Gay-Friendly Vitrum Hotel, Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires

Vitrum Hotel

By Roy Heale
Palermo ‘Hollywood’ is an identity that was recently fabricated, but this area has been renowned as a popular place to live in Buenos Aires since the late 1800s.
As you discover Palermo Hollywood you will probably be struck by more of the old, Spanish-style architecture than other areas of the city, and also fewer high-rise buildings, apart from newer apartment towers. That’s because for a long time there was a law prohibiting new buildings in this community from being above nine meters in height. The combination of low houses, wide tree-lined streets, and historic landmarks create a unique Spanish ambiance.
Often referred to as the restaurant capital of Buenos Aires, Palermo Hollywood is a barrio with its own distinctive flavor. In the mid-nineties a number of TV and Radio producers set up shop in the area of Palermo Viejo between Córdoba, Santa Fe, Dorrego, and Juan B. Justo Avenues. Subsequently, this part of the neighborhood began to be called "Palermo Hollywood". Presently, it's best known for the concentration of restaurants, cafes, night clubs, and its vibrant atmosphere.

Palermo Hollywood Street

The older spacious factories and warehouses are mostly used as art galleries, showrooms, restaurants, bars, or TV sets and photo studios. These calm and shady streets are home to a huge variety of excellent restaurants. This is a special place for a full day's stroll.
When planning to stay in Palermo Hollywood If you are seeking a hip, modern, and avant-garde boutique hotel, then the Vitrum Hotel is a boutique hotel perfect for your needs.
Behind a facade composed of colored glass mosaics, the atmosphere of Vitrum Hotel creates the feeling of being at the heart of the creative vibrations of the city. This boutique hotel with only sixteen rooms and suites is also a quiet, comfortable, and intimate place.

Vitrum Hotel Atrium

The Vitrum hotel's designer and urban style appeals to business travelers, to decoration and fashion aficionados, and to travelers looking to immerse themselves in trendy Buenos Aires. The inside of the Vitrum Hotel delights the eye with its pure lines, contemporary spaces, and bright colors. It will exult those curious of recent trends with its stained glass, brightly colored sofas, designer wallpaper, asymmetrical forms, and bathrooms with colored glass mosaics.
All suites are different in design, color, and size. Some have a balcony, others feature a terrace, yet others have a small private garden! The furniture features atypical antiques as well as unique contemporary works such as those designed by Paula Lavarello. Each room has a "botanic" wallpaper theme signed by Vanina Mizrahi.

Bedroom
All rooms and suites are equipped with the most modern technology including air conditioning, Wifi, large flat-screen TV, and DVD player. The suites have a kitchenette with a Nespresso machine and a microwave. The bathroom amenities are designed L'Occitane.
The Vitrum Hotel transpires contemporary art everywhere. The decoration is unique with designer furniture such as BKF chairs and singular wallpaper. The interior of the hotel is the concept of two Argentine architects, Zas and Paula Lavarello. Monica Giron helped out for the design of the facade.
But Vitrum Hotel takes the local artists design experience even further. The hotel also has its own art gallery to promote local artists. Gallery Dabbah Torrejon art gallery honors Argentinean and Latin American contemporary artists.

Kitchen and Work Area

The Hotel's Urban Spa opens its doors, or rather its sky, to you. It is situated on the rooftop terrace, with two massage rooms, a large Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath, sundeck, and a gymnasium where you can do aerobics. The terrace, next to its solarium, is the place to relax and enjoy a memorable barbecue, a beer, or to sip on an exotic cocktail. The garden of Vitrum Hotel is an oasis of green in the bustling city of Buenos Aires.
  
Rooftop Sundeck and Jacuzzi                            Main Floor Bar

A gay or gay-friendly multi-lingual concierge is your key to the outside world and will assist you with tourism information or where to best take tango classes and other activities such as golfing or horseback riding.

