Adjacent to lovely Plaza San Martin, situated in the heart of the city, this handsome eight-story belle-epoque building has been refurbished and renovated back into the top of its league, just below the fine Claridge. This remains one of the better choices for those who do not want to splurge on a deluxe hotel nor settle for tourist-grade digs.
The trim Continental decor within is pleasing, and most of the soft goods and furniture even smell new. An expertly staffed reception desk fronts the polished granite entrance to the bar. Here, neatly set tables for dinner
fill every inch of floor space. A second bar upstairs serves the main restaurant, which offers well-prepared buffets (breakfast buffet is included in the rates) and an a la carte menu at lunch and dinner. The setting is enhanced with new seating, and the business lunch is a notable bargain that draws a big crowd around noon.
The five meeting rooms have a capacity of 400 delegates, and wireless Internet access (available throughout the hotel) is the pride of the recently upgraded audiovisual equipment. The hotel also has a new gym, sauna, and racquet and squash courts, 
but the pool is still a pipe dream. Valets park cars, and small dogs are permitted.
The mostly renovated, contemporary-style guest rooms show cool cream and sapphire color schemes, with coordinated drapes, spreads, throw pillows and padded headboards. The occasional stained carpeting is the only real flaw here, and soundproofing is generally satisfactory, though guest rooms on the first three floors suffer from the hum of daytime traffic. The three room categories speak mostly of size. Standards are interior rooms, superiors face the street and Plaza San Martin, and deluxe rooms are larger corner units that add massaging showerheads in combination baths. Phones offer voice mail and data ports, TVs pull in more than one English-language channel, minibars are well-stocked, the ample closets have safes, and baths supply hair dryers. Cell phones are provided in each room. Nonsmokers enjoy their own rooms, and room service never stops.
This hotel represents solid value, especially for technophiles.