Axel Hotel Buenos Aires & Urban Spa - Buenos Aires

The hotel is a great hotel. Very gay friendly. The area isn't bad just bohemian feeling. The spa area had a horrible odor that smelled like sewage that crept into the rest of the hotel. And yet they were still charging for the spa. The sauna and jacuzzi could stand to be cleaned but over all I had a good visit there

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great stay but hotel needs a little TLC in the maintenance dept.. Staff were great.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel is very modern . The shower is in the middle of room with glass walls. If you are planning to share the room with a friend perhaps you wont have much privacy when taking showers. The hotel's primary audience is LGBT. The drinks and coffee are very expensive based on Buenos aires standards.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

In general I had a great time with the hotel itself, the staff was very friendly and since it was my first time in BA they were very helpful with questions. The hotel itself is beautiful but the area where is located is not so much (not a place it makes you want to take walks alone at night, nevertheless I had no problems doing so). So if that is an […] issue, better to stay somewhere else. During the day you can walk to Puerto Madero, to San Telmo festival on Sunday or take taxis (very cheap) everywhere else. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This Axel property is great. The staff were superb, and I had nothing but the best service. We made several calls to the front desk for special requests, all of which were met with a positive attitude and were accommodated swiftly. The staff were friendly, polite, spoke English well, and would always smile and greet you. If you have stayed at other […] Axel hotels, then you know what your room will be like. We had a standard room with a king-size bed and were very comfortable. The sheets were clean and crisp, the floor spotless, and the bathroom clean and in good condition. The hotel itself is well kept. The outdoor pool area was nice, and there was sufficient space to relax, with comfortable lounges. The indoor spa area and pool were also nice, and the heated(!) pool was fantastic. There is one drawback to this property...the neighborhood of San Telmo where it is located. San Telmo is congested and messy. While we knew we were not staying in the Recoleta or Palermo, we were still a bit surprised at the condition of the entire San Telmo barrio. For the record, we did not have any problems with anyone while out and about, and would say, in general, the neighborhood is safe. Overall, I would stay at this Axel Hotel again. The neighborhood condition not withstanding, the geographic location in the city is fantastic, and is located a short walk from all the sights, transportation, restaurants and "kioskos" you will need for an enjoyable stay in Buenos Aires. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel is very nice and trendy. Rooms are small. The single city rooms state a king-size bed but the bed is actually made of 2 twins together without mattress pad to make a king one. So you feel the crack in the middle. I got moved and upgraded for free to a real king-size bed unit. Also, the city rooms are quite noisy because of street. Get a room on […] the other side of the hotel which is very quiet. Breakfast is decent and staff is friendly. Business center's computers are in the hallways right in front of room # 306 & 406. It can be quite annoying when people are using the computers in the middle of the night and not being very quiet. Overall, I had a nice stay there. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

It is a design hotel. I got a room on the street side since I booked the cheapest one from Expedia.com. It was bit noisy, but there are earplugs available in the rooom. The bed was king size and very confortable, shouwer at the entrence of the room with glas walls and a seperated wc. There were two outlet with universal adapter available in the room. […] So, you do not need to buy any adapter for your electronic equipment. They thought about every detail in the room.... there is even a condom available(free of charge) just in case! There is a swimpool and a sauna availble for the guests. I am really impressed about this hotel. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Though convenience to bars and some of the more Popular neighborhoods like Palermo and Recoleta is a long taxi ride. Good thing taxis are cheap. Little noisy if you face the pool and are in a lower floor room. Im excluding Sundays where they have a rocking pool party and noise is expected. Great staff!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Had the chance to stay at the suite and it is a marvelous experience. A jacuzzi in addition to the shower, cnadles, lots of closet space and other amenities. Best hotel experience I've had in a long time.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Axel is a heterofriendly hotel, which means, it is a gay hotel that welcomes hetero guests. It is a good hotel, nice pool and spa, etc, but the location is not good at all, even being close to San Telmo. For gay people, it is far from all the nightlife, Palermo and etc. It is good if you are planning to enjoy the hotel. The staff in the front desk are […] ok, they could be more pro-active, by the other hand, the staff at the bar is great! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

