Alvear Palace Hotel

Horrible experience. Here are the highlights of our stay: 1. Arrival Experience Upon arrival, no one greeted us outside the hotel. There was no acknowledgment, no welcoming smile, no assistance with our luggage, and no one opened the door for us. This was an extremely unwelcoming first impression, especially for a luxury hotel. Even at lower-rated hotels, guests are typically greeted and made to feel welcome. This was entirely absent here. 2. Non-Functional Safe and Poor Handling of the Issue Although the room is spacious, it is very dated and felt dingy. The floor was carpeted and creaked as we walked. We discovered that the in-room safe displayed an error message and could not be locked. I immediately contacted the concierge and was told someone would be sent to fix it. As we already had scheduled plans, we could not wait in the room and had no choice but to leave our valuables unsecured. When we returned hours later, the safe door was closed and locked but still displayed the same error message and remained unusable. I contacted the concierge again and I was then told that the safe could not be fixed. No one had informed us of this. Had I not followed up myself, I would never have known. No proactive solution was offered. When I asked if another safe could be brought to the room, I was told no. When I told them this was unsafe, I was then advised to bring our valuables to the front desk to be locked in their safe. This solution felt unsafe and unreasonable, as it required repeatedly transporting valuables through public areas, potentially drawing attention, and placing responsibility for our belongings in the hands of staff rather than securing them ourselves. Only after I suggested it did the option to move us to another room with a working safe arise—something that should have been proposed by the hotel immediately. To make matters worse, the new room was a downgrade from our original room. After expressing our dissatisfaction and requesting amends for the inconvenience and stress caused by this situation, a dinner was ultimately offered. This gesture was appreciated; however, it came only after significant effort on our part and does not negate the fact that the issue was poorly handled from start to finish. 3. Inattentive Service at Breakfast While having breakfast in the garden, I experienced noticeably different treatment compared to other guests. I had to ask for orange juice refills while other guests received them automatically. My dirty plate remained on the table long after I had finished eating, while other guests’ dishes were promptly cleared. Eventually, I had to stand up, walk to the juice table, and ask a waiter whether I was expected to pour my own juice and clear my own table. This was both embarrassing and unacceptable. One waiter in particular, Zenite, stood out. When I asked him for tea, he brought it to the table and began to walk away. I politely asked if he could pour it for me, as I did not want to make a mess. He hesitated and appeared unwilling. When I mentioned that the tea had been poured for me during breakfast the previous day, his response was simply that he “was not here yesterday.” The service was rude, dismissive, and inattentive. Our table was consistently ignored while others received attentive care. I discreetly raised my concerns with the breakfast lead and suggested that better training for the waitstaff was clearly needed. I will say that the breakfast dining area is beautiful and the food options were good. 4. Blood-Stained Towel and Lack of Follow-Up The final and most alarming issue was discovering a blood-stained towel in our bathroom. I immediately called the concierge to request a replacement and was transferred to housekeeping. A new towel never arrived. As a result, I could not properly dry myself after showering. I brought the blood-stained towel to the front desk and asked to speak with a manager. I was told the manager was not available. This raises serious concerns about hygiene and quality control. How such a towel was placed in a guest room is deeply troubling. Overall, our stay at the Alvear Palace Hotel was extremely underwhelming, unwelcoming, and devoid of the luxury experience promised by a 5-star establishment. There was a clear lack of attention to detail, accountability, and guest care throughout our stay.

I can’t concur with any of the positive reviews about this hotel. It certainly wasn’t our experience. I’d describe it as poor; ‘All glitz and glamor, and no substance’. We dud grab a cocktail late at night after we’d checked in, and that was great. Staff were attentive and the martini was one of the best I’ve had. Mind you, it should have been for the price!! That martini was probably the best part of our stay of two nights at the hotel. And let’s face it, most people aren’t going to stay at a hotel for the martini! Our room, while spacious, was dated - particularly the bathroom. No restaurant open except the lobby bar, which was always going to be full when there are no other options in a hotel this size. There was a sign that said the rooftop bar was open - but it wasn’t. And when we informed the concierge desk they really couldn’t have given a toss. At this price I’m expecting top notch service delivery, impeccable rooms, and restaurants that are open when they say they are - Alvear fails to deliver on all three. My recommendation is to look for other options. There are much better than the Alvear Hotel at way less cost.

We spend 2 nights in this unique, special and traditional hotel, decor transports you back in the century. Large lobby, excellent service all around, fabulous breakfast. Service from the first step until our leave was awesome, exceptional professional, and with high standards. The Roof Bar offer a unique view over Buenos Aires, a must. Rooms spacious, large, clean and comfortable. The bar offers a traditional and large English tea, whereas presentation and service are unique. A place to visit and stay in Buenos Aires. And a place to return!

One of the best hotels we have ever stayed at. Easy to understand why the hotel is an historic monument. The interiors are a masterpiece. The staff never missed a beat and were exceptional from arrival to departure. My son was unwell on a Sunday and they organised a doctor who arrived within 45 minutes. The food was also excellent. We will be back and will recommend the hotel to family and friends in Australia.

Beautiful Hotel with a gorgeous atmosphere. The Lobby Bar takes you back in time and really captures the architecture of the building. Great food all around!