The Cocker has received considerable good press as a hot hotel, and even appears in the most recent Travel+Leisure Best Hotels of 2009 book. The Cocker is an interesting place to stay, and might be the very spot for your next trip to Buenos Aires. It is important to set expectations, however, for a prospective guest to enjoy The Cocker.
First of all, despite the numerous photos and recommendations in the travel press, The Cocker is a bed & breakfast, not a hotel in any sense of the word. Actually, more to the point, it is a townhouse on the edge of BA's San Telmo district--a short walk from Plaza Dorrego, the very center of San Telmo's thriving Sunday market. It is a townhouse that is a walk-up, and sits over a fruit market, to be exact. And be sure to get the address before you head there from the airport--cabbies do not know it, there is no sign, and even the website does not make clear the address. . .there is only one photograph of the address plaque.
Whether the San Telmo address will work optimally for your trip is up to you. That said, other than Sundays, San Telmo is rather quiet. The center of the district is historic and picturesque for sure, but from The Cocker, it is at least a 12 block/25 minute hike to Plaza de Mayo--the closest Subte station is either there or at San Juan, about 8 blocks away. Some will be put off by the underbelly of the overpass you must walk through to reach Plaza Dorrego--the look is a bit "Escape from New York", but I never had any trouble. For the most part, visitors are recommended not to stroll in back of the hotel any distance, particularly at night--Parque Lezama is nearby, as is the Russian Orthodox Church with its iconic onion domes, and the park is lovely and worth a stroll, but you'd likely not want to go much further. La Boca is close by on maps, but it is definitely not recommended to stroll to Caminito, La Boca's colorful center, despite the relative proximity. The hotel is generous about recommending area restaurants and businesses. . .Defensa del Sur and Caseros are two really great restaurants nearby.
You'll easily walk off your dinner getting back to your room. It is a two story walk up to the check-in, and most rooms (there are five) are another two flights up a narrow circular stair. If this is an issue, The Cocker is not for you. The main floor has a lovely library, check-in desk, yoga studio, kitchen, and breakfast area.
My room, 19-03, is one of the most photographed guest accommodations in Buenos Aires, and its unique design--the bed is under the bathroom, with the structural supports for the bath loft above making for a canopy over the mattress--is most interesting. That said, it was my experience that is was much more photogenic than comfortable. The hike to the bathroom up and down narrow, steep stairs got to be a bit much--if you get up in the middle of the night a lot, again, reconsider this room--and it was impossible to shower without everything getting wet, as there is no place to put toiletries, etc. Share this room with someone very intimate, as the toilet, shower, and sink are in the same place, and it is separated from the rest of the room by a glass wall. Cool, but not so functional. Good shower pressure.
Bed was comfortable enough, but the duvet is better than any bedding below. This is a tough bed to get out of--yes it is comfortable, but the lip on the bed is high.
My room had a private terrace (Amanda offered to bring breakfast in if I'd liked), and the other rooms have access to other communal terraces. A nice touch.
One thing to consider with The Cocker is that there are upkeep issues. Overall, I think it was clean, but my room, and other areas of the place could definitely use a coat of paint. There are some leaks, as well, that are in need of repair. The rooftop was under redevelopment during my stay, too. Related is that the website rates are not up-to-date, and the reservations system is not capable of taking online bookings. Since there are but five rooms, updating the site shouldn't be hard.
Amanda and Sam, the owners, are very pleasant, and helpful. My requests were always gracefully followed up, and one evening, everyone in the place had wine and picadas together. Breakfasts were alright--though Amanda did find decaf brewed coffee for me--I stayed in six hotels and b&bs this trip, and in retrospect, this breakfast was my least favorite. There is another woman who works here, and she too was very eager to help.
Buenos Aires has had a recent explosion of cute design hotels and b&bs, and The Cocker offers a stylish experience at nearly half of what some of the new places in Palermo charge. In that context, it earns a cautious recommendation. That said, if you book here, you are choosing a quirky, stylish b&b in a historic walk-up. Adjust your expectations--not following the "Best Hotels in BA" gloss of the travel mags--and you will be happy.
