It doesn't get much cooler than this. From the basement bar to the 3rd-floor lounge, Giramondo is one seriously stylish hostel. Opened in 2004, it's the loving creation of its four young owners. They all seemed to have one thing in mind: hook the travellers up with the locals...

Adhering to an admirable philosophy of socially responsible independent travel, Via Via offers simple but totally adequate accommodations above it's namesake restaurant in an excellent location (near loads of restaurants) in San Telmo. There's one dorm and five doubles, all...

With only 28 beds it's one of the smallest hostels in town. Owned by five friends - a painter, a photographer, two teachers, and a sociologist - Sandanzas lives up to its self-endowed title of 'cultural hostel' by hosting roundtables on Argentine culture, musical performances,...

Owned by a friendly, well-travelled Argentine/Spanish couple, Garden House instantly feels like home. It's far from flashy (in fact, the office-style carpet and modern layout almost give it an apartment feel), but it's warmly comfortable. The cozy library, sunny terrace and...

When it comes to style, staff friendliness and old-time atmosphere, you'll be hard pressed to find a better hostel than this. Converted from a splendid, century-old house, its common room is graced with stylishly reupholstered antique furniture, a huge table and a sunken...

Over five years in the business (practically ancient in BA's blossoming hostel scene), Milhouse has had plenty of time to polish its act. And it's done just that. From the enthusiastic staff members that bolt around in HI-tagged threads to the 150 spotless rooms, Milhouse is...

Tango City is one of many Hostel Inns in Argentina and is an excellent, 100-bed hostel in the heart of historic San Telmo. Occupying a converted old house, it boasts a giant kitchen, pool table, cozy common room, free tango and Spanish classes, and free dinners Monday to...

V&S occupies a beautifully converted 19th-century mansion and offers touches of old and new. The curved-glass doors and the ancient iron elevator are simply stunning. And for a hostel, so is the giant-screen TV in the common room.

Portal del Sur is one of BA's most gorgeous hostels. Its trump cards are the fabulous rooftop terrace and bar, and the beautiful private rooms. The house dates to 1925 and the location is excellent.

With each room decorated by a different local designer, it's no wonder Che Lulu is a hit. Style and Che Lulu's prime location in Palermo Viejo make for a winning combo. Rooms are miniature and some lack windows, but the beautifully designed common area more than makes up for it.

Owned by an artistic young Argentine, Casa Vaiven occupies an old converted warehouse in a non-touristy area of San Telmo. Although there are only five rooms, the communal area (complete with TV lounge, foosball and internet) is huge. Two rooms share a bath and all are...

Caserón Porteño is about tango and family-style digs. It definitely qualifies as tranquilo (mellow). In fact, except for the daytime clamor from the primary school next door, it qualifies as super tranquilo. It occupies a converted house and has 10 rooms, a large leafy...

Now here's a wee charmer in the big Microcentro. The house was built in 1890, served as an immigrant hotel, sat in decline for decades and was finally transformed into a modest but carefully restored 25-room B&B. It has high ceilings, carpeted rooms and loads of ornate trim work.

Unsigned and conveniently situated a stone's throw from Plaza Dorrego, BA's first gay B&B occupies a handsomely converted house with small, pleasant rooms, two Jacuzzis, and a three-level rooftop terrace where the boys (it's all male) bronze their bodies in the afternoon sun.

From the street, you'd never know what's hiding behind Casa Monserrat's small facade; possibly the most stunning B&B in Buenos Aires. Occupying a restored 1870 two-story home, it has only one drawback: the slightly seedy neighborhood surrounding it.

Situated just off Plaza Vicente López y Planes, the Bel Air is an old restored beauty. The lobby wine-bar and café is stylishly designed, with curving wood dividers, dark walls and mood lighting creating an irresistible lounge-like ambience. Rooms have polished hardwood floors...

Built in 2001, Art Suites offers ultra-modern yet totally comfortable apartment-style accommodation in two- or four-room units, complete with daily room service and breakfast. The four-roomers are great for families (put the kids in the other room!), and all are stylishly...

Resplendent, sumptuous, grandiose, historic - no word can really prepare you for the splendor of BA's most famous hotel. But who needs adjectives when there's a plasma-screen TV over your Jacuzzi-style bathtub, Egyptian cotton sheets, Hermès toiletries, plate of fresh fruit...

Of BA's many designer boutique hotels, Art Hotel is one of the first - and most successful. Rooms are small, but the combination of classical and modern (the building dates from 1927) means comfort meets style head-to-head. Add a rooftop terrace and Jacuzzi and you can't go...

Palermo's swankiest digs mean minimalist design plus modern comfort. The seven rooms are designed as their names suggest: Art Deco, Minimalista, Pop... The two best (thanks primarily to their decks) are Minimalista and Techno. Another room boasts a giant Jacuzzi, complete with...

Spotless, straightforward, friendly and cheap - what more could you ask for? Location? You're smack in the middle of the Palermo Hollywood bar scene, and just across the tracks from Palermo Viejo, the hippest neighbourhood on the planet.

Little has changed since the Castelar opened its doors in 1929: the décor is classical, service is good and rooms are clean. There's a basement spa, and while facilities aren't luxurious, it's still a plus.

Considering the comfortable rooms, giant multi-level lobby and the prime location across from Plaza Libertad, the Dazzler is decent value. The amount of glass used here is indeed dazzling, but the location is good and services, perfectly acceptable.

From the looking-glass pool in the cement-floor lobby to the in-room espresso makers, Design Suites is pure eye candy, top-to-bottom fun for the minimalist in everyone. Tables, chairs, paintings, glasses - everything was designed specifically for the hotel, meaning you'll...

Occupying a fabulous, old corner-house in Palermo, El Firulete is the perfect pad for those who just can't take another billion-bed hostel. With six rooms, 20 beds, a groovy terrace and weekly asados (barbecues) and pizza nights, this is a real charmer. Sheets, towels,...

So, all those other hotels we recommended... We were just kidding. You know (wink, wink), to keep the riffraff away from this one. The Faena's where you really want to stay. In fact, this luxury hotel-apartment-fantasy-world is the most decadent, sumptuous, sexy, over-the-top...

Open since 1941, Hotel Carsson offers a touch of honest-to-goodness, old-fashioned class in the heart of the Microcentro. Considering the location, comfort of the rooms and the yesteryear elegance of the place, it's a pretty good deal.

Shack up in style and soak in the history of the 85-room Hotel Jousten, a French-neoclassic landmark that was once one of Av Corrientes' most prized buildings. Opened in 1928, it was closed and sat abandoned for decades before the NH chain restored and reopened it in 2000.

It's hard to get much closer to the action - the action of parks, art and death, that is. This modern and friendly hotel sits directly across from the lovely Plaza Intendente Alvear, which is just outside the Recoleta Cemetery, it's all walking distance from several of the...

All right, all right, so it's the Marriott. And even though you may not be rolling into Buenos Aires looking for a chain hotel, you might be able to forget it this time. This was the first five-star hotel in Buenos Aires and it remains one of the city's most historical.