Fantastically designed hotel in San Telmo, an interesting if somewhat over touristy neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

I stayed in this hotel twice (each stay 3 nights) while passing through the truly lovely Argentine capital for work.

The glass-bottomed swimming pool suspended over the atrium is incredible. Likewise the architectural structure (if clean lines, glass and water are to your taste).

Breakfasts are generous and tasty with a wide range of food: from healthy to heart-attack fodder. The waiters and waitresses were very attentive, professional and friendly.

On the minus side - and these were big minuses - the hotel is extremely noisy. Club type music blasts out from early afternoon to late night and the atrium design acts as a giant amplifier feeding the music to the rooms. If you don't mind having to use the hotel-supplied earplugs and waking up several times all night then you might be ok. Not the place for siestas or peace and quiet.

Also the staff at the reception are nice to look at and what they lack in the ability to perform efficiently they more than compensate for in attitude and arrogance.

We stayed for a total of 8 nights starting on 24 October 2008. When we first arrived we were given room 311 and the room turned out to be full of fruit flies (no pun intended) for this gay hotel. However, when we called the reception to complain about the situation, someone from housekeeping came immediately with a spray can of insecticide, but upon seeing all the fruit flies all over the room, she promptly called the reception and we were given another room.

We found the new room to be clean - the only complaint we had about the room was that as many other modern hotels, the quality of the sound-proofing was poor. Because of the open plan, we are able to hear people talking from the lobby, not to mention noises from the street - no wonder there were ear plugs in the room. So for those who are light sleepers, we would suggest getting a room that does not face the city/ out. While shampoos and soaps were replenished daily, stuffs near the sink like cotton pads were not added, and in our view, this is unacceptable for the USD150 per night rate we paid. What´s unbelievable we believe is the fact that the room did not have a hair dryer ... how is that possible for a gay hotel? Finally, it would have been nice if we could get CNN or CNBC in English, although there were several English speaking channels.

The best part about Axel was the breakfast in our view with fresh juices, high quality breads, jam and machine-made lattes. However, don´t expect breakfast to be ready by 7am as the reception claim. When we came down for breakfast one day at 8am, the kitchen staff were just preparing breakfast and the hot scrambled eggs were not served until at least 8.30am that morning.

Another very positive experience we had at Axel was the ever-so-helpful front-desk staff. Conrado, for example, was always extremely helpful with his tips on where to visits (i.e. clubs, spas, restaurants, etc) even at very late hours. We also did not have any problems when we wanted to leave our suitcase with the hotel when we decided to fly off to Calafate for three nights. Additionally, when we needed a larger airport transfer due to our oversized luggages, they were extremely helpful helping us with the booking. When we lost the key to our suitcase, they managed to get the maintenance guy to come with a small saw to cut off the lock. Finally, when we had guests/ friends over to the hotel, they had no problem coming up to our room, after the reception would call us to confirm that our guests were at the lobby.

Last but certainly not least, the issue of the neighborhood as stated by several reviewers. We personally did not have a problem, as even Buenos Aires is a dirty city period - you will find garbage-strewn streets EVERYWHERE even in nice avenues like Santa Fe. For us, the hotel was just three blocks away from Defensa Street (an easy 5-minute walk), where all of the antique shops are located. It is also within walking distance to Palacio, one of the most happening night clubs, and we felt safe walking even at 2 or 3 o´clock in the morning. Finally, Axel is also just two blocks away from Florida Street, where there are lots of shops which you can find just about anything (we found a new lock for our Samsonite suitcase there).

Overall, we found our stay rather pleasing and we would definitely stay there again. During breakfast, we always managed to make new friends with other gays from all over the world, and that alone is worth the stay in our view.

Hotel was in a less than salubrious part of town away from most gay life. Great concept and design with some very friendly and attentive staff; however a few signs off wear and tear already begining to show after only a few months of being open. Significant number of limited experience and limited english speaking staff left to run things at quieter times - not what you would expect from a 5 star hotel. Overall a nice hotel but overpriced for the service and location - the hotel owners need to decide whether to invest in earning it's 5 star rating or to let things slip...

My partner and I just got back from a week in Buenos Aires where I stayed at two different hotels (the Axel in San Telmo and the other in Recoleta) to experience BA's diverse neighborhoods. Of the two, I have to say that the Axel was our favorite by far.

The sleek hotel is somewhat conspicuous on Venezuela, an otherwise gritty avenue, but not as busy or noisy as many streets in BA. I found the San Telmo area to be less conventionally attractive than Recoleta or Palermo Soho, but we enjoyed its shabby charm (especially the street tango orchestra at the Antique Fair on Sunday).

From the moment we arrived, the Axel staff was very helpful and personable, but always professional during our stay. As you might suspect, easy on the eyes as well.

The room has a clever layout, obviously designed with an emphasis on style over substance. The peek-a-boo shower and multiple mirrors were fun, but little details like adding a digital clock (to check the time in the dark) and extra hooks (for drying swimsuits) would be helpful. Still, these are quibbles and we both enjoyed the room.

I think they've ironed out many of the glitches reported on by other reviewers, as we took advantage of both pools, the sauna, steam room, and jucuzzi; all were in working order except for the second hot tub.

The Sunday Pool Party was a fun bonus to our stay, and a fun way to meet other guests and top off the weekend.

The Axel is not luxury, but it's hip, chic, and has a real positive vibe.