Review of Sofitel Buenos Aires, by Harry Hastings

Looming over the magnificently elegant Calle Arroyo, 20-floor luxury hotel the Sofitel Buenos Aires occupies the Torre Bencich, the Buenos Aires' first skyscraper built in 1929. Two neoclassical facades front the main tower while an imposing steel-gated entrance gives way to a glass atrium lobby lined with ficus trees.

The facilities

Adjacent to the luxury hotel's lobby is the Sofitel Buenos Aires' restaurant, Le Sud - one of Buenos Aires' finest with a first-class Mediterranean menu. La Bibliotheque - a wood-paneled lounge with an open fireplace is crammed with books on architecture, design and history, in English and Spanish. Next door, the Café Arroyo is a wonderfully traditional Buenos Aires café, ideal for breakfast.

The rooms

The 143 rooms at the Sofitel Buenos Aires are generally spacious, but those looking for the top slots should opt for one of the luxury hotel's 28 suites. Modern touches complement an Art Deco design, and each room comes with fresh flowers, TV, Wi-Fi, 2 phone lines and a radio. Marble bathrooms have Jean Marie Farina products and a separate bath and shower.

Perfect for those on business, this is the top draw of the centrally-located luxury hotels sitting just a couple of blocks from Buenos Aires' Microcentro business district.