Pride Cafe

As you enjoy the tree-lined streets and distinctive architecture you will find The gay and lesbian Pride Cafe on Humboldt Street just a five minute walk from Vitrum Hotel. This is the sister cafe to the very gay and popular Pride Cafe in San Telmo and it is developing a loyal following with the Palermo gay community. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11am till closing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and simple snacks.

Buenos Aires Verde

Next door to the hotel is a great vegetarian experience at Buenos Aires Verde and just down the street is the fabulous American style Trixie Diner. You will quickly understand why this is known as the restaurant capital of Buenos Aires.

Trixie Diner
 

A must visit is the Eterna Cadencia bookstore and cafe where you can step back in time, browse the many shelves, and then sit down in a loung area or the cafe and enjoy your new book. Many local professional and amateur theaters are also located in Palermo Hollywood.

Eterna Cadencia
Palermo Hollywood, one of the chic districts of Buenos Aires. You feel the urban rhythm in this neighborhood where the days pass quickly between shopping and art galleries and where the nights are rich in entertainment discoveries. This really is the best entertainment and nightlife community in the city.

Vitrum Hotel Rooftop Gymnasium
There are plenty of activities close to Vitrum Hotel and the Palermo Hollywood neighborhood. You can easily go to the zoo, the La Rural exhibition center, the Museum of Latin American Art, the Evita Museum, the Botanical Garden, the Japanese Garden, and the Polo grounds.
For More Information Visit:
www.vitrumhotel.com

Gay Friendly BA Sohotel, Palermo, Buenos Aires

By Roy Heale

Palermo with its cobbled streets, historic architecture, parks, the Zoo and the Botanical gardens, the largest exhibition center in the country, its racetrack, the polo field, and the Galileo planetarium, is one of the city's most historic neighborhoods and well represents the Buenos Aires of yesterday and today.

Considered to be a funky, bohemian neighbourhood, Palermo is popular with residents and tourists alike due its festive atmosphere. It is the largest barrio, or neighborhood, of the city. The name of the district is derived from the still-existing Franciscan abbey of Saint Benedict of Palermo. The massive Palermo Woods also features beautiful lakes, a rose garden (Rosedal), a Japanese garden, and even a Hippodrome. Today Palermo is renowned for this massive parkland where outdoor fun activities and joggers abound.

Although appearing as one big area on the official map, Palermo can be subdivided into six distinctly different sectors. Today, this is one of the most popular residential communities of Buenos Aires and the new BA Sohotel is located in this barrio.

Built in 2012, gay-friendly BA Sohotel is a distinct addition to the city's roster of boutique hotels. This is a smoke free premise and offers a first floor sun deck, spa tub, and a seasonal outdoor pool. This designer hotel features business amenities including a business center, a meeting/conference room, and a technology helpdesk. Dining options at this business-friendly hotel include the Rietti restaurant, a coffee shop/café, and a bar/lounge. The Rietti restaurant serves a wide range of excellent meals, daily specials, and a delicious hot and cold buffet breakfast in the morning. For lamb connoisseurs their Medallion de Pierna de Cordero (lamb roast) with a Malbec wine sauce and potato millefeuille is a must.

The multi-lingual LGBT welcoming staff can provide tour/ticket assistance, event catering, and business services.

Guests can choose from thirty-three rooms, all of which exude an atmosphere of total peace and harmony. Rooms have city or pool views. The air-conditioned guestrooms at BA Sohotel include private en-suite spa tubs and laptop-compatible safes. Beds have signature bedding and down blankets. Guests can use the in-room complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access. Cable channels are available on the 32-inch LCD televisions. All accommodations provide desks, safes, and direct-dial phones. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations with jetted bathtubs and rainfall showerheads. Bathrooms also include bathrobes,slippers, bidets, and hair dryers. Additional amenities include windows that open. In addition, amenities available on request include in-room massages, irons/ironing boards, and extra towels/bedding. Turn down service is offered nightly and housekeeping is available daily.

