Our site relies on Javascript, but your browser appears to have it disabled. Please enable it to be able to use this site.
Close
— Patricia: “Home is a hip place without the attitude.”
Interview By: Welcome Beyond
— Please tell me a bit about how Home Hotel got started.
Patricia: “At the time, my husband was a producer in the music industry, but with music downloads becoming more popular, there wasn’t much left to do for a producer anymore. Musicians now aren’t spending a lot of time in the studio, they tour instead. Our future prospects didn’t look good.
Our friends would come visit us in Palermo and they were always looking for hotels when they visited. We were trying to find a place where everyone could stay but there wasn’t a suitable hotel in the area. Argentina in 2002 was so cheap. The properties had come down in price, which is not that common in Argentina, so we decided to do a hotel.
We were the first boutique hotel to open with all the services. Now there are dozens of boutique hotels, but at the time it was a very new idea. We were sort of the pioneers of it in this area. We’ve been open now nearly six years.”
Our friends would come visit us in Palermo and they were always looking for hotels when they visited. We were trying to find a place where everyone could stay but there wasn’t a suitable hotel in the area. Argentina in 2002 was so cheap. The properties had come down in price, which is not that common in Argentina, so we decided to do a hotel.
We were the first boutique hotel to open with all the services. Now there are dozens of boutique hotels, but at the time it was a very new idea. We were sort of the pioneers of it in this area. We’ve been open now nearly six years.”
— Home Hotel garden suite
— I love the interior of Home Hotel. How would you describe it?
Patricia: “It’s modern with a hint of retro.
We worked with two architects, and for two years while the hotel was being built, we went to a lot of flea markets to look for specific things. We also designed some of the furniture. Three months before opening, we put it all together.
One of the things we insisted upon was working with vintage wallpaper. It was 2003, when wallpaper wasn’t as fashionable as it is today. Every single room has vintage wallpaper—anything from 1923 onward. We’ve got French, German, 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. We had been collecting them for years and they’re all original.”
We worked with two architects, and for two years while the hotel was being built, we went to a lot of flea markets to look for specific things. We also designed some of the furniture. Three months before opening, we put it all together.
One of the things we insisted upon was working with vintage wallpaper. It was 2003, when wallpaper wasn’t as fashionable as it is today. Every single room has vintage wallpaper—anything from 1923 onward. We’ve got French, German, 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. We had been collecting them for years and they’re all original.”
— Garden suite sitting area
— Please tell me a bit about the facilities, the rooms, the spa and restaurant.
Patricia: “We’ve got 20 rooms at Home Hotel. The garden suite is US $450 with tax, but then we have another one that is US $150 with tax included. So, we offer a room for everyone.
We have twice-a-day maids and a concierge service, as well as having our own restaurant. We have a heated pool, which is not that common in Buenos Aires, and a small spa with some of the best massage therapists using organic jojoba oil.
We have a cocktail bar tended by an Argentinean cocktail maker who won the 2010 barman of the year and went to represent Argentina at the world cocktail championship in Singapore. Our liquor is high end with good quality ingredients. You won’t get Smirnoff or Absolut vodka here. Our bar is always voted one of the top 10 cocktail bars in Buenos Aires within the local community. It’s also in a beautiful garden and is very quiet, which people like.
We’re a small hotel but offer a lot of services. We try to get the best of everything and not cut corners.”
We have twice-a-day maids and a concierge service, as well as having our own restaurant. We have a heated pool, which is not that common in Buenos Aires, and a small spa with some of the best massage therapists using organic jojoba oil.
We have a cocktail bar tended by an Argentinean cocktail maker who won the 2010 barman of the year and went to represent Argentina at the world cocktail championship in Singapore. Our liquor is high end with good quality ingredients. You won’t get Smirnoff or Absolut vodka here. Our bar is always voted one of the top 10 cocktail bars in Buenos Aires within the local community. It’s also in a beautiful garden and is very quiet, which people like.
We’re a small hotel but offer a lot of services. We try to get the best of everything and not cut corners.”
—
— What would you describe to be the spirit of Home Hotel?
Patricia: “It’s sort of a hip place without the attitude. Sometimes you get these hotels that are super cool, but you don’t feel very well looked after. When a place is fashionable, there’s usually an attitude. It’s hard to find somewhere nice where you can walk in wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and find the staff friendly (unless you’re somebody important or famous).”
