Think Twice

Guest: Kim and Mike (US Virgin Islands)
Date of Stay: 03/23/10 Review Submitted: 05/01/11

We stayed at this apratment at the end of March 2010. As we enjoyed Buenos Aires so much, we are looking to return next March. While looking for accomodations for next year we happened to look at the reviews for this place, and based on that review I felt a need to comment. I saw that the "Disappointed California" guest that stayed here starting on March 10, 2010 stated that that the internet did not work and that it was essential for them. We had the identical experience. Before we rented this place we asked whether the internet service was reliable and we made it clear that emailss for my business were essential. I was assured that it was. Well it was not. We spent frustrated hours trying to get it to work, to no avail. We called the owners and the local agent severeal times to try to get it fixed and they told us that they never had a problem with the internet with the clear suggestion being that it was "operater error" on our part. We were forced to it in neighborhood cafes to use the internet. From reading "Dissapointed from California" I realize that it was not only us that had this problem so I feel better about myself, but worse about the owner (I admit that I assume that California contacted the owner about this problem, but his review doe not explicitly state that ). We did have the same problem with the light being out in the hallway and not being able to get into the apartment, and apparently California complained about that and it was not fixed before we got there. In addition to California's problems, the entrance door handle and lock literally fell off while we were trying to get into the place in the dark and no I was not kicking the door although I was tempted to do so. Dispite all the shortcomings the neighborhood was great for restaurants and bars. It was safe and clean, we will stay in this area next year when we return, but not in this appartment.

Owner response:This review is a bit stale with this posting arriving 15 months after the stay. The internet went down for 4 weeks in March due to a variety to complex technical issues beyond my control. Repairing the connection was not as simple as rebooting a router, it required a visit from the cable company and unfortunately in Argentina this takes time. This individual unfairly weighted his low apartment rating solely on the internet performance not the quality of the apartment. The internet is critical to my line of business as well. However if I find myself in a place with poor internet connectivity, which does happen regularly, I go to a Starbucks or a public place with WiFi internet, easy/problem solved/done. There is no shortage of free WiFi in Buenos Aires, within 3 blocks of our apartment there are at least 2 dozen places with free WiFi. I would like to take this opportunity to announce some exciting upgrades since this guest say. We’ve hired a new local agent, installed a new internet cable box, a new WiFi router, a new LCD flat screen TV, a new vonage IP phone, new custom designed furniture, new art work and more. We strive to make your stay more enjoyable and I feel the negativity of this review was based on a poor internet experience not a bad overall experience.

Recommended for:

Great Value

Guest: Bob and Cheryl (FORT MILL, SC)
Date of Stay: 01/28/11 Review Submitted: 02/28/11

The location of the property was excellent. A super safe, tree lined neighborhood with cafes, bakeries, and restaurants on every corner. It never cost us more than $10 US for a taxi to most areas of the city.The subway is also a short distance away. The nearby shopping mall has nearly anything you may need including a great wine shop. The building is in good to new condition and is very attractive. The apartment was clean and well maintained with only a few areas of normal wear. The listing photos were very accurate and reflect the apartment's appearance. The owner was very helpful and responded to all communication quickly. He also provided lots of good info on the city and local neighborhood. The apartment's AC worked well which is a must in Jan/Feb. The balcony was nice for working on your tan and the roof top pool and lounge area were nice although we found little time for the pool with all the site seeing and eating. My wife loved the comfortable bed. I found the living room sofa a little uncomfortable for watching TV but nice for taking a nap and resting. And the extra half bath was a bonus. We never could quite figure out the operation of the clothes washing machine and a dryer is needed to save a lot of drying time. Overall we enjoyed our stay and hope to return again.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Comfortable, beautiful apartment in great neighborhood!

Guest: Cdubrobs (San Francisco, Ca)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

The owner of this apartment was extremely helpful and replied to all requests almost immediately, which made me feel great about renting an apartment so far from home! The guide he provided with the apartment about Las Canitas (supermarkets, atms, restaurants) was great. The apartment itself was beautiful and spotless, with sliding glass doors all across one wall leading out onto a terrace - my husband and I left those open most of the time, so it was almost like an indoor/outdoor space. The pool on the roof was amazing, with great views. The location is stellar. It was a wonderful place for us to stay in BA on first arrival, rest up from travel, and get our bearings. Five stars!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

Staying in La Canitas.......

Guest: bocasoccer (calistoga, ca)
Date of Stay: 01/24/11 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

Nice place and great location.....looks just like photos. Easy to deal with and good follow up with owners. If you want to see a good example of nightlife walk one block from tuesday to saturday.....the popular places are all packed.....Other than that the street is quiet so you get the best of both worlds. We also liked the security guards, though we had no idea what they were saying nor they what we were saying.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children.

wonderful stay!

