Buen Dia, Buenos Aires!
Argentina has been on the top of my travel bucket list for a long time so I was exited when a last minute trip came up a few weeks ago. I was lucky enough to be invited by Park Hyatt to a very special event, the celebration of the 10th year anniversary of their amazing property, Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Buenos Aires.
The timing of the invitation could not be more perfect as November is Springtime in Argentina. Which means the city is buzzing with energy and the streets are filled with blossoming jacaranda trees.
Driving from the airport to the hotel I could already tell Buenos Aires will become a soft spot in my heart, but I had no clue yet how much it will sweep me off my feet.
I love beautiful architecture and gorgeous European inspired facades are in abundance in this city. The closer we got to Recoleta - one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of the capital - the more excited I got, especially when we pulled up in front of the hotel. Palacio Duhau, as its name already suggests, was a family palace built by the Duhaus in the 1920 and was inspired by Chateau du Marais near Paris. The building has a rich history and a lot of hidden details, which made the experience of staying at Palacio Duhau truly special for me.
I love photographing beautiful interiors and there is no shortage of inspiration at Palacio Duhau. My favorite room was probably the cigar room, which used to be Señor Duhau's study. Sitting in this dark and moody room with a glass of bourbon it feels like you are let in on some ancient secret of gentlemen. The walls are covered with intricate woodwork (that took several months to restore) and kudos to Park Hyatt for preserving such beautiful craftsman work.
When I travel, I don't often spend a lot of time in my hotel but in this case I honestly didn't feel like leaving. The experience is truly special, not only because it's a beautiful building but there is something serene about it, especially the garden where I spend countless hours relaxing, listening to the bird chirping and eating some mount watering food.
Which brings me to the second thing that made me fall in LOVE with Argetina, and it's the food. As part of the 10th year anniversary we were invited to a special Masters of Food & Wine event at the hotel's garden. It was an evening of celebration for the tastebuds - 12 of Palacio Duhau's previous and current chefs prepared divine dishes paired with exceptional wines from Argentina's best vineries. I learnt one thing for sure that Argentinians know how to live well and enjoy the finer things in life like good food and good company. They have a beautiful country that produces fantastic quality ingredients and they know how to cook well, which results in happy memories around the table.
Buenos Aires deserves a few days of exploring, there are a lot of beautiful neighborhoods to visit. Recoleta may be the most popular destination, especially because of the Recoleta Cemetery, which is indeed very special. But my personal favorite gems were the Botanic Gardens (which deserves its own blog post...coming soon) and the tiny streets in Palermo and the lovely alleys and flea market of Santelmo.
There is so much more to Buenos Aires that I didn't have time to experience- like going to a milonga to see locals dancing tango or visit the colorful houses of Boca, but I know I will be back soon. I fell in love with the architecture, the food and the kindness of the people. Thank you Park Hyatt for this truly special experience at Palacio Duhau. What a wonderful fist encounter I had with Argentina!
P.S.: Huge thanks to the staff at Palacio Duhau, you made my stay!