— Garden suite terrace
— How would you like your guests to remember their stay?
Patricia: “The big thing with Home Hotel, that also has to do with the name, is that it’s a hotel with personality and with a certain energy. It doesn’t look like an architect’s rendering. That’s a mistake that many other hotels make. Tom and I are really passionate about architecture and design, so maybe other owners don’t have that. There are a lot of hotels in the area now, but they don’t have any personality. They’re expensive, but you don’t see that personal touch.
We offer some of the things that remind you of home—you feel safe and warm. It’s not cold. Everything is done with clean lines and green and lots of light. That’s the difference to other hotels, and most people get it because they choose to stay here.”
We offer some of the things that remind you of home—you feel safe and warm. It’s not cold. Everything is done with clean lines and green and lots of light. That’s the difference to other hotels, and most people get it because they choose to stay here.”
— Home Hotel superior room
— Tell me a bit about ‘Green Home’ please.
Patricia: “Home Hotel is proud to have pioneered ‘eco-design’ and many other environmentally-friendly business practices to the Buenos Aires hotel scene. This ranges from avoiding unnecessary waste and using reusable packaging where possible to extensive energy saving measures throughout the hotel and donating out of use items to local hospitals and non-profit organisations.
All Home staff receive training about running an environmentally-conscious business and we inspect the factories and offices of our suppliers, such as laundry services, to ensure a good level of cleanliness and that the workers are treated well.
We also play an active role in our community and support our local food shops when we put together our natural restaurant menu.”
All Home staff receive training about running an environmentally-conscious business and we inspect the factories and offices of our suppliers, such as laundry services, to ensure a good level of cleanliness and that the workers are treated well.
We also play an active role in our community and support our local food shops when we put together our natural restaurant menu.”
— Home Hotel lobby
Patricia's favourites:
Home Hotel
Transportation
Eat & Drink
Activities
SightsInterview By: Welcome Beyond
— Please tell me a bit about Buenos Aires, its culture and people.
Patricia: “It’s one of the largest cities in the world. There are many different sides to Buenos Aires. The city center is a place where it’s crazy during the day. It’s quite dirty, but very charming as well because of the architecture. Although, at night, it’s not a good place to be.
But you can enjoy Buenos Aires amidst all the craziness. It’s a city of walking and hanging out, watching people in cafés. It’s not a city where you do your checklist.”
But you can enjoy Buenos Aires amidst all the craziness. It’s a city of walking and hanging out, watching people in cafés. It’s not a city where you do your checklist.”
— Home Hotel loft
— What do you particularly like about Palermo Hollywood? What is it like living in this part of Buenos Aires?
Patricia: “Palermo is a very hip and trendy area that grew organically when the artists and creative people moved here. It’s got a very big push when two TV channels moved in. Restaurants and other things started popping up.
It’s a very large neighborhood divided into different areas. Palermo Chico is the most expensive area in Argentina. Then there’s the ‘normal’ Palermo, and then the area we’re in, which is Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. They’re not official names, but people call them that.
Palermo is a very sought after area because it’s the greener area of Buenos Aires and is quite central. There are a lot of open spaces with a lot of parks and green. It’s not so close to the typical tourist sites, but you can do all those tourist things during the day and then walk back and eat at the best restaurants and go to the best bars. All the great Argentinean designers are here as well.”
It’s a very large neighborhood divided into different areas. Palermo Chico is the most expensive area in Argentina. Then there’s the ‘normal’ Palermo, and then the area we’re in, which is Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. They’re not official names, but people call them that.
Palermo is a very sought after area because it’s the greener area of Buenos Aires and is quite central. There are a lot of open spaces with a lot of parks and green. It’s not so close to the typical tourist sites, but you can do all those tourist things during the day and then walk back and eat at the best restaurants and go to the best bars. All the great Argentinean designers are here as well.”
— Home Hotel bar and restaurant
— What would you recommend not to miss in the area?
Patricia: “There are certain things that you’ll find in the guide books that you have to do. They may be tourist traps, but you have to do it to get the feel of the city. It’s like going to Paris and not going to the Eiffel Tower.
You have to visit a fútbol match and go to Recoletta cemetery. And you have to do a tango show, of course.
As for the not so touristy things, you can get shoes made from amazing cobblers who make them all by hand. You can go to a small barber shop in Caminito, an area no tourist usually goes to. You can sit in a chair there that dates from the 1900s and have a real experience.”
