The Garden Suite at Home Hotel in Buenos Aires (Photo: Home Hotel)
One of the hallmarks of a fantastic hotel room is that you prefer to stay in it than have to tear yourself away and explore the city you’re visiting. That’s exactly how I felt about the beautiful Garden Suite at Home Hotel in Buenos Aires.
Home was launched around ten years ago by Patricia and Tom Rixton. It immediately made an impression and helped establish this corner of the city’s Palermo neighborhood as one of the up’n’coming, hip areas of the city.
The district is now teeming with trendy bars and restaurants, but Home retains its reputation as one of the coolest places to stay.
The restaurant and bar area at Home Hotel (Photo: Home Hotel)
Enchanting garden
As soon as you step off the street and into the cool, shaded interior, you feel that you’ve entered some chic, exclusive getaway. The lobby area is full of stylish furniture and art. Through glass partitions, you catch a glimpse of the restaurant area – half inside and half outside the enchanting garden.
My allocated suite was separate to the actual hotel: tucked away behind the garden and swimming pool in its own little private compound.
The Garden Suite (Photo: Home Hotel)
The Garden Suite feels mid-20th century American in design. Vines and ivy coat the exterior walls. A decorative, shallow paddling pool lies past the entrance gate, behind which you can see the rooms of the suite through floor-to-ceiling windows. It feels both exposed but completely private.
The interior follows the same aesthetic: Palm Springs meets Latin America. A mint-green rug sits upon the polished concrete floor. A garish wallpaper print of palm leaves brings the outdoor foliage theme indoors.
The large windows ensure the lighting throughout is fantastic (fans of bathroom selfies will appreciate the skylights above the shower and the large mirror on the opposite wall). A spiral staircase leads to a private sun deck – again hidden from prying eyes behind a jungle of creepers.
The swimming pool in the enchanting Home Hotel garden (Photo: Home Hotel)
Light and shade
We all know it’s the small details that count, and the small details here heighten the guest experience. My room featured a record player and stash of old and classic vinyl, which I found an unexpectedly delightful pleasure to play around with late into the evening.
The neighboring garden area – now presumably more jungle-like than when the hotel first opened – is a true oasis in this concrete-heavy city. Glittering, decorative, avian-inspired garden art peeks out from behind the vines.
Many interior designers focus on maximizing openess and light, but at Home, the aesthetic is balanced between light and dark. The cultivated areas of shade both within the hotel and its beguiling garden strike a transcendental equilibrium.
My booking included breakfast, which was an OK buffet selection of cereals, pastries, ham, cheese, eggs, etc. There’s also a spa, which offers facials and massage. I didn’t get the chance to check it out but the prices seemed reasonable. Upon checking in, the staff provide a handy little guide to the neighborhood. I found its recommendations very useful.
I left a bit of my heart at Home: a shame I was only staying a couple of nights.
Home Hotel, Honduras 5860, C1414 CABA, Argentina. +54 11 4779-1006. homebuenosaires.com Standard rooms start at US$140 (Garden Suite from US$380).
