Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires in Argentina [In-Depth Hotel Review]

This may be one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at. And that’s no small claim, as I’ve spent hundreds — maybe thousands — of nights in hotels while visiting every country in the world. This, however, is a property I’ll be recommending to friends and family going forward.

From the luxurious façade to the beautiful courtyard in the center of the property, the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires had so much to offer. Other highlights included fantastic service and top-notch dining.

The hotel’s location wasn’t the greatest, but reaching the places we wanted to go in Buenos Aires wasn’t difficult. Given the eye-popping price tag, booking this property on points was definitely the way to go.

Here’s a look at our 2-night stay at the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires in late November 2024.

Booking Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

The Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires participates in the World of Hyatt program, which means you can earn points on paid stays or redeem Hyatt points for a stay here.

During our weekend stay, cash prices were highly inflated because the final of the Copa Libertadores (the biggest South American club soccer tournament) was in town. The average price per night was a whopping $1,171.

Luckily, as this was a Category 6 property, we were able to reserve a room at 25,000 points per night. This provided a value of 4.68 cents per point — more than 3 times our average value of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents apiece.

Note that you must pay a tax of $1.50 per person each night during your stay, even if you booked with points. This tax applies to guests ages 13 and above.

Hot Tip:

You’ll typically find rooms at the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires for $480 to $800 per night, depending on the date. If you book a cash rate, consider using a card like The World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card to pay for your reservation. You earn up to 9 points per $1 spent at Hyatt properties with these cards — or possibly more, depending on your World of Hyatt status tier.

Location of Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

The hotel is in the Recoleta neighborhood, famous for the cemetery of the same name where Eva Perón’s grave is. The neighborhood is also home to the city’s fine arts museum. On the blocks surrounding the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, we found numerous cafés, restaurants, and bars. We also found many embassies nearby, including a Vatican nunciature (diplomatic mission of the Holy See) next door to the hotel.

There weren’t any subway stations near the hotel, meaning venturing into other parts of Buenos Aires required a bus, taxi, or Uber ride.

Checking In

Even before we arrived, the hotel offered high-quality service. I received an email confirming our reservation 4 days before arrival. In it, we were asked to provide our estimated time of arrival. We also received a link to explore the hotel’s restaurants, their menus, and a reservation booking service. The hotel provided contact information for the concierge in case we wanted to book any activities, ask questions, or schedule an airport transfer.

Arriving in an Uber from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP), we were immediately impressed by the hotel’s front entrance. It screamed classic, luxurious architecture.

Walking up to the front entrance, we were greeted by friendly bellhops. As we only had carry-on baggage, we declined their offer of help.

We appreciated the umbrellas available for guest use at the entrance, as well.

We stepped inside, and the hotel greeted us with open spaces, fine art, and a chandelier. From the building’s front to the lobby, the first impression was … well, impressive.

At the front desk, we were greeted by a friendly employee who asked whether we wanted to conduct check-in in English, Spanish, or Portuguese — impressive! He quickly found our reservation and welcomed us to the property. He made small talk while scanning our passports, asking if we’d been to the hotel or Buenos Aires previously.

He made quick work of our check-in, asking if we needed help from the concierge or restaurant reservations before providing details on our room’s location. He also confirmed that the hotel was full during our stay, meaning an upgrade wasn’t possible.

Elite Benefits

As a World of Hyatt Globalist, we got several benefits built into our stay, though I’ll admit they didn’t include big-ticket items. We would’ve received complimentary parking, but we didn’t have a car. And we could’ve received an upgrade if any rooms were available, though they weren’t.

That said, we were offered late checkout at 4 p.m., which we gladly accepted. We also received complimentary breakfast each morning, a buffet in the Gioia restaurant in the same building as our room. Lastly, we received complimentary bottled water each day.

Bottom Line:

At a sold-out hotel, we didn’t get a room upgrade and didn’t need the free parking. However, we were happy with free breakfast and staying in the room we’d originally booked.

The Hotel’s Other Entrance

The hotel has a second building behind the original Palacio building. This second building faces Posadas Street, which is on the block behind Avenida Alvear, where the hotel’s main entrance is. These buildings are connected through an underground walkway, and we stayed in this newer building, where all rooms with “deluxe” in the title are.