You have to visit a fútbol match and go to Recoletta cemetery. And you have to do a tango show, of course.
As for the not so touristy things, you can get shoes made from amazing cobblers who make them all by hand. You can go to a small barber shop in Caminito, an area no tourist usually goes to. You can sit in a chair there that dates from the 1900s and have a real experience.”
—
— I have seen that you are also offering different tours.
Patricia: “You can do a running tour, a bicycle tour, a bus tour or a tour in a vintage car. There’s also a huge scene of street art—graffiti—here and we have some friends who do a tour called Graffitimundo where you get to meet the artists.
There are a lot of ways to see the city and you can have many different experiences in Buenos Aires that aren’t all based in the same area.
We have taken the opinions of our guests and put it into a Home guide, a little pocket book that we write. We pour our knowledge of what’s good into it from bars, restaurants, favorite places, shops, etc.”
There are a lot of ways to see the city and you can have many different experiences in Buenos Aires that aren’t all based in the same area.
We have taken the opinions of our guests and put it into a Home guide, a little pocket book that we write. We pour our knowledge of what’s good into it from bars, restaurants, favorite places, shops, etc.”
— Home Hotel zen patio
— To you personally, what has been most rewarding about running Home Hotel?
Patricia: “We went on blind faith that it was going to work—call it naïve, but we never thought it would fail. So it’s rewarding that we accomplished this.
We have had a lot of national attention with the Wallpaper Award for best new hotel in 2007. That was a big reward for us, as Wallpaper is sort of the Bible to us. When it came out in the ‘90s, it was very revolutionary at the time. That award was a big pat on the back. We’ve had a lot of press recognition from Conde Nast Traveler and all those sort of magazines. We’ve won several other awards since too.
It’s an extremely hard business because you’re playing with people’s dreams — their holidays — so everything has to be perfect. If you mess up once, you mess up someone’s holiday. But at the end of the day, the thing that really still touches us is when somebody really appreciates the design and details and lets us know, because we spend a lot of time on detail, down to the music playing to the pen you write with on your bedside table.”
We have had a lot of national attention with the Wallpaper Award for best new hotel in 2007. That was a big reward for us, as Wallpaper is sort of the Bible to us. When it came out in the ‘90s, it was very revolutionary at the time. That award was a big pat on the back. We’ve had a lot of press recognition from Conde Nast Traveler and all those sort of magazines. We’ve won several other awards since too.
It’s an extremely hard business because you’re playing with people’s dreams — their holidays — so everything has to be perfect. If you mess up once, you mess up someone’s holiday. But at the end of the day, the thing that really still touches us is when somebody really appreciates the design and details and lets us know, because we spend a lot of time on detail, down to the music playing to the pen you write with on your bedside table.”
— Home Hotel pool area
— When is the best time to come for a visit to Home Hotel?
Patricia: “Each season has its charm. To me, any city is good in spring or autumn. However, many people from Germany or England, for example, come during the summer to escape the horrible winters. They enjoy being by the pool and love the heat while we all complain about how hot it is.
In winter, it’s colder than people think. Think of Barcelona. It’s cold, not very cold, but cold. We get people from Texas, for example, who appreciate the cold.
But I think the city is prettiest in the spring. The trees are all in bloom with flowers. Carlos Thays was a French architect who designed a lot of the Palermo area and planted all the trees. The avenues are beautiful with all the colorful flowers.”
In winter, it’s colder than people think. Think of Barcelona. It’s cold, not very cold, but cold. We get people from Texas, for example, who appreciate the cold.
But I think the city is prettiest in the spring. The trees are all in bloom with flowers. Carlos Thays was a French architect who designed a lot of the Palermo area and planted all the trees. The avenues are beautiful with all the colorful flowers.”
—
— Thank you, Patricia!
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Service
Catered
Accommodation type
Boutique hotel
Location
City
Special requirements
Not suitable for young children
No pets allowed
Not suitable for wheelchairs
No smoking, please
Transport
Car not required
Private parking
Good public transport
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Bedrooms
0 Single bedroom
1 Double bedroom
0 Twin bedroom
0 Room w. multiple beds
Additional:
0 Sofabed
0 Extra bed (on request)
0 Air mattress (on req.)
0 Baby cot/crib (on req.)
Bath/shower rooms
0 Bathroom (ensuite)
0 Bathroom (shared)
1 Shower room (ensuite)
0 Shower room (shared)
0 Toilet (ensuite)
Additional:
0 Toilet (shared)
Other rooms
-
0 Kitchen
0 Kitchenette
0 Cooking area
0 Living room
0 Dining room
0 Other rooms
Prices for 2 sharingperson
Lowest price
Highest price
April 10 to September 30
$ 145
$ 145
October 1 to December 17
$ 150
$ 150
December 18 to January 5
$ 160
$ 160
Size: 19 square meters. 3 units available.
