WinterTravel

We will spend a week in BA in August and had originally planned to stay at the Four Seasons for the whole time. We've just been alerted to a good rate at the Sofitel, however, and are now thinking of staying there instead. We'd love to have comments from those who know/have stayed in both hotels. Which should we choose? Many thanks for your input.

WinterTravel

We are keen to know which hotel has nicer rooms/amenities, but also which has a better location. Thanks in advance for any help!

avrooster

I'm a fan of the Alvear, having worked there, so I'm biased. I believe there is more than one Sofitel, so we have to know which one you are talking about. Anyway, the 4 Seasons and most certainly the Alvear, both have a better location.

drdawggy

There are two Sofitel hotels in Buenos Aires. The first location is in Retiro, a very nice part of town near Plaza San Martin. This location is not more than a mile or so from the Four Seasons, essentially in the same part of town...It is a decent area. This is a very traditional hotel, and one of the nicest in Buenos Aires...although I would agree with AV that the Alvear is superior, but probably at a much higher price.

The second location is the Sofitel Madero and is located in Puerto Madero. This location is as contemporary as the other is traditional/ The area is in a newly developing part of town....a step down from any of the hotels mentioned in this thread, but still a very nice property.

Apartmentsba

I've stayed at all of those hotels. The Sofitel often times has more special rates because they try to keep it full more. That area where it is located is a really nice area but some find it a bit boring. It's not too far from the other hotels but it's on the other side of 9th de Julio.

The Four Seasons is great and the service is wonderful. The times I have had a problem, they fixed it immediately. The Alvear Palace is great as well but more of an upscale feel.

You can't go wrong in any of those hotels are you mentioning. If I had my pick, I'd stay at the Four Seasons or Alvear Palace. The service is great in both.

Sarah891198

Both hotels are gorgeous, and rates change according to the travel agent you book through or if you book directly with the hotel (you can get a good rate for your first choice instead of changing choices for price) Check alojargentina.com they usually have pretty low rates for hotels in buenos aires.

hobbes

Both the Alvear and the Four Seaosn are very special properties...the Sofitel is ok, just not in the same league...why don't you explore one of Buenos Aires' boutique hotels to save some money? The BoBo, Five - others also get rave reviews on this site.

drdawggy

I visited three of the botique hotels in Palermo Soho/Viejo yesterday-- Bobo, Malabia House and 5. Of the three, the only one I would prefer to any of the hotels mentioned in this thread--Alvear, Sofitel, Four Seasons--would be the Bobo. It is a splendid property. I especially liked the minimalist room, which comes with it's own private balcony. The rate is well below that of the 5 star hotels. To be fair, the rooms are probably also smaller...but it is a distinctive property in a trendy location away from the hubub of downtown and the touristy feel of Recoleta.

WinterTravel

So sorry for the delay in thanking everyone -- we've had computer difficulties the last few days. We are really grateful for the input. Given price considerations, locations, etc... we are down to deciding between the Soiftel (Retiro) and the Four Seasons.

We'd been leaning toward the Sofitel in recent days given that we'd read rave reviews of the hotel on Tripadvisor and the rooms seem to be newer (we've also had good experiences at other Sofitels around the world). Our sense is that a renovated room at the Four Seasons might be nicer, but that not all of the rooms are renovated (and the hotel won't guarantee a renovated room in advance). We also gather that the renovation process is still ongoing and that this could make the experience at the Four Seasons a bit less grand than usual.

We've had the experience in our travels that sometimes the most famous "grand" properties are in actuality not as nice to stay in as the newer charming places. We've even had this with Four Seasons (stayed at the Four Seasons in Seattle and found it very disappointing). We will be staying 7 nights and given that it is winter will spend more time in the hotel than we might in another season.

Location is also important -- we really like to walk, so we want to stay in an area where we can walk out the hotel door and enjoy a nice walk. For those of you who've stayed in/seen both of these hotels, we'd love to have your vote for our one trip to BA: Four Seasons (in the process of renovation) or Sofitel Retiro?

Thanks a million for your help in making this choice!

santiagov

Although late , my vote for the Alvear Hotel . On the high end prices ,nothing like in BA.

If you enjoy European style Hotels, its the best .

Barbacharters