There is also a reception desk in this other building, capable of performing all the same tasks as the one we went to at the hotel’s main address.

This entrance wasn’t nearly as fancy-looking as the original Palacio building on the other side.

However, it had the advantage of being covered, which made it a preferred location for pickup and drop-off in the rain.

We stayed in this Posadas building, not the hotel’s original Palacio building. While it wasn’t overly beautiful when you saw it standing on the street, the inside view from the hotel’s central gardens was fantastic. We loved the vines crawling up the building.

Since we hadn’t been to the hotel before and were staying in a different building from the one where we were checking in, a bellhop walked us to our room, showing us the underground tunnels and connected buildings and discussing the hotel’s amenities along the way. He told us the hours and locations of the main amenities, how to move between buildings, and answered any questions we had.

Additionally, this bellhop also asked if we wanted to receive our information in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. The hotel had a fantastic number of multilingual employees.

1 King Bed Deluxe

The “deluxe” in the name obscured the fact this was the hotel’s standard room type. Rooms with Deluxe in the name were in the building along Posadas Street, not the original Palacio building.

I’ll be honest: Our room was the least impressive aspect of our stay, but it was still a good room. It just lacked the jaw-dropping nature of what we found in other parts of the hotel.

We stayed in room 710 on the event floor. The halls had a soft color palette with 3D art on the walls.

The hotel had a unique “Do Not Disturb” sign, which was a heavy black piece of wood on a cord.

Immediately inside the door, we found a hardwood floor and framed artwork on the walls. It was also well lit, which we liked.

Hardwood floors covered the entire room, and there were heavy curtains along the windows. The room only used earth tones.

Interestingly, the king-size bed was 2 smaller beds pushed together. I’m not a fan of this since it makes lying together in the middle of the bed uncomfortable. That said, the bed was comfortable, even though the pillows could’ve used more support.

Each side of the bed had a square wooden nightstand. Above these, there were lamps and outlets, including a panel of switches for the room’s various lights.

Beyond the bed was an armchair and an interesting table with a slot that could potentially hold a laptop or newspaper.

Past the chair was a small extension of the room, creating a nook by the windows. We had views down Posada Street and to apartments across the street.

Across from the foot of the bed was a small wooden dresser with a TV on top. Here, we found boxed water.

In the corner of the room was a quarter-circle wooden desk with 2 chairs rather than the typical single chair.

The desk had a lamp and a phone that included a QWERTY keyboard. Here, we also found a note with a QR code to scan for information about the hotel. This also provided a way to view the room service menu.

The desk also held our welcome gift, which included a bottle of Argentinian wine and macarons from the hotel’s in-house pâtisserie. There also was a handwritten note from the hotel’s management.

There also were small light gray rugs on each side of the bed. These had a striped and geometric pattern.

Minibar

Near the hallway from the room’s entry, immediately next to where the room opened up, there was a small minibar built into the wall. On top, we had an electric kettle, mugs, a coffee machine, and pods.

We found tea bags, packets of sugar, and even a bag of candy in a drawer underneath.

Underneath, a minibar held sodas, cans of beer, and water. These were not complimentary.

Bathroom

Our room had a large bathroom, with entrances from the entry hallway and from the bedroom. There was a large wooden door on the bedroom side and a sliding door at the hallway entrance.

Although the bathroom was long and skinny, it still felt spacious. Its dark, wooden features complemented the bright lighting and marble.

On the left, there was a sink and mirror and then a partial glass wall before the bathtub. The sink was off-center, creating a huge amount of counter space.

Above the sink was a small glass shelf. It held a glass jar with cotton swabs and a small bottle of hand lotion.

On the wall was a makeup mirror on an adjustable arm.

Below this, we found numerous switches. These could control the lights and also had a dimmer setting. Outlets were nearby.

Spare towels were on a shelf under the sink. A digital scale, hair dryer, spare toilet paper, and a suction mat for the shower were on another shelf.

Moving further into the bathroom, there was a deep bathtub with an angled backrest. We found body wash and a loofah sponge here, as well as a handheld spray wand.