I am very happy that I found this little jewel of a boutique hotel in the middle of an old neighborhood of Buenos Aires just off one of the main drags, Avenida de Julio. Just after I checked in, I wanted to order something to eat, so I sat outside on one of the terraces and had a gourmet salad with very tasty ham and cheese grilled sandwich. Service […] was excellent. Staff was very helpful and friendly at all times of the day or evening. The young ladies who were on the housekeeping staff were eager to make sure everything was just how I wanted it. I was very comfortable there and would certainly look forward to returning again. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Stayed because it was predominantly gay, but this was not a great value, and far from everything. The surroundings are dirty, like most of BA, and scary at night. The staff was mostly friendly and helpful. Breakfast was included , but not fully cooked, and lacking variety or taste. The hotel is very run down. For the money, one could stay in a much […] better location and in a much better hotel. I am well-travelled so trust me. I would not return to this hotel or to Argentina. This was my first and last visit, inspite of the fact that the people in BA are very sweet. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This was my 9th stay at the hotel. Great staff, beautiful facilities, wonderful rooftop spa area. What else can you ask for?

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Everything would have been ok except for: 1. They gave us the handicap room, even though we did not need that 2. There was blood (yes, blood) on the sheets, had to ask for new sheets late at night. 3. At 7 am we woke up with all the noise from the restaurant, the room was right next to it. 4. We were told we would get our money back for all the listed […] points and a few days later I get an e-mail from the manager saying they dont believe the blood stain was there (and yes, they saw it), and that they wont give us the money back. What a shame, Don't go there. Choose a hotel in the Recoleta neighborhood instead. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We were very pleased with our stay at the Axel - - nice hotel, friendly staff, enjoyable spa, reasonable rate. We had been warned that the neighborhood was not so convenient or nice, and it is in fact a bit shady, but it was an easy 10 minute walk to the main Plaza and the subway stops and just a few blocks from the San Telmo market on Sunday, so don't […] let the location scare you away. Our only aggravation about the hotel is the key-card system for the elevators - - our key-cards rarely worked and we kept having to get replacements. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Excellent hotel in San Telmo area with a great breakfast. We were surprised to find out that the hotel was a mostly gay hotel that was very hetero friendly. 5 star quality with excellent service.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We were VERY welcomed and the service at this hotel was superb!!! Alexis and Santiago were AMAZING!!! They were extremely service oriented and made our stay very pleasurable. It was particularly challenging for us in this primarily Spanish speaking country, however, the staff spoke English and they knew a lot about the area and how to guide us. We would […] definitely recommend. I was a little put off by the location of the hotel since it is on a street with parking lots and it felt a little like a transitory neighborhood. However, having said that, we walked everywhere from the hotel and everyone was very friendly and helpful. I actually had no worries, dispite my initial fears. I also think its useful to mention that there was a high gay population that actually added to our experience. Well educated men from all over the world. Very interesting conversations. Easy access to the main street where we walked all over the city, downtown, Ricoleta, the theatre and more. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The friendly and helpful staff made this hotel great! Kudos to the staff - they are a great group.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Eventhough I was extremely satisfied with this hotel concept, I was definitely disappointed when I wanted to go to the pool and/or the gym and was asked to pay US$ 15 per day to access the 5th floor where these facilities are located. Those facilities are currently not a luxury, but a daily need, and since this is a four star hotel, an extra charge […] is completely unreasonably. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is a very nice hotel, very modern and comfortable. The surrounding area is somehow doesn't match the quality of the hotel but you're downtown Buenos Aires. Taxi is very cheap and easy to get. Good Breakfast Free Wireless Internet in room $15/day to use the Hotel SPA

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This hotel certainly is Gay friendly, even though I'm not gay, it was a well kept cutting edge hotel. We were treated nicely by staff members, the front desk personnel were friendly and helpful at all hours of the night. The only bad rating I would give is that they keep the temperature controls at frying level. It was unbearably hot in the hotel, in […] fact I had to leave my room windows open all night to have a comfortable sleeping experience. This caused the noise level downstairs to affect my ability to sleep. The hotel itself was worth the money and more, it was in town and close to the street fair every Sunday. If it wasn't for the temperature control problem through out the entire hotel, this would have received full reviews. It's a romantic spot, geared towards gay couples, but straight couples can certainly enjoy themselves also. Internet access was almost at every floor, all in all a great hotel, and I will stay there again..... Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Recommend 100%, totally clean, nice service!!! Price really nice!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

