The arrival of Alvear Icon Hotel & Residences is ushering in a new era for Puerto Madero, the once-abandoned 19th century port that evolved into one of Buenos Aires’ liveliest neighborhoods, with riverside promenades, parks, shops, cultural venues, and top-notch restaurants. Set in a sculptural glass tower that stands out among the district's burgeoning skyline, this lifestyle hotel calls to mind ultramodern destinations like Dubai or Hong Kong. Designed to offer the most stunning views of the Argentine capital in an atmosphere of contemporary luxury, the latest property from the Alvear Group is an emblem of the city’s dynamism—and an ode to its beauty.
Along with the brand’s time-honored service and attention to detail, guests of Alvear Icon will enjoy an array of amenities unprecedented in South America. Seven restaurants and bars occupy various corners of the 34-story skyscraper, including a wood-paneled wine bar, a Parisian-style café set under a grand skylight, a kosher patisserie, and a breezy cocktail bar edging the third-floor pool, which overlooks Puerto Madero’s treetops. Higher up on the 20th floor, a sleek spa and fitness center—equipped with a beauty salon, steam room, sauna, and heated swimming pool—features triple-height curtain walls that reveal expansive views of the riverside surroundings.
Guests of Alvear Icon will enjoy an array of amenities unprecedented in South America.
The fabulous panoramas continue inside guestrooms, where acclaimed Chilean designer Sergio Echeverría chose rich woods, auburn leathers and shimmering light fixtures to create a look of modern elegance, while also nodding to the neighborhood’s rich history with sepia photographs of the landscape as it was more than 100 years ago. Puerto Madero came into existence in the late 1800’s to accommodate a growing maritime trade between Argentina and Europe. Only a decade later, as ships became larger and larger, its cobblestoned wharves and redbrick warehouses were abandoned in favor of a more capacious new harbor. It wasn’t until the 1990’s—after seven decades of neglect—that this significant landmark began to take its current shape as residences, offices, and eateries moved into the area’s newly refurbished old buildings.
To really appreciate the confluence of styles that make Buenos Aires one of the most attractive destinations in Latin America, nothing beats the hotel’s top-floor Crystal Bar, a sophisticated cocktail lounge clad in floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the building’s acme. Inside, the space looks like a traditional Asian den conceived for the 21st century; clean-lined wooden accents and minimalist armchairs are set against mirrored walls and framed glass panels featuring elaborate etched patterns. Crystal Bar has the right ingredients to become an eternal hot spot: tasty signature cocktails, good music, and unrivaled views of the city below. From this vantage point, 32 stories above ground, the urban landscape looks both placidly still and powerfully alive.