Across from the tub, a frosted glass door led to a shower cabin. There were both rainfall and handheld showerheads. A shelf on the far wall had pump bottles of toiletries.

The furthest point in the bathroom was the toilet closet, sitting behind a sliding frosted glass door.

This closet also had a bidet on the opposite wall.

Closet

A frosted glass door in the entry hallway led to the small closet area. What the closet lacked in square footage it made up for by using both sides of the space.

On one side of the closet, we found robes on a shelf above a suspended drawer. Below this, there was a small rack for hanging clothes. Along the wall on the side, there were pockets that held a laundry price list and fuzzy slippers.

On the opposing wall, the top shelf held an umbrella, and there were multiple hangers on the rack.

This side of the closet also had 2 wooden drawers. Above this, there was a luggage rack.

Amenities

Gardens

One of our favorite features at the hotel was the large garden in the middle of the property. This open area provided a calm space in the bustling city. It also was really relaxing with the sound of the fountains.

There were paths through the courtyard, and the hotel’s restaurants overlooked this central space.

Looking from the Palacio building toward the Posada building, you needed to go down a level to reach the outdoor seating at Gioia restaurant. However, we found the view from this side prettier because of the ivy going up the building.

If you followed the steps and paths, you could move between buildings using the gardens rather than the underground tunnel. This courtyard also provided views for interior-facing guest rooms and terrace seating for the hotel’s multiple restaurants and bars.

Ahin Wellness & Spa

In the Mapuche language, “Ahin” is a welcoming ritual for an honored guest. This spa offered multiple Indigenous rituals and ceremonies, as well as treatments like wraps and massages.

The spa was open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The pool was within the spa and was long enough for swimming laps.

Fitness Center

The hotel’s gym was also within the spa but was open 24 hours a day. Guests wishing to use the gym outside spa hours could get in by asking at the front desk.

Meeting Spaces

The hotel offered multiple meeting and event spaces, ranging from a private meeting room to breakout rooms and a ballroom. The largest space offered more than 2,700 square feet.

Art Gallery

The Paseo de las Artes Duhau was the underground walkway between the hotel’s 2 buildings. It housed a private collection and rotating temporary exhibitions.

Having art here made passing through the tunnel much more enjoyable.

Flower Shop

The Florería del Duahu was at the start of the underground passage, closer to the side of the complex with the main lobby and bars. This shop was open to the public but also created all of the floral displays around the hotel.

Pets

Pets under 50 pounds were permitted for a $100 fee. However, stays of 7 to 30 nights incurred an additional $200 fee.

Elevators

In the Posadas-facing building where we stayed, there was a pair of elevators that looked very small from the outside.

On guest floors, there was artwork and a wooden bench in the waiting area near the elevators.

Nearby, we also found a small table with a phone, notepad, and hand sanitizer.

Inside the elevators, the walls had a stone feel, and the back wall had a large mirror. Along with a panel of buttons near the door, there also was a set of buttons at waist height in the middle of the elevator, which was great for anyone with height challenges, such as wheelchair users.

Jewelry Store

It was called Art Design, but it was actually a jewelry store. In the underground area, this shop sold necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more.

Complimentary Bicycles

Guests could use bicycles (available by request from reception) to explore the city.

Parking

The hotel offered 80 spaces, and overnight parking was available for $28 per day. There were private spaces available with direct access to the Palacio suites.

Internet

While it wasn’t very fast, the Wi-Fi was reliable. We got download speeds above 18 Mbps in our room, and upload speeds were more than twice that speed at nearly 48 Mbps.

Food and Beverages

Gioia Cocina Botánica

In the newer building near Posadas, Gioia offered upscale, plant-based dining. It was featured in the Michelin Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2024 and was popular with guests.

We had dinner here on the evening we arrived and were excited to find vegan options on our doorstep after more than 24 hours of travel. We also had breakfast here each morning (more on that below).

During dinner, we felt underdressed when we showed up in our travel clothes. Sweatpants and T-shirts didn’t match the dressed-up nature of other guests.

The menu at Gioia included everything from sushi and ramen to tacos and enfrijoladas (corn tortillas in black bean sauce). Numerous dishes had mushrooms (of various types) as their base. I’m not the biggest mushroom fan, but my wife will choose a mushroom dish anytime she can, so she was pumped.

The waitress informed us that the plates were tapas-style, meaning portions were on the small side. Thus, I ordered 2 servings of dumplings.

My wife had the ramen, which she found small and mediocre. The dumplings were excellent, though. For our ramen, dumplings, an iced tea, and a mocktail, we spent $75.

The restaurant was open from 12:30 to 11:30 p.m. daily, offering lunch until 3:30 p.m. before switching to afternoon snacks until 7 p.m. Dinner was served from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Breakfast at Gioia

Breakfast was offered each morning inside Gioia, but it didn’t follow Gioia’s menu. Rather than the plant-based food Gioia served at night, breakfast featured a typical buffet — though I don’t mean “standard” to imply it wasn’t high quality.

Breakfast was available from 7 to 10:30 a.m. daily. Staff could bring espresso-based drinks, coffee, and tea to your table. The terrace seating filled up first, so we wound up sitting inside rather than waiting for a table each morning.

The hotel had a rotating selection of hot dishes each morning, including both Argentinian and international fare.

The buffet had a range of fruits and several types of cold cuts and cheeses.

Pastries were varied and abundant.

There were also toppings, such as nuts, seeds, and granola, to go with yogurt. Plus, the buffet had multiple types of juice each day, including orange juice and green detox juice. However, the staff could have done better at keeping the glasses stocked near the juice.

There also were multiple types of bread and jam.

Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca

The hotel’s main restaurant, Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca, was in the Palacio building, 1 floor below the main lobby. It was featured in the Michelin Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2024 and offered traditional Argentinian fare through family-style dining.

The restaurant had an extensive wine collection to pair with meals. Wine and cheese tastings were available at the vinoteca. Reservations were required for this.

Both indoor and outdoor seating were available. Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca was open from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. for lunch every day but Sunday. Dinner was available daily from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Oak Bar

The Oak Bar was in the Palacio building and offered an elegant spot to grab drinks with friends that felt like a members-only club. That was due to its wood paneling, fireplace, and leather seating. It also had a terrace overlooking the gardens in the center of the property.

The Oak Bar was open from 5 p.m. to midnight daily.

Los Salones del Piano Nobile

In the front corner of the Palacio building, Los Salones offered an à la carte menu and served 3 meals a day, as well as afternoon tea. Breakfast was available from 7 to 11 a.m. Lunch was offered from noon to 3 p.m., and afternoon tea was available from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Dinner was served from 7:30 to 11:30 at night.

Duhau Pâtisserie

This pâtisserie was near Duhau Restaurant on the floor below the main lobby in the Palacio building. It offered traditional macarons, cakes, bonbons, truffles, and more, operating daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Room Service

In-room dining was available 24 hours a day.

Service

The hotel’s service was top-notch. Throughout our stay, we found the employees friendly and helpful. Staff at the reception desks spoke English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and several of the bellhops also spoke multiple languages.

On the night we arrived, service at Gioia was erratic during dinner, with our server sometimes disappearing. We had to search for her when we were ready to order and when we wanted to request the bill.

However, service was excellent during breakfast, check-in, and checkout. We also received friendly greetings every time we exited or returned to the hotel, with staff asking if we needed help finding a taxi or other offers of assistance.

When checking out, we giggled at the fact the folio listed my name as “Yan Smith,” missing the R from my first name. That turned out to be a problem, as the points and stay credit didn’t post to my World of Hyatt account because of the name mismatch. Once I realized this was the issue (about 10 days later), I emailed the hotel asking for a correction. They posted the updated information for our stay to my account within 24 hours and were friendly in their email response.

Final Thoughts

We loved our stay at the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, if that hasn’t been clear so far in this review. From top-notch service to high-quality amenities, the hotel had a lot to offer. The rooms were the least impressive aspect of our stay, but that doesn’t mean they sucked. Our room was good, but the other elements of the hotel were simply great.

Should you stay here on a trip to Buenos Aires? You bet.