Gay Buenos Aires Buenos Aires City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by David Durán

Shrewdly founded by early Spanish settlers at the delta of the Río de la Plata, Buenos Aires, the sprawling capital of Argentina, has long been one of Latin America’s most important trade hubs, now also a thriving centre of culture, politics and technology. A gay mecca consistently at the forefront of progress and acceptance in the region, Buenos Aires is a worthy city to visit, even if only for the empanadas alone. Besides its meaty gastronomy scene, led by prime Argentine beef and twists on European classics, Buenos Aires boasts upscale luxury hotels and countless distinct barrios to explore; such as fancy Puerto Madero and Plaza Serrano. For the whole month of November, visitors can expect Pride festivities like no other, starting in Palermo Soho and radiating out across the entire city. Looking for the ultimate Buenos Aires travel guide? Mr Hudson has got you covered.

The best hotels in Buenos Aires

Choosing where to stay in Buenos Aires is one of those enviable problems — the standard of luxury here is genuinely world-class, and each of the city’s finest properties offers a fundamentally different experience of its host city.

In Recoleta, the Alvear Palace Hotel is the undisputed grande dame: a 1932 Belle Époque palace on Avenida Alvear where 207 rooms and suites are appointed in refined French style, butler service is available from the Alvear Suite category upwards, and the legendary L’Orangerie restaurant below serves the finest classical French cuisine in the city. The recently renewed upper floors add a heated rooftop pool and sweeping city views that justify a long, indolent afternoon doing absolutely nothing. A short distance away, the Four Seasons Buenos Aires offers an exquisite pairing of a contemporary tower and the extraordinary La Mansión — a restored 1920s French-style mansion with seven suites of breathtaking grandeur, Slavonian oak floors, crystal chandeliers, and the enviable distinction of being the only property in Recoleta with a heated outdoor pool set within immaculate private gardens. Elena, its acclaimed restaurant, and the polo-inspired Pony Line bar are worth a visit regardless of where you ultimately choose to rest your head.

In Puerto Madero, the Faena Hotel is one of the great theatrical hotels of the world. Conceived by Argentine developer Alan Faena and designed by Philippe Starck, its crimson velvets, white leather, and gilded interiors make an immediate, unforgettable statement. The legendary Rojo Tango cabaret runs nightly at El Cabaret, the infinity pool is among the most photographed in South America, and the 88 rooms and suites range from light-filled studios overlooking the waterfront to the extraordinary two-storey Duplex Suite — a private residence of unabashed fantasy. For those who prefer to feel genuinely woven into the fabric of the city rather than cocooned above it, the Anselmo Buenos Aires sits directly on Plaza Dorrego in historic San Telmo, where tango dancers perform in the evenings and the city’s finest antique market fills the surrounding cobblestone streets each Sunday. A beautifully considered boutique option in one of Buenos Aires’ most characterful neighbourhoods.