wonderful breakfast, friendly staff, wifi a plus. Highly recommended

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The Axel is always a great place to stay and relax. As a frequent guest, I was extremely surprised that they now charge your room $15 US for use of the spa facilities per day. In addition, there no longer provide newspapers in the lobby area.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This hotel was very average, the room was very small and it really didn't feel home. the service is good, the concierge are better than average. The location is not good at all, it's good to see this side of the city as well, but don't necessary need to stay here. There aren't that many great local restaurants around here. the closest is the Puerto […] Modero which is pretty expensive restaurants, not normal local Argentinian lifestyle restaurants, but definitely worth seeing. but sometimes you just need to have nice cafes close by when you are back in your hotel and don't wanna go too far. 2nd time in BA we stayed in Palermo Hollywood which was much much nicer area. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great hotel, nice swimming pool and sauna. Great location. But don't accept the room 100. It's right next to the restaurant, and it's very noisy. This room (100) should not be a room.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This was a very enjoyable place to stay; they keep their rooms very clean, offer 2 decent computer stations for people that need to use the internet, and have a decent selection for breakfast in their lobby area. In addition, there are many different things they will lend you (hair driers, power adapters, breakfast in bed, plus more) and possess a very […] nice hotel layout. It is about a 10min walk from Puerto Madero, very near by several very good restaurants (including one steakhouse), and close to the metrorail and several interesting points of interest. Make sure that whoever you room with, you are either a couple, or at least extremely used to each other; the shower is encased in clear glass and is situated right next to the bed! As long as you are okay with that, I strongly recommend staying here! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We had a nice stay at this hotel at a reasonable cost. The staff were friendly and efficient and always helpful. Breakfast was fine, but unchanging, which after four mornings was a bit repetitive. Note that if you want to use the spa section of the hotel it is extra per room per day; this might actually have helped keep our rate down to begin with, […] and it was nice to have the option to "upgrade" to use those facilities if we wanted to. Also, for some reason, there were no glasses in our room to go with the mini-bar; not sure if this was conscious (to prevent glass breaking on the polished concrete floors) or just an oversight, but I'm sure they would have provided some if we asked. We liked the location because it was not upscale and pretentious, but seemed more diverse and artsy (some realy nice graffiti mural art, for example), and there were some nice neighborhood eateries. If you like beef, definitely go to La Brigada. (Note that the sidewalks in the San Telmo area and other parts of the city that are not upscale are in disrepair so be careful while walking. The hotel is also a short walk to the main boulevard, right near the Sunday flea market (which goes on for blocks), It's a bit of a walk to the Subte (metro, subway, underground), but it's a nice walk and it is worth it for getting around. Just a word about the people in Buenos Aires: everyone seemed unpretentious and was very helpful, honest, and friendly. Never felt in the least intimidated or made to feel uncomfortable. But they really do need to do a better job cleaning up after their dogs in the morning (be careful when looking up at the buildings or you will be wiping your shoes). Hotel, area, city, and the people made for a great stay. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Dont miss the street fair on Defensa Sundays, a very short walk away. An easy walk to the Casa Rosada and various points nearby.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We enjoyed our stay at hotel axel. It's architecturally interesting (especially the rooftop glassbottom pool). Breakfast had a few choices beyond the standard buffet. Argentina is already very image-conscious, and the guests at so if you're not prepared to arrive at breakfast in a nice tanktop to show off your muscles, you might seek more tame accommodations. Most […] guests seemed friendly and there were straight guests as well. But anyone expecting the debauchery of a bathhouse should look somewhere else--the pool and spa area is clothing-mandatory. The front desk has a gay guide for folks seeking everything from gay friendly restaurants and bars to places with gay tango. There are also nearly unlimited ads for things like gay doctors and teeth-whitening. Axel hotel is very nice, and it is a place to see and be seen if you are up to it. We scored a weekday special which was a bargain at such a swank spot; upgrades to superior rooms get you quieter pool-view rooms which are bigger but our standard room was fine. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

only bad comment is that if you have a room facing the street it can get loud because of traffic/general noise. hotel staff was great and the location wasn't that bad and it was easy to get a cab to/from the hotel. I had a great time when staying here. Loved the shower in the room!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Recommend to other LGBT folks especially

