Back in April my daughter and I visited the Argentinian capital for four days before moving on to Uruguay for a couple more before concluding our adventures in South America. There are a decent number of chain hotel options in Buenos Aires that are bookable with points. However, only a few that really stood out to me as offering decent to good value. For our 5-night stay, I chose the Hilton Buenos Aires. It turned out to be an excellent choice.
I booked our stay for 162,000 Hilton Honors points. I specifically chose a five-night stay to be able to take advantage of Hilton’s fifth night free benefit on award stays. Given cash rates during our stay, I was getting about 0.61 cents per Hilton point, which is better than the baseline half-cent value I give them.
The Hilton Buenos Aires is in the Puerto Madero neighborhood. The edge of the city used to be the banks of the Rio de la Plata before the entire area on which Puerto Madero sits was reclaimed. Briefly a port (as the name implies), and then the slums, Puerto Madero is now the most expensive neighborhood in the city. Gleaming skyrises and revitalized port warehouses make it an excellent spot to stay.
Arriving at the Hilton Buenos Aires
We touched down at Ezeiza International Airport late in the morning, but due to a lengthy bus transit from the airport (SEE: ), we didn’t make it to the Hilton Buenos Aires until around 1:00 p.m. I was immediately struck by how nice the lobby is. The space is a large, central atrium of the hotel.
When I got to the desk, I asked for a room with two double beds. I’d booked a king room since it was the cheapest on points, figuring we could make the switch at the desk. This was not an issue, except that they didn’t have any ready yet. We’d arrived two hours prior to check-in.
It turns out the Hilton Buenos Aires has a limited number of rooms with two double beds. If we’d stuck with a king room, we could have been accommodated immediately. No matter. We left our bags and grabbed lunch at a nearby café. Returning to a room still unready, the next stop was the temporary lounge for most of an hour before the room was ready. The view of the lobby from the upper floors is pretty cool.
Hilton Buenos Aires Room
We were given room 717, conveniently on the same floor as pool. It was a two double bed deluxe room instead of king room I’d booked. None of the executive floor rooms have two beds.
At the end of the room there is an armchair and a glass top desk.
There are both a Type I and a Type B&C combo plug over the desk. This was convenient, as I’d only brought one Type I plug converter. Note the voltage. You’ll burn up anything with a motor or resistor in it that is meant for 110 Volts. Most computer AC-DC power adapters will be just fine, though.
The in-room coffee consisted of a kettle and instant coffee packets. I still don’t understand how many international hotels fail in the in-room coffee department. Do people actually prefer this stuff?
Here is a shot of the closet. Iron and ironing board are provided, plus a safe, if you have valuables to store. Standard items for a hotel room.
The bathroom in our room at the Hilton Buenos Aires was very nice. My daughter loved having a nice tub.
The shower and toilet are in different glassed-off “rooms” next to each other.
And finally the sink.
Our room had a view of a couple of the new apartment buildings that grace the Puerto Madero neighborhood. Beyond that is the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, an ecological reserve that developed along the banks of the Rio de la Plata after a land reclamation project was canceled. Otherwise we might be looking at even more towering skyscrapers.
Overall, the room was nice. I’m sure it would have been nice to have more space with a better upgrade, but the two bed requirement really killed this.
Hilton Buenos Aires Pool
The weather was lovely our first day, so we immediately headed to the pool deck after finishing some schoolwork our first afternoon. The pool is outdoors on a roof terrace and it is wonderfully warm.
There are plenty of chaise lounges if you’re in the mood to sunbathe. Some are around the pool, but many are on the lower deck. You also get a nice view of the Buenos Aires skyline to the west. It made for some lovely sunsets.
We enjoyed the pool almost every evening. This was also where we met a family from Northern Ireland with whom we became fast friends (SEE: The Unexpected Best Part of Our Trip to South America). We spent most of our final day exploring the San Telmo Market and La Boca with them. It was an amazing time.
Hilton Buenos Aires Executive Lounge
The executive lounge is on the 8th floor, except for the first day when it was relocated to the 5th floor due to a private event. The 8th and 9th floors are the executive floors of the hotel.
The Hilton Buenos Aires executive lounge offers small bites from 6-8 p.m. Like many lounge spreads, it really isn’t intended as a full dinner, but it was for us.
If you’re in the mood for a glass of wine, you can choose between an Argentinian Malbec and a Chardonnay. The lounge offered the same two wines our entire stay. There is also a small selection of spirits.
You can also order a beer, which will undoubtedly be the popular local Quilmes. I don’t know if they even carry another brand. This was what the lounge staff brought everyone who ever ordered one.
If you’re in the mood for pool, there is a billiard table at the Hilton Buenos Aires executive lounge. The lounge contains a business center as well.
We ate breakfast in the lounge almost every morning. The Hilton Buenos Aires executive lounge offers a nice spread. You can choose from eggs, sausage, ham and waffles, as far as the hot options go. There is also avena.
