Faena Hotel + Universe is a five-star contemporary classic hotel that stands apart from other hotels in Buenos Aires and elsewhere in the world in its unique situation and cultural offerings. Facilities include a world-class spa, outdoor swimming pool, award-winning restaurants that serve local cuisine, a cabaret with one of the best tango shows in town and spacious rooms with views of Rio de la Plata on one side and the docks and city centre on the other.
That which began as a dream: the transformation of a century-old historic grain building on the abandoned docks of Buenos Aires – is now a living reality located in the city’s most cosmopolitan and exclusive neighbourhood. Faena Hotel + Universe is housed in a seven-storey historic building that overlooks Rio de la Plata. Situated next to an ecological reserve in the centre of Buenos Aires and in close proximity to the historic San Telmo neighbourhood, Faena Hotel + Universe offers a wide range of outdoor activities within walking distance of many of the city’s main attractions.
The interior design is the result of a close collaboration between Philippe Starck and Alan Faena and is one of Starck’s most classical projects making use of a wealth of high quality natural materials, including lapacho wood and arabasceto marble, in a style that echoes a re-birth of the Belle Epoque. Imperial furniture with gold-clawed feet, red and gold velvet curtains and fabrics and tall crystal mirrors incorporate traditional Argentine themes and patterns.
A ten-meter tall red etched glass entrance leads visitors into the Cathedral: an eighty-meter-long central pathway with floor-to-ceiling etched glass windows to the left and right separated by brick and gold velvet curtains. Elongated black and gold benches atop a red carpet span the entire length of the Cathedral with dark hardwood floors.
Faena Hotel + Universe has no reception desk. Guests are greeted just as they would be welcomed into a private home by a team of Experience Managers: the front desk, concierge and personal assistant incorporated into one. The Experience Manager concept is unique to Faena and adds a personal element and provides friendly, efficient and traditional service.
One hundred guestrooms are spacious with a variety of rooms and suites all of which offer views of Rio de la Plata on one side or the docks and city centre on the other. Faena Hotel + Universe has ample offering of unique and spacious suites including the Presidential Suite, Park Suite, Duplex Suite, Tower Suite, Imperial Suite and the ultimate: the F Suite – the most exclusive and expensive suite in Latin America located on the 6th floor with sensational panoramic views of Rio de la Plata and the city of Buenos Aires.
Faena is one of the few hotels in Buenos Aires that offers guests the facilities of an outdoor swimming pool. Located inside a terraced garden: the pool is an ideal environment to enjoy the warm rays of the southern hemisphere sunshine while enjoying light meals and cocktails. The spa is located on the first floor of the building overlooking the pool and a variety of poolside spa treatments are available to guests as well as a selection of fresh fruit juice cocktails designed to open the chakras. The Pool Bar is an ideal environment in which to enjoy a cocktail or dine alfresco on warm summer nights.
Faena Spa offers an extensive range of treatments and activities to vitalise and invigorate the body and to promote states of vitality, relaxation, harmony and spiritual serenity. Faena Spa is a member of Leading Spas. Facilities include a traditional Turkish-style hammam designed by Philippe Starck, fully equipped treatment rooms in Italian arabasceto marble, an authentic Turkish gommage room, a sauna, marble bath room for massages and decadent bathing experiences, a relaxation room and state-of-the-art fitness centre with personal trainers. The Spa offers a wide 
range of activities such as daily yoga and stretching classes and tango classes. A variety of treatments and therapies incorporate products by La Prarie and Biologique Recherche and include Pranic Healing: a revolutionary and comprehensive system of natural healing techniques, a full range of massages, crystal therapy, pre and post sun treatments and a series of “jet-lag” treatments designed to soothe guests arriving from long trips.
A new Beauty Centre features magnificent views of the city and pool and boasts the best hairdresser and manicurist in town. Guests may choose from a wide range of beauty treatments from hair-cuts and blow-drys to waxing, manicures and pedicures.