Prices excluding VAT (21%) and including breakfast, wi-fi and use of pool & sauna.
Room facing the interior courtyard, with queen size bed (no twin possible), super comfy matress, shower room, 26”LCD TV with cable, minibar, laptop friendly safe, individually controlled AC and central heating, Stereo (Access to CD library) and free wi-fi.
Guide to Buenos Aires: Home Hotel
Home is aimed unashamedly at late-night party-goers. Opened in December 2005 by London music producer Tom Rixton, the 17-bed property is bathed by night in hallucinogenic shades of apple-green and lemon. Its modern, Spartan interior, warmed by touches of 1960s retro, is focused on a bar with an impressive vodka selection and a lush garden surrounding a sizeable pool. The rooms, enlivened with vintage French wallpaper, are fitted with queen-sized beds (the three suites have king-sized beds plus Jacuzzi and balcony), and great mod-cons. A fern-draped spa in the basement offers treatments to alleviate jet lag, stress or the inevitable hangover. Book the separate Garden Suite for its private roof terrace overlooking the pool and garden.
— Condé Nast TravellerCondé Nast Traveller, November 2010
24-Hour Room Service - Home Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina
There’s no place like Home. Or rather there wasn’t in 2002 when Argentine PR Patricia O’Shea and her British record-producer husband, Tom Rixton, were planning their wedding in Buenos Aires. As their guests jetted in from around the world, they realised that there was a boutique hotel-sized gap in the market. So with some additional funding from U2’s record producer, Flood, and Crowded House bass player Nick Seymour, they decided to create the kind of place they would like to stay themselves. (...)
Tom and Patricia worked with Argentine architect Rodrigo Cunill to design a light and contemporary space – think lots of glass and wood. It's modern with a retro slant. (...)
The spa is very Zen, lying down a wooden staircase and across a gravel courtyard. The ayurvedic treatments help soothe away the effects of a trans-Atlantic flight, or one too many poolside cocktails. Say it again: there's no place like home, there's no place like home...
Tom and Patricia worked with Argentine architect Rodrigo Cunill to design a light and contemporary space – think lots of glass and wood. It's modern with a retro slant. (...)
The spa is very Zen, lying down a wooden staircase and across a gravel courtyard. The ayurvedic treatments help soothe away the effects of a trans-Atlantic flight, or one too many poolside cocktails. Say it again: there's no place like home, there's no place like home...
— The IndependentThe Independent, April 2009
Best new hotel: Home, Buenos Aires
Located in Buenos Aires’s hip Palermo Viejo neighbourhood, Home was designed by architects Rodrigo Cunill and Juana Grichener. The exterior may be austere, but the rest of the hotel is warm, light and airy thanks to a 300 sq m garden and heated swimming pool. All 17 rooms have their own distinct style with a retro theme, mixing vintage European wallpapers, Chilean wool rugs and custom-made native watambu wood beds with CD and book libraries, MP3 players and Wi-Fi.
— WallpaperWallpaper, December 2007
Buenos Aires Hotels: Home Hotel
The Scandinavian-style hotel has become a de rigueur stop for the Wallpaper* magazine set and the place where the rock groups U2 and Franz Ferdinand held concert after-parties. On summer Fridays, Tom Rixton, a co-owner and English record producer, spins what he calls “stupid party music for girls to dance to.”
— New York TimesNew York Times, February 2007
Best rates
You pay the same rate as booking with the property directly. There are no booking fees or extra costs to you. That’s guaranteed!
Direct owner contact
Use the ‘Contact’ button on the left to get information about availability and rates from the owner directly — and also receive the link to the property website with further details.
Our helpline
If you need help, call us on +49 163 737 2509 (Mo-Fr, 10am-10pm CET)
Outside these times leave us a message and we’ll call right back.
Outside these times leave us a message and we’ll call right back.
Free travel guides special offer
Enter your details to get exclusive access to two free downloadable Hg2 guides of your choice.
