If you crave the pampering of fine butler service and consider attention to every little detail a must, you’re in luck.
Jeeves the butler, or someone quite similar, is alive, well and helping travelers like you at one grand old world hotel.
That hotel is the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Check in and you’ll find enough Belle Époque splendor (plus your butler) to transport you back to turn-of-the-20th-century luxury.
When the Alvear Palace first opened its doors in 1932, it catered to European visitors looking to be pampered. Today it caters to anyone looking for a classy hotel in Buenos Aires’ most fashionable neighborhood, the Recoleta. That includes passengers (as we were) who are disembarking from a cruise around South America. While our cruise was aboard Holland America’s Veendam, I spotted the Alvear Palace featured in the brochure of Seabourn luxury line.
The butler does it
No sooner had we settled in our room, than our butler rang our doorbell to ask if she could be of assistance. Butler service is part of every stay in deluxe suites and higher categories. You can ask for help unpacking, for a start. There is certainly plenty of closet space for a lengthy visit, no doubt a perk appreciated in the pre-jet set days of steamer trunks and crossing the Atlantic by ship.
True to form, Butler Rina Lombardi offered us complimentary pressing of two garments. We declined, as we were already packed for our flights home to San Francisco.
Big delights in little details
When was the last time (if ever) your hotel room came with his and hers bathrobes? Along with being smaller, the “hers” robe had lovely pink flowers embroidered on the sleeves. Slippers, too, came in two sizes. The spacious bathroom with Jacuzzi tub featured toiletries by Hermes de Paris.
I loved the bouquet of fragrant red roses and the bowl of fresh fruit. And, when I checked the desk, I found a packet of pretty watercolor postcards for my use.
A beautiful and delicious buffet breakfast in L’Orangerie was included with our stay. For relaxation, we made use of the heated indoor swimming pool on the second floor. My favorite treat of all was complimentary use of the bubbling therapy pools in the Alvear Spa. Pure bliss!
The Alvear Palace Hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. You’ll find the details at www.alvearpalace.com.
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