Sep 11, 2016, 4:06 pm
Last edit by: MSPeconomist
Some practical information
The hotel consists of two buildings, separated be a beautiful outdoor garden and an interior basement passageway called Paseo Des Artistes which serves as an art gallery for rotating exhibits by contemporary Latin American artists, plus some sculpture that seems to be permanent. Hotel guests can request a guided tour by one of the hotel's art ambassadors. Taxis serve both buildings, each of which has a small carriage entrance and valet parking garage.
Be aware that taxi fares have increased significantly in the last year. In September 2016, rates were about 40-50 for a ride to Centro, including the port area, and about 100 to restaurants in Palermo (which are generally lcated up the hill, far from the water). A remise from the domestic AEP airport costs about 250-300, although a taxi should be around 100-150 with no traffic.
The tower building on Posadas is modern and contains the Gioia (Italian) restaurant. It's almost all day dining, with a large breakfast buffet, lunch buffet, current Italian aperitif hours, and dinner. The hotel concierges sit in the basement of the tower building, at the entrance to the business center (free computers and printing). Ask for their printouts of what to do and suggested restaurant lists.
The historic palace building on Alvear contains a beautiful indoor pool in the basement, the florist, the Argentinian fine dining restaurant Duhau with its cheese cellar and wine room, open for lunch and dinner, the Piano Noble cafe/lobby bar, and the oak room bar, where the latter allows smoking as do the outdoor eating and drinking areas on terraces and in the garden.
The street parallel to Alvear and Posadas, one block up the hill from Alvear, contains shops, including a small ma and pa grocery store that closes for lunch and a larger supermarket with red signage called something like Dash. Both are self service, sell wine, and are open to at least 9 pm. There's also a fancy specialty wine store about a block from the palace building, next to the French
Club restaurant.
Breakfast is available until 11am in Gioia (big cold buffet, plus you can order hot items, I believe for extra charges except for Diamonds) or continental plus a hot menu of things to order at Piano Noble, IIRC also until 11am, including on their outdoor balcony tables. Coffee and drinks, including champagne, are served there with small snacks such as cookies or nuts and olives. Room service breakfast is available until noon, with instructions to place the order form on your doorknob by 4am. In the past, I was instructed to take Diamond breakfast either in Gioia or Piano Noble, but this time I was told Gioia only while others were given the choice.
Restaurants within a couple blocks include Club Frances or French Club, Fervor on Posadas for vaguely Spanish fish/seafood and steak, Sotta Voce on Libertador for Italian food, including fish, and the restaurant inside the new Brick Hotel on Posadas. Sadly the all branch of La Dorita casual steak house has closed.
The hotel consists of two buildings, separated be a beautiful outdoor garden and an interior basement passageway called Paseo Des Artistes which serves as an art gallery for rotating exhibits by contemporary Latin American artists, plus some sculpture that seems to be permanent. Hotel guests can request a guided tour by one of the hotel's art ambassadors. Taxis serve both buildings, each of which has a small carriage entrance and valet parking garage.
Be aware that taxi fares have increased significantly in the last year. In September 2016, rates were about 40-50 for a ride to Centro, including the port area, and about 100 to restaurants in Palermo (which are generally lcated up the hill, far from the water). A remise from the domestic AEP airport costs about 250-300, although a taxi should be around 100-150 with no traffic.
The tower building on Posadas is modern and contains the Gioia (Italian) restaurant. It's almost all day dining, with a large breakfast buffet, lunch buffet, current Italian aperitif hours, and dinner. The hotel concierges sit in the basement of the tower building, at the entrance to the business center (free computers and printing). Ask for their printouts of what to do and suggested restaurant lists.
The historic palace building on Alvear contains a beautiful indoor pool in the basement, the florist, the Argentinian fine dining restaurant Duhau with its cheese cellar and wine room, open for lunch and dinner, the Piano Noble cafe/lobby bar, and the oak room bar, where the latter allows smoking as do the outdoor eating and drinking areas on terraces and in the garden.
The street parallel to Alvear and Posadas, one block up the hill from Alvear, contains shops, including a small ma and pa grocery store that closes for lunch and a larger supermarket with red signage called something like Dash. Both are self service, sell wine, and are open to at least 9 pm. There's also a fancy specialty wine store about a block from the palace building, next to the French
Club restaurant.