Facilities:

24 hour room service

Air conditioning

Child/family friendly

Jacuzzi

Lift/elevator

Meeting/conference facilities

Outdoor pool

Wheelchair access

Wireless internet

Large Safety Deposit Box for Laptop and valuables

Restaurant

Room Options:

A Deluxe Room offers one king bed or two queen beds with, balcony/terrace, bathrobe (bata), bathroom amenities, cable/satellite TV, disabled facilities, en-suite private bathroom, hairdryer, heating, free internet access, jacuzzi/whirlpool/spa bath, laundry service, non-smoking rooms, room service, safe in room and telephone. All the rooms are very spacious and have a balcony with a beautiful city view. They have a work desk, TV LCD 32in, fully equipped minibar, safety box for laptop, full amenities, robes and slippers.

The Premium King offers one king bed with balcony/terrace, bathrobe (bata), bathroom amenities, cable/ satellite TV, disabled facilities, en-suite private bathroom, hairdryer, heating, free internet access, jacuzzi/whirlpool/spa bath, laundry service, non-smoking rooms, room service, safe in room and telephone. All Premium King rooms are very spacious and have a balcony with a beautiful city view, with table and deck chairs. They have a work desk, TV LCD 32in, fully equipped minibar, heated/cold air conditioned, safety box for laptop, full amenities, robes and slippers.

A Corner Suite offers two queen beds with balcony/terrace, bathrobe (bata), bathroom amenities, cable/ satellite TV, disabled facilities, en-suite private bathroom, hairdryer, heating, free internet access, jacuzzi/whirlpool/spa bath, laundry service, non-smoking rooms, room service, safe in room and telephone. Corner Suite rooms are very spacious and have balcony with a beautiful city view. They have a work desk, TV LCD 32in, fully equipped minibar, heated/cold air conditioned, safety box for laptop, full amenities, robes and slippers.

BA Sohotel is conveniently located in the eclectic neighborhood of Palermo Soho, just 300 mts away from the Subway and Exhibition center La Rural and 500 mts from Plaza Serrano. With a modern, elegant and warm design, you can enjoy a pleasant stay in a great loaction. All the rooms and lobby have original paintings by recognized Argentine artists.

Enjoy unparalleled services and a truly prestigious address at the BA Sohotel, Palermo, Buenos Aires.

For More Information:

www.basohotel.com

Scenic Gay-Friendly Salta, Argentina



 9 de Julio Central Square

 By Roy Heale

With remarkably well preserved historic architecture, grand parks, and a vibrant nightlife, it is no surprise that LGBT travelers have recently discovered Salta as a gay-friendly Argentine vacation destination.

Surrounded by the Andes mountains, Salta is a very gay welcoming city located in the Lerma Valley, at almost 4000 feet above sea level in Argentina's north west region. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of almost 700,000 inhabitants. Within Argentina, Salta is the city which has preserved its colonial architecture the best and recently has become more popular amongst LGBT travelers seeking an alternative Argentina experience.

Grand Parks

Nicknamed Salta la Linda---Salta the beautiful---it has become a major tourist destination due to its old, colonial architecture, tourism friendliness, awesome weather, and the natural scenery of the valleys to the west. Attractions in the city proper include the 18th century Cabildo, the neo-classical style Cathedral, and the 9 de Julio central square, along with the view from San Bernardo hill, and it's surroundings.

View From San Bernardo Hill

The city center features a number of impressive buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th and early 20th centuries. Clockwise around the Ninth of July Square are the neoclassical Cathedral, the French style Museum of Contemporary Art, the Cabildo (in former times, the city's town hall, nowadays a historical museum) and the neoclassical Museum of High Mountain Archeology, which houses artifacts from the Inca civilization, including the magnificently preserved mummies of three Inca children.

Saint Francis Church

Rising imposingly in the east is San Bernardo Hill. Its summit, from which visitors can get an awe-inspiring view of the city and the entire valley, can be reached by car, cable car, or stairway. The summit offers parkland with fountains,  great views, cafes, a craft market, hiking trails and you can even rent a mountain bike for your journey down the mountain.

