wernerlin
July 31, 2024
My wife and I had a wonderful multiple night stay at the Duque boutique hotel in Buenos Aires and were very happy with the central Palermo location, clean and well-maintained accommodations, the friendly and very helpful front desk staff, and the crazy shower water pressure. Location The location is fantastic. You’re just a few blocks from a bunch of restaurants in the area, ranging from the great treehouse-themed cafe Moshu to the aptly-named Burger Joint to the famed, Michelin-rated parrilla / steakhouse Don Julio (note: absolutely get a reservation several months in advance online). There are also a lot of classy, if pricey shops within walking distance, and the Palermo neighborhood itself is very safe, with people walking about at all hours. There is a decently-sized Carrefour supermarket on Scalabrini Ortiz if you want any grocery items, and several pharmacies nearby. Additionally, as the hotel is just a half block from the major Avenida Scalabrini Ortiz, it’s super easy to just walk out of the hotel doors and catch a cab to anywhere in the city. Additionally, when returning, you can just tell the taxi driver to take you to the corner of Scalabrini Ortiz and Guatemala, which is easier than giving them the address and having them look it up on their phone. The inflation has been changing things recently, but as of July 2024 taxi rides were about 3000-5000 pesos (roughly $3-4 US dollars) for rides to major sites like the Teatro Colón, San Telmo market, Recoleta cemetery, etc. Accommodations We were on the second floor facing Guatemala Street with a small balcony. There can be a bit of noise from the traffic, passing trucks, etc., but it’s fairly manageable given that there are three layers of closures between the room and the outside - a thin sliding glass door, folding metal shutters, and then interior wooden doors. If you’re a very light sleeper, though, you might want to consider earplugs or set up an iPad or somesuch to play white noise. The room itself was nicely sized and appointed, with a standard flat screen TV, comfy king bed, and a decently-sized bathroom with a toilet, separate bidet, and walk-in shower with a sliding glass door. Speaking of the shower- I don’t know if this is a Buenos Aires thing or if it’s specific to the hotel, but the water pressure was intense, and not in the needle-y water saver shower head way. The shower head itself is just a normal non-rain head shower head, but standing under it was like you were standing under a broken water pipe - absolutely glorious. No issues with hot water, either, despite the sheer volume of water coming through. Hotel Services In addition to a classy seating area / library with comfy couches, there is a small room with a couple of computers and a cute little cafe in the back of the hotel where the complimentary breakfast is served with a nice selection of foods including medialunas (Argentine croissant), yogurt, juices, and tarts in addition to eggs / omelettes made to orde