TAX deduction will automatically show up in your invoice as long as you are registered at the hotel with a foreign passport and foreign issued credit card.
How good is going to be the exchange rate will be based on your bank/credit card account as it may attract fees for international transactions.

IAN-UK

https://bluedollar.net/

You can play around with the exchange rates. Paying the room rate + 21% tax with pesos bought on the "informal" market should currently generate an advantage of 25%, or more, over paying the tax-free room rate on your credit card.

But remember that's theoretical: the margins on exchange rates could fray, and a downside is you need to put in a little leg work. And some undoubtedly find that sort of thing distasteful, maybe risky - others hold their nose and pocket the saving.

anabolism

You also lose any rewards for the credit card charge, such as cash back, hotel or airline points, etc. Depending on what type of card you use and how you value the rewards, that's probably 1%-5% for most people, higher for others.

craigthemif

Indeed. Following a stranger shouting "cambio" on calle Florida is rather more risky than asking the hotel concierge or an Argentine friend for a recommended, safe "cueva". Some people also don't feel like carrying a bunch of new $100 bills around with them when traveling...

I still remember the pre-Macri days, when the largest bill was 100 pesos. I needed a backpack full of cash to pay my hotel bill...

flieduk

Thanks for all your replies, this will be our last time in BA.

Since this thread and my original question appears to be attracting a lot of interest from members with experience of BA, can anyone say if there should be issues using Western Union? I checked the Western Union rates and they appeared better. Are the WU agents our here safe and reliable?

craigthemif

Yes. When I spent a few weeks in Argentina, it worked out far better to WU myself some money and just pick it up in pesos. (instead of using credit cards / ATMs)

You might need some Spanish language skills though.