If you want a continental breakfast, there is a pastry and bread selection. Added to that are some fresh fruit, cold cuts, veggies, yogurt, cereal and a selection of juices.
If I had only one complaint, it is that the staff liked to switch up the carafes of hot water and hot milk. Twice I went to put hot milk in my coffee and instead got water. People are creatures of habit. I’d obviously stopped reading the sign after the first use!
During our first morning I let my daughter sleep in and enjoyed watching the sunrise hit the city. The lounge faces the south, toward the pool deck, and there is a pseudo open-air section as well on that side. Overall, it is a very nice space.
The staff in the Hilton Buenos Aires executive lounge were excellent during our entire stay. While most of the items are self-serve, they were proactive and attentive to guests needs as well. On multiple occasions they refilled drinks and offering seconds on items that guests had served themselves.
Hilton Buenos Aires Restaurant Breakfast
El Farol is the primary restaurant of the Hilton Buenos Aires. After seeing our friends eating in the restaurant during our second morning, I asked if eating in the restaurant was an option instead of the lounge. The front desk stated that either is fine. Definitely a plus if you prefer a restaurant setting.
The restaurant spread is better than what is available in the lounge. Most of the same offerings are present, but there are additional items as well, such as potatoes and (unexpectedly) dim sum. There is also an egg station where you can request an omelet or fried eggs.
With free dinner and breakfast every day, we were really able to put my Hilton Diamond status to good use. Our friends did as well. The Hilton Buenos Aires let all five of them eat for free every morning and evening. If there is a hotel status to have as a family, top-tier Hilton is a good choice.
Other Hotel Facilities
The hotel has a large fitness center in addition to the pool on the 7th floor. The spa is also located in the same area. You do need to check out towels and a locker key (if desired) every day. This service is complimentary. Just don’t lose anything!
The lobby has a bar in the atrium that is open in the evenings. I never spent any time there, but there were a good number of people there each evening when we did pass through.
If the lounge business center won’t work for you, there is another on the 5th floor. I only discovered it because we hung out in one of the meeting rooms the first day that was doubling as the temporary lounge.
The Hilton Buenos Aires is in Puerto Madero, which means that the transit system is a bit of a walk. If you’re mainly interested in the core sights, it’s not a bad location. But if you’re looking to get to Recoleta, you’ll need to walk a bit and take the light rail. La Boca is better accessed by taxi or Uber (we walked back our final day).
Sightseeing in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is such an amalgamation of different styles and cultures. It is distinctly European, with so much influence from Italy and Spain. Yet it’s place in Latin America is unarguable. Decades of upheaval and social insecurity have left their mark on the city. I highly suggest a tour of the city that focuses on its history.
The Hilton Buenos Aires is conveniently located to the heart of the city. You can walk to the Plaza de Mayo in about 10 minutes. From there you can see La Casa Rosada, the Cabildo, and enjoy a bite at Café Tortoni, the oldest café in Buenos Aires.
You’ll need to take either a bus or the light rail to get anywhere else. The light rail system is well developed. My only comment is that it runs opposite the roads, as it was built by the British. My favorite neighborhoods of Buenos Aires are Retiro, San Telmo and La Boca. Puerto Madero is worth strolling through as well. A great option is to head out to the ecological reserve and pick up some street food from one of the vendors along the way. You should also walk the iconic Puente de la Mujer.
Conclusion
The value of our stay at the Hilton Buenos Aires cannot be understated. We paid literally $0 out of pocket for five nights. The rooms are nice, but the benefits as an elite are what make the stay. With free breakfast and dinner in the executive lounge, we were able to save quite a bit of money during our time in the Argentinian capital.
There are other chain hotels in the city, but the Hilton Bunos Aires is one of the best choices. I’m glad I settled on it for our visit.
When my wife and I stayed their in October, the Executive Lounge had a large coffee machine which used Nespresso pods, instead of the urns they had when you were there.
We loved the location and the hotel itself.
Glad you enjoyed it as well! I was very happy with our stay.
We were contemplating this place and did see it, but chose the Anselmo (Curio collection). It was half the points of the Hilton. It’s a boutique hotel in a historic neighborhood near the San Telmo market. Very old, but very charming small hotel with unbelievable rooms. Super nice and very modern and quiet. In a lively neighborhood with great street fair events right outside. Even though Hilton has only a couple of properties there, I think they are both really nice. Thanks for the review here. It will be a tough decision between this and the Anselmo. This Hilton really… Read more »
You’ll be right in the middle of the San Telmo Sunday market! We did walk right by. Looked like a great boutique place.
For our dates, prices weren’t all that different. Anselmo was fewer points, but a pool (for my daughter) and daily dinner at the lounge won out.
Really helpful review as currently looking at hotels for a trip this Autumn. This has certainly moved up the list.
Thanks for reading!