Breakfast is available until 11am in Gioia (big cold buffet, plus you can order hot items, I believe for extra charges except for Diamonds) or continental plus a hot menu of things to order at Piano Noble, IIRC also until 11am, including on their outdoor balcony tables. Coffee and drinks, including champagne, are served there with small snacks such as cookies or nuts and olives. Room service breakfast is available until noon, with instructions to place the order form on your doorknob by 4am. In the past, I was instructed to take Diamond breakfast either in Gioia or Piano Noble, but this time I was told Gioia only while others were given the choice.
Restaurants within a couple blocks include Club Frances or French Club, Fervor on Posadas for vaguely Spanish fish/seafood and steak, Sotta Voce on Libertador for Italian food, including fish, and the restaurant inside the new Brick Hotel on Posadas. Sadly the all branch of La Dorita casual steak house has closed.
Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Feb 13, 2015, 8:04 am
#286
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Here is a useful site if visiting BA:
http://ayresinsider.com/services/
Last edited by GUWonder; Feb 13, 2015 at 8:11 am
Feb 13, 2015, 5:38 pm
#288
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: WY
Programs: Delta PM, SPG Gold, Hyatt Diamond
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Galerias Pacifico
Head to Av Cordoba & Florida. You'll run into over 100 people on Florida offering to change your money. We picked a guy in front of Galerias Pacifico which is a high end shopping mall.
The guy on the street closes the deal and then calls over his friend with the cash who is standing a half block away. Larger US ($50/$100) bills get a better rate. Literally, people are yelling "cambio" every 3 feet. It's an interesting experience. If you pay attention you'll observe a bunch of locals exchanging money.
Galerias Pacifico is walkable (15-20 minutes?) from the hotel or a short taxi.
The guy on the street closes the deal and then calls over his friend with the cash who is standing a half block away. Larger US ($50/$100) bills get a better rate. Literally, people are yelling "cambio" every 3 feet. It's an interesting experience. If you pay attention you'll observe a bunch of locals exchanging money.
Galerias Pacifico is walkable (15-20 minutes?) from the hotel or a short taxi.
Feb 14, 2015, 3:15 am
#289
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Head to Av Cordoba & Florida. You'll run into over 100 people on Florida offering to change your money. We picked a guy in front of Galerias Pacifico which is a high end shopping mall.
The guy on the street closes the deal and then calls over his friend with the cash who is standing a half block away. Larger US ($50/$100) bills get a better rate. Literally, people are yelling "cambio" every 3 feet. It's an interesting experience. If you pay attention you'll observe a bunch of locals exchanging money.
Galerias Pacifico is walkable (15-20 minutes?) from the hotel or a short taxi.
The guy on the street closes the deal and then calls over his friend with the cash who is standing a half block away. Larger US ($50/$100) bills get a better rate. Literally, people are yelling "cambio" every 3 feet. It's an interesting experience. If you pay attention you'll observe a bunch of locals exchanging money.
Galerias Pacifico is walkable (15-20 minutes?) from the hotel or a short taxi.
Feb 14, 2015, 8:52 am
#290
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: Hyatt diamond
Posts: 645
Rather than deal with the street touts, the more reliable places to avoid potentially shady practices which include being passed fake currency notes are of the sort I mentioned. I provided a link yesterday that has been good to this hotel's guests with the newest US$100 notes.
I found shop owners eager to exchange pesos for dollars especially if you bought something from their store. However the rate varied around 12.5 at a time when the top rate offered residents was as high as 14.5.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:02 am
#291
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 410
Arriving Park Hyatt Buenos Aires New Year's Eve ??
Our flight from USA (via Lima) doesn't arrive until 7:40pm 12/31/15. We'll be staying at the PH for 3 nights. Is the hotel likely to be sold out over the NY holiday?
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
Mar 3, 2015, 2:50 pm
#292
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Our flight from USA (via Lima) doesn't arrive until 7:40pm 12/31/15. We'll be staying at the PH for 3 nights. Is the hotel likely to be sold out over the NY holiday?
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
Mar 4, 2015, 12:57 am
#293
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,114
Our flight from USA (via Lima) doesn't arrive until 7:40pm 12/31/15. We'll be staying at the PH for 3 nights. Is the hotel likely to be sold out over the NY holiday?
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
We are using points for the first 2 nights but only have 5,000 points towards the 3rd night (1/2/16). I'm afraid by the time we accumulate enough points there won't be any availability. Should we purchase Hyatt points @ $24. per 1,000 or take our chances that we'll have enough points for free night (20,000 points I believe) within 6 months.
Is points and cash quality controlled ? Should we book/deposit the 3rd night now just to be safe though our trip is 9 months away. If so are the best hotel rates found booking directly with Hyatt?
How about restaurant options (outside the PH) during the New Year holiday period? Not sure if we'll have an opportunity to find Blue Exchange locations open so not sure if USD$ will be needed or just hit the ATM upon arrival at EZE for pesos?
This will be our first visit to Buenos Aires so color me "green".
Of course if you manage to accumulate enough points and prefer doing a points only at the time, you can always cancel the C+P booking and make a points only one.
C+P has more restricted availability than points only.
Be careful with exchanging money. Although by the time you get there a new president should be in place and the chances are good that the official / blue thing will be gone.
Mar 6, 2015, 7:57 am
#294
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 410
Have you booked the first 2 nights as all points - 20K a night? If so, just cancel and rebook the whole 3-night stay as Cash & Points. For a Cat 5 you'd spend $125 + tax to save 10,000 points (both per night), which is a pretty good deal in my book. (and the C+P nights count for status, promos, etc.)
Of course if you manage to accumulate enough points and prefer doing a points only at the time, you can always cancel the C+P booking and make a points only one.
C+P has more restricted availability than points only.
Be careful with exchanging money. Although by the time you get there a new president should be in place and the chances are good that the official / blue thing will be gone.
Of course if you manage to accumulate enough points and prefer doing a points only at the time, you can always cancel the C+P booking and make a points only one.
C+P has more restricted availability than points only.
Be careful with exchanging money. Although by the time you get there a new president should be in place and the chances are good that the official / blue thing will be gone.
Actually the 2 free nights are for obtaining the Hyatt credit card. It's just the 3rd night we're still working on. I will look into the C + P as this seems to be the best solution for our 3rd night and don't want to get shut out.
Apr 6, 2015, 2:41 pm
#295
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YYZ
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Posts: 689
I have booked a 3 night stay on cash and points for the end of August and used Diamond suite upgrade certificate to upgrade to a suite. I don't have many Hyatt stays this year so I'm not worried about wasting my certificate on this stay as it appears as if Diamonds are often upgraded to a suite anyways. I was wondering if and when I should make a request for a suite a little nicer/better than the Park Suite? What should I request? A suite on the palace side? Any help would be appreciated.
Apr 6, 2015, 3:32 pm
#296
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
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I have booked a 3 night stay on cash and points for the end of August and used Diamond suite upgrade certificate to upgrade to a suite. I don't have many Hyatt stays this year so I'm not worried about wasting my certificate on this stay as it appears as if Diamonds are often upgraded to a suite anyways. I was wondering if and when I should make a request for a suite a little nicer/better than the Park Suite? What should I request? A suite on the palace side? Any help would be appreciated.
Apr 6, 2015, 6:58 pm
#297
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 700k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
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I have booked a 3 night stay on cash and points for the end of August and used Diamond suite upgrade certificate to upgrade to a suite. I don't have many Hyatt stays this year so I'm not worried about wasting my certificate on this stay as it appears as if Diamonds are often upgraded to a suite anyways. I was wondering if and when I should make a request for a suite a little nicer/better than the Park Suite? What should I request? A suite on the palace side? Any help would be appreciated.
Apr 7, 2015, 8:54 pm
#299
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,465
I believe that you can't go wrong. If your taste runs in the classical direction, the palace side. If you like modern, a view - including the hotel's terraces and down into the gardens of the embassy of the Holy See next door - then a suite on a high floor in the tower. (Am I showing my bias?) Either way, it's top quality.
Apr 8, 2015, 6:56 am
#300
Join Date: May 2006
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Fair enough, but I considered mine to be expansive.