Guest: Steve G (Phoenix, Az)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 08/31/10

My wife and I very much enjoyed this apartment. The location was perfect. We loved being in the heart of Las Canitas close to dining and nightlife. The apartment was nicely decorated and maintained and we really appreciated having 24 hr security. We've stayed in many apartments throughout BA and this is the quietest apartment we have found with a view. Dan, thank you for a lovely time!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Guest: Steve (-)
Date of Stay: 02/03/10 Review Submitted: 08/02/10

Dan, It was good thank you, the location was perfect. Did a side trip to the falls which were amazing. We we left one key in the apartment and one with the security guard. Hopefully they connected on it. Back to the snow. Steve

Recommended for:

Guest: Philip (-)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 08/02/10

Hi Dan, We had a terrific time, I’ve been meaning to write you to see if there is a sight where I can leave a review. We really enjoyed the apartment and BsAs. In fact my wife and I are going through an Argentina withdrawal as we wish we were still there! Please rip up the cheque. Thanks Phil

Recommended for:

Response to April 9th review

Guest: Dan Coyle (owner) (-)
Date of Stay: 07/28/10 Review Submitted: 07/29/10

We appreciate every and all reviews no matter how critical. I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the April 9th review. The renter failed mention that two days prior to their arrival date I was informed they needed to delay their arrive by 2 days. I allowed the last minute change and refunded the unused days. The dirty state of the apartment was not inside the apartment, the apartment all parties agreed was spotless, it was outside on the balcony. While Buenos Aires translated in English means “good air” the air in fact is not all that great. BA is a city of 15 million people, with little to no auto pollution standards. Las Canitas is located in one of the fresher air zones, but that does not mean my apartment balcony is free of pollutants from car and bus exhaust creating a thin layer. Every apartment with an outside balcony will have dust after an hr from cleaning. Regardless, I immediately dispatched the maid for a second balcony cleaning. I clearly state in the apartment description “polo and city views”. We have clear views of downtown Las Canitas AND the Polo field. The pool sits right on top of the Polo field; it is arguably one of the best views of the polo field in the area. Some of the professional players own apartments in the building. Look at the photos. It is rare to find a dryer in the Argentina. The wet laundry (clean bed sheets and towels) the renter referred to is common and it was hanging/ drying in the laundry room, separated from the apartment out of view. There is no reason to enter the room unless you want to do laundry. The valid complaints: Lights were burnt out in the hallway and that is annoying. We have replaced both the lights and the wiring. The internet did go down, the cable box supplied by the internet company broke, a random uncontrollable event that has since been replaced. I called the cable company for a replacement but the nearest appointment was 3 weeks away. Nothing in Argentina works quickly. Free wireless internet is very widely available throughout the city. The bedspread has been replaced and I’ve thrown out the one sheet with the small rip. Please feel free to call or email directly. I would be happy to answer your questions. +1 206-992-5868

Recommended for:

Not so luxurious apartment

Guest: Disappointed California traveler (Sacramento, California)
Date of Stay: 03/10/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

We booked this apartment for 10 days and ended up only staying 5 days. After a 20-hour flight from California, the apartment was dirty upon arrival. The rooms had not been cleaned, the garbage cans were full of someone else's trash, there was hair in the bathroom sink and wet laundry hanging in the laundry room. Instead of enjoying our first day in South America, we had to wait for a maid to clean the apartment under our direction. The website pictures are very deceiving and do not accurately reflect the condition of the apartment. The view of the polo field can only be seen at the very end of the deck looking around the corner of the building. Likewise from the pool area. The bed linens had rips and there was no mattress pad on the bed. In addition, the internet did not work the entire time we were there and the owners did nothing at all to fix the situation in spite of repeated requests. Internet access was essential to our obligations at home and had we known there was no access we would not have rented this apartment. There was also no lighting outside the apartment and you either need a flashlight to open the apartment door at night or hold open the elevator and use the light from it to see enough to find the door locks. The apartment supervisor did nothing to fix the broken light either. This was a disappointing start to our long-awaited vacation. Our overall experience was very poor and we would not recommend this apartment.

Recommended for:

Guest: Tom Wall (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 01/24/10 Review Submitted: 01/24/10

Having visited BA 5 times in the past few years it is never easy to find a furnished apartment that has NO PROBLEMS, but this one bucks the trend. Not only does everything work, it's new, clean, spacious, comfortable, quiet. Two especially unique qualities are the wide open sweeping vista from the deck (ie, so many places face into another building or busy street) and that the deck is deep enough fit a table for 4 AND be able to walk around it! Most decks barely fit a chair. Excellent location that has, within 1 block, at least 6 very good restaurants. Highly recommend.

Recommended for: