La Cayetana

After tiring of their marketing jobs at Coca-Cola, Estela Títere and Silvina Tarrio bought this stately1820s mansion—located in the historic neighborhood adjacent to San Telmo—from the descendants of the Italian Podestá family, who built and still lived in it. Títere and Tarrio bought the antique furniture along with the house, stripped and buffed everything, and added air-conditioning and modern bathroom accoutrements, but beyond that, this 11-room hotel is a trip into history. The impossibly high ceilings, ancient wood doors, exposed brick, large interior courtyard, and old tile floors only enhance the two-year-old hotel’s antique aura. The name refers to a certain Ms. Cayetana, original owner of the land.

Insider Tip: If you get along with your fellow boarders, ask Títere and Tarrio to put together an authentic asado (Argentine barbecue).

Room to Book: The Del Virrey, with an antique smoked-glass bathroom wall and spiral stairs to a sleeping loft, accommodates three or four in style.