We loved the Bel Aire Hotel situated in central BA near wonderful shops and restuarants. The room we had was large, clean and comfortable; booked at a very reasonable rate. A restaurant shares the ground level, with large picture windows to the street. We thought the restaurant's food was quite good, as was the service, also inexpensively priced.
(If you don't speak/read Spanish, a Spanish/English dictionary would be helpful as this restaurant, and most others, do not translate the fare into English.)
The Bel Aire's employees were very helpful with recommendations of sights/restaurants/etc. However, I would caution that if you need to get a taxi to the airport, it be made clear by you which airport is needed, as the front desk assumes tourist want the international airport-Ezeiza, not the domestic airport or Aeropark-located in the city.

This hotel used to be one of the nicest maternity clinics in Buenos Aires. You can't tell... so I am just giving you a "little history" here! THe location is probably the best. You will be in the heart of the Barrio Norte. From the hotel you can walk (sometimes just a little, sometimes more) to Santa Fe Av., Florida, Recoleta... THe staff is extremely helpful and will give you directions and hints about the city if you ask them. The hotel is really clean and they are generous with shampoo, body lotions... The pictures of the hotel in their website are REAL, the exterior is beautiful (sorry, I forgot to take pictures!) and inside they also have a restaurant but is expensive. Our choice was a few feet down the road. THere is a restaurant called "Teodoro" where you can try the typical Argentian food like a local, sorrounded by locals! It is really interesting to sit there and see what goes on...
OUr rooms had no bathtubs but their showers were AWESOME... TV and many channels, a complete mini-bar, and an excellent breakfast are some of the things that definitely will make us go back to this hotel in the heart of Buenos Aires.
Rooms facing the inner part are really quiet (sleeping till noon!!) but the view is not very interesting... No, it isn't claustrophobic, just the back of other buildings, typical of a big city!

Right in the middle of the Recoleta district, Bel Air is a very nice boutique hotel. The staff was bi-lingual and very professional. The place was very clean and the rooms were very nice (not huge, but big enough). If you only have a few days in town and are planning on walking around or seeing the sights, this is a very good choice. The prices are hard to beat -- we paid $125US for the largest room in the hotel (which included breakfast and full use of hotel services). Don't waste you money at Alvear -- for the tiny room you'd get there, you can live like a king here.

We found the Bel Air to be a very nice boutique hotel. The key was to choose a jr suite, much better that a regular room, and the rate was
half of what we would have paid por a similar hotel in the US or Europe.
The decor was chic,the service good, and breakfast included in rate excellent. THere is a pleasant restaurant on premises and location is excellent. A great choice.