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

At first I was in another awful hotel and immediately decided to move to Axel and agreed it was an excellent choice, except for the bad humour of the afternoon front desk staff everything was perfect.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel is fairly new, yet it feels old and tired. The staff is not the most hospitable. Location is not good -- surrounding neighborhood doesn't feel safe. No good restaurants nearby.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Even though I stayed for a very short time, the recepcionist was friendly, quickly satisfied my questions and inmediate needs. I am heterosexual and I am happy that there is a gay friendly hotel in Buenos Aires, and at the same time, "los otros" can stay very comfortable. As woman travelling by myself, I look for safety as well. Even though the street […] where the hotel is located, does not look well, the area is quite calm (anyway, it is better not to look "gaudy"...). And it is even better located: 6 blocks from Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo! The taxi driver (Cesar) the hotel ask for me to go to the airport was great! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Overall a nice place. The rooms are small. The street is a bit run down but not a security problem. The front desk folks were not real conceriges and that left a lot to be desired. Plus, the rooms facing the street were noisy from street traffic and the guard dog in the parking garage across the street. If considering this hotel, make sure you get a […] room that does not face the street. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Loved staying here! Very hip and inviting and inclusive hotel. POSITIVES: This hotel is fantastic and inexpensive for the quality, but not for those who are timid. here's why: -Gym has only one locker room- men and women share. - Pool is glass bottom so people will take photos of your behind while you are swimming. hee hee -Condoms are part of the hotel […] room toiletries - - -Also standard: 3rd door sign saying "Please Disturb!" hee hee! -Gym showers, sauna, steam room are common, no partitions in showers- communal - Gym's workout area and pool are in the same space. - Hotel room shower walls are 100% glass so anyone in the hotel room can see you shower. actually, there is a mirror next to and above so you can see yourself shower too! - whole hotel is glass- very modern and cool looking!!! - great breakfast! hot and cold. yum!! NEGATIVES: - Concierge and Receptionist are the same person. The main guy running the place when we were there was very tempermental and we were scared of him. We did not want to ask him anything and he seemed quite judgmental of the very normal touristy activities we inquired about. - They are short staffed so if the mean guy is on staff, there is no one else you can turn to for help! - Not in a nice neighborhood. Garbage all over the streets outside and sketchy streets at night.(but you forget all that when you walk into the gorgeous hotel) -Not a neighborhood for a single foreign woman to walk alone at night! - Not on a main street, so you sometimes have to wait for 5-10 minutes for a cab or walk several blocks to a main street- not fun in the rain. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This guest did not leave a comment.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

A + Hotel, service, condition, atmosphere, spectacular maintenance.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We stayed in this hotel for about a week during a recent trip to Buenos Aires. Plusses: It's one of the newest hotels in Buenos Aires and generally has nice amenities. We enjoyed the hot tubs, pool, and exercise equipment on the top floor, as well as the free WiFi throughout the hotel. Front desk staff members all speak English and are very knowledgeable […] and courteous. The hotel has a nice location in historic San Telmo. On weekends, the hotel has several gay male guests, but everyone would feel genuinely welcome, and during the week the hotel is very mixed. Downsides: The rooms are not very well noise-insulated, so my traveling companion (who's a light sleeper) was bothered by other hotel guests who were playing music in the adjacent room late on Friday and Saturday nights. We stayed in a "street view" room and it was not feasible to keep the doors open overnight because of noise from cars and trucks passing on the street in front of the hotel. Also, at the time we visited, the locals wanted heat while we wanted air conditioning, and there was no way to turn on the a/c in our room. Note that at least one taxi driver told us that American guests frequently complain about noise and climate control in even the most expensive hotels in Buenos Aires, so you might not do any better. Hotel Axel is actually one of the most modern structures among the hotels, so the taxi driver we spoke to suggested it was better than the competition. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Booked and paid 3 nights but could only last 1, left at 7am the next morning to find somewhere safer, friendlier, quieter and better maintained. Where do I begin...... the lift and room keys constantly malfunctioned, the safe didnt work, we had to pay to access pool/gym even tho they call it a 4 star hotel, the location was extremely unsafe at nighttime, […] the room was noisy from both street noise and music from the bar going late into night, reception was unhelpful and not knowledgable. The hotel states they are "hetero friendly" and while we are open minded and accepting but we felt distincly uncomfortable as the whole place was nothing more than a homosexual meat market. Unless that is solely what you are looking for then AVOID at all costs.... Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Stayed here twice - with friends. Stylish hotel and decent sized, well furnished rooms. Main issue is lack lustre service and poor location (central, but not in a very safe/nice area at night). Not expensive though.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review