Dining options range from casual to elegant and kitchens are overseen by award-winning head chef Mariano Cid de la Paz: a former pupil of Ferran Adriá. El Bistro offers an elegant dining experience that indulges all of the senses. Flowing white silk curtains drape walls adorned with unicorn heads. Gold candelabras and red Baccarat crystal rest on pure white tablecloths. White leather sofas and chairs sit atop plush red carpets continuing the horn theme. The moulded ceiling of El Bistro – with gold details and breathtaking chandeliers – is a recreation of the great patisseries of the 1900’s.
Inspired by the old European markets and the legendary cantinas of Buenos Aires, El Mercado offers authentic, top-quality traditional Argentine cuisine by the warmth of a rustic adobe mud oven. A spacious outdoor terrace is ideal for the typical “asado argentino” and dining alfresco with open-air grills and its own fresh herb garden. A main feature of Faena Hotel + Universe is the abundance of terraces, patios and open-air spaces. Mercado guests may enjoy breakfast outdoors under the shade of trees. The indoor dining area features a ceiling made of antique tiles collected from Belle Epoque buildings, hardwood floors, red leather and gold-leafed imperial style chairs, long wooden tables and glass cabinets filled with treasures from the nearby antique mecca San Telmo. Portraits and photographs of famous Argentines of the past and present areplaced throughout and include Eve Peron and Che Guevara, Jorge Luis Borges, legendary tango composers Astor Piazzolla, Anibel Troilo, Carlos Gardel and football hero Diego Maradona.
Faena Hotel + Universe presents to its guests the finest that Argentina has to offer. Faena produced their own label in 2009 with a Malbec that was awarded the 5th best in the world. The Faena Wine Cellar houses the largest collection of wines in Argentina. Over 500 labels are stored within the brick walls of this sophisticated and elegant cellar. A crystal chandelier overlooks a large banquet table suitable for wine tastings and private dinners for groups up to 16 people. Chief Sommelier: Aldo Graziani, has won numerous awards and is one of the most acclaimed sommeliers in Argentina.
The Library Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere where guests may enjoy a morning coffee, a healthy lunch, an informal meeting or personal time throughout the daytime and evening. The Library Lounge’s afternoon tea is inspired by the traditional English teatime with local Argentine delicacies. Interior design items echo that of a classic estancia and include leather sofas and imperial style furniture, leather and gold leafed bar stools, antique lamps, chandeliers and red silk curtains. Bison heads on red velvet adorn the outside wall. A bookcase during the day opens up and turns into a lively bar during the evening. A grand piano is open to all guests who wish to play in an informal setting and has been played by Argentine musicians Charly Garcia and Fito Paez and many others…Chris Martin from Coldplay composed a song on the piano in the Library Lounge. An entertainment schedule is made up of resident DJ’s and weekly musical events.
El Cabaret has been specially created to arouse fantasy and sensuality. Its stage is framed by red velvet curtains with gold trim and it is an ideal environment for live shows in an intimate setting. Rojo Tango is an award-nominated tango show that is currently in its fifth year running in the Cabaret with performances every evening that include dinner. Rojo Tango traces the history of tango from its beginnings in the cabarets of turn of the century Buenos Aires to Piazzolla’s avant-garde vision.
Faena Hotel + Universe was conceived as a paradigm for 21st century living. A symbol for a re-birth of the Belle Epoque: a stage where local inhabitants and international visitors interact and art and culture thrives. Faena offers this as well as a comfortable and classic environment from which to enjoy the best that Buenos Aires has to offer.
FAENA HOTEL + UNIVERSE BUENOS AIRES
ADDRESS: 445 Martha Salotti, Buenos Aires, Argentina
TELEPHONE: +54 11 4010 9000
WEBSITE: www.faenahotelanduniverse.com
E-MAIL: lw@lisawalker.net
