Just before leaving Buenos Aires I enjoyed a few nights in the brand new Miravida Soho hotel a few blocks from all the shops in Palermo. The hotel construction was not quite finished, but the minor issues were more than compensated by the owner, James Kings, who bent over backwards to make me and other guests feel great. The hotel is really cute with a great little restaurant and back patio for el fresco dining. I also sat on candlelit tables on the street and sampled a few too many different wines by the glass comparing them all with another guest, which was fun.

The food is tapas style. The menu is short but the quality and presentation are great. The rooms are beautiful furnished and shiny new. It looks like a lot of thought and care went into them. I enjoyed the small size as the few nights I was there all the guests were openly chatting in the restaurant and bar about their travels, discoveries, wines, and interesting careers.

The rooftop Jacuzzi wasn’t installed yet, but it is easy to picture sitting up there to sip your wine with the stars.

There are lots of new boutique hotels opening in Buenos Aires, but most don’t have a bar or restaurant and the few I saw that do felt more closed. This one looks open and friendly and worked out as a great place as a base to call home while dashing about the city sights and restaurants.