Monsterrat lies at the heart of Buenos Aires’ business district, and beholds many traditional public buildings such as the City Hall, the National University and the Ministry for Defence.
It makes for wonderful sightseeing and is centred on main avenues and plazas that link to other central neighbourhoods. Lined with trendy high-rise buildings and apartments, the area gives way to an eclectic mix of colonial architecture and modernised surroundings, with its clubs and restaurants echoing the presence of a large Spaniard community.
It was here in Monsterrat that we decided to settle for a night at the Boutique Bonito Hotel.
The hotel is within perfect walking distance of the touristy San Telmo, yet retains its own residential quaintness. They say you can tell a lot about the staff of a hotel by the service that you get at check-in, and if that’s anything to go by – Bonito Hotel has the friendliest and most welcoming of staff members.
Barbara greeted us warmly to the hotel, escorted us to our room and did everything to ensure we felt right at home. We weren’t the only ones to notice her and the rest of the staffs’ efforts as one review on Tripadvisor said:
“She always had a smile on her face and was there to answer our questions and book taxis if we needed them.” Such greetings reinforced to us that Monsterrat was a particularly safe area within the urban sprawl of Buenos Aires, an invaluable feeling in light of such varied districts that surround the city.
The building itself still holds its 1914 charm, both in its interior and exterior design.
The room was incredibly clean with fantastic, beautiful, highly alternative décor with its glass-stained windows, retro furniture and open balcony, along with a winding staircase that led up to the room.
We were particularly appreciative of the Jacuzzi, which served us as such a relaxing little touch and was a perfect refuge at the end of our long day. Each room is different making it the perfect conversation starter and adding that little touch of uniqueness and importance to each individual vacancy.
And with an artist and graphic designer for the owner, the aesthetes of the place are heavily focused on. With each room being tackled by individual artists, the entire hotel acts as an art gallery.
The hotel’s website goes into detail on how space is manipulated to create a truly unique view on every turn in the building. The facilities were great, with the living room intersecting the bar, a minibar in each room, air conditioning, massage services and a wine cellar to explore.
Other facilities include good Wi-Fi (something very important for us online workers!), a taxi service and a daily laundry and dry-cleaning service. Tourism services include tango events and lessons, Spanish lessons, city tours and even day excursions out to Colonia.
As for the food, the breakfast was a real treat. The delf had little artsy touches and there is an eclectic mix of local and continental foods to choose from.
The orange juice served is easily the best orange juice out there! One review states “Breakfast at the round table is superb and creates good moments to share impressions with other guests”. We couldn’t agree more.
For more info, have a look at the hotel’s website and its reviews on Tripadvisor.
You’ll find that Hotel Bonito is the perfect breath of artistic fresh air to complement the eclectic hustle and bustle of the tireless cityscape that is Buenos Aires – all while ensuring that when the city beats you for energy and you need somewhere to rest your head, this is definitely the perfect spot.