Cafe With A View

Salta is probably the most Spanish city in Argentina by physical appearance---so much so that tourists visiting from Spain often find a strong resemblance between Salta and Andalucian cities. The local culture, however, is a blend of Spanish and gaucho (mestizo, criollo, both indigenous and non indigenous) traditions, lending the city a distinctive identity, somewhat different from the more European like metropolises to the south.

Historic Architecture Preserved

Gay-friendly accommodations in Salta range from four star hotels to pousadas and short-term apartment rentals.

Set in a charming historic Spanish building only a short walk to Plaza principal 9 de Julio square, the gay-friendly Casa De Borgona pousada provides the perfect atmosphere for an enjoyable stay in Salta. It is housed in a restored, red 20th-century townhouse with the guest bedrooms arranged around a classic courtyard with potted plants, fruit trees, and wrought iron and wooden benches. The English speaking gay-friendly staff will ensure a warm welcome. A generous complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning in the dining room or in the garden patio. The rooms are spacious, with daily maid service, and include linens and towels. They also include free Wi-Fi and cable TV. It features a coffee shop and a patio. Casa de Borgona's warm service, colonial-style decor and tranquil atmosphere, create an inviting and relaxing gay-friendly atmosphere.

Casa De Borgona Courtyard

Apart Salta is a gay-friendly rental agency offering fully furnished and equipped apartments of varying size. They provide daily maid service and are located in the center of the city of Salta. Reasonably priced they provide an economical, spacious alternative to hotel rooms.

Gay night life in Salta is robust, lively, and safe, but a smaller community exists compared to larger South American cities. The LGBT entertainment scene is relatively limited but there are a few gay venues.

The City Night Club (Avenida Asunción S/N Portezuelo Tel:0387 15 4425183) is a gay Disco located on top of a hill, with one of the best views of the city of Salta by night.

The gay Dr Jekyll Pub (San Luis 761) is a small local place to meet all kinds of people including locals and other visitors to Salta. This resto bar is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 21:00 until 05:00 in the morning.

The lesbian-friendly Pizzeria Qui Resto Bar (Calle Zuviria 406) in the downtown core is uniquely furnished and decorated with all recycled materials. This is a very popular woman's meeting place.

La Balcarce Restaurant

Salteños and tourists alike meet in peñas, pubs, cafes, casinos and discos. Most of this activity is concentrated in the area known as La Balcarce. Many venues offer live local folklore stage entertainment during the evenings for a perfect accompaniment to dinner and drinks. Salteñan cuisine is varied and multi-coloured. Visitors can taste traditional empanadas, locro, and humitas, as well as enjoy modern dishes made with local products such as corn, llama meat, quinoa, trout, and pejerrey. At the weekends there is a street crafts market where tourists can buy different traditional handmade products.

Traditional Folklore Entertainers

One of the main activities in Salta is the April Culture Festival, which lasts the entire month and offers a wide variety of activities such as cultural performances, a handcraft exposition, and live orchestral performances. Also, from mid-February to mid-March there are numerous colorful and stunning Carnival celebrations and parades in both the city of Salta and the surrounding communities.

Carnival in Quijano

Salta is also a perfect base for exploring Argentina's Andean regions such as the Calchaqui valley and the Quebrada de Humahuaca north in nearby Jujuy. One of South America's great railway journeys departs from Salta---the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the clouds), which has spectacular views as it zig zags up and down the Andes mountains. The natural Andes scenery provides a wide variety of day trips and excursions into the countryside.

Helpful Websites:

http://www.welcomeargentina.com/salta/outings.html

http://www.fotolog.com/d_r_jekyll

http://www.cityclubnight.com.ar

http://www.miargentinagay.com/index.php/component/content/article/27-destinos/discos-salta/338-discos-salta