This 13th floor flat in a 20-story apartment building is tidy and convenient, located in the heart of Palermo, about midway between Plazas Italia and Serrano. Air conditioning is limited to the master bedroom, which might be an issue at the height of summer. The larger bedroom has a comfortable double bed, with the smaller bedroom containing two twin beds. A futon couch in the living/dining room could accommodate more sleepers, but due to the smallish size of the flat, I wouldn’t recommend more than four people staying in the apartment. Wifi is offered, but no television.
Street noise can be significant on weekend nights, when partiers revel until the wee hours. Argentine fire codes are not the greatest either: only one means of egress; no fire doors protecting the single staircase; no smoke detectors or sprinklers; and a street-level front door that can only be opened with a key. But these problems, it should be noted, will be found in most older buildings in BA and are not unique to Alejandro’s building.
Alejandro goes out of his way to ensure the comfort of his guests. He met us at the flat as arranged, showed us how to operate the various appliances, and offered a few tips for our visit. A couple of days later, he contacted me via text to ensure that everything was okay.
During the second weekend of our stay, the entire building lost water service due to a faulty pump. We were notified by building management that service would not be restored for two days at the earliest. We opted to move out rather than tough it out. Alejandro was very accommodating, providing a prompt refund for our unused days, giving us a ride to our new Airbnb, and even presenting us a gift bottle of wine for our troubles. The loss of water service was entirely out of his control and in no way reflected negatively on him. But Alejandro’s efforts to compensate us for the inconvenience did reflect well on him and were consistent with his overall attitude and effort to be a great host for his guests.
As long as the water is flowing, this flat is a great choice for visiting Buenos Aires. And Alejandro is a fine host who will personally make sure your visit is comfortable.