Hotel Faena, Buenos Aires

Being from Buenos Aires, Argentina, I do tend to talk about the good and the bad of my country. Yes, poverty does exist and political unrest and economic turmoil are present. I think that is true for many countries. But for all that Argentina may lack at times, it certainly makes up in style and European flare. Yes, I admit, I was fortunate enough to grow up in a place that is absolutely stunning and where the people are decadent and passionate about life.

Take the Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires, for instance. OMG! The Faena Hotel and Universe, as it is named, is a five star hotel in the Puerto Madero section of Buenos Aires.

The lot where the hotel is today situated was originally purchased in 1902 by Bunge y Born, the leading local agribusiness firm. They had one of the largest wheat mills in the country built there and with it, established Molinos Río de la Plata (later a leader in the local retail foods market).

The structure measured 25,000 m2 (270,000 ft2) in indoor area and was built with bricks imported from Manchester. The development of a new port further north after 1911 led to the original docklands' obsolescence, however, and by 1998, the shuttered El Porteño building (as the historic mill was known locally) had been slated for demolition.

Saved from the wrecking ball by local cultural patrimony associations, the building as purchased by local fashion designer Alan Faena, who after a US$40 million investment, opened the Faena Hotel+Universe in October 2004.

Refurbished and decorated by designer Philippe Starck, the hotel includes 105 rooms and is adjacent to an apartment complex of 83 residences (the "Universe"). The hotel includes the rustic French El Mercado restaurant, a café, wine cellar, fashion boutique, cabaret and spa. Faena is currently working with architect Norman Foster to create a "Faena Art District," with the Hotel+Universe as its core. The completed development will include the modernist El Aleph complex and Los Molinos (residences built in a nearby, former silo).

I love that bed!

For a moment there, I thought this was my dining room. :)

The chesterfield leather sofa is very similar to the sofa chair I have listed on 1stdibs! It must be an Argentine love affair with leather.

I just love how that chandelier softens the modern lines.

I could take that tufted wing chair home!

This is so my style. I just adore the white on white and then that splash of vibrant lipstick red.

I could stare at this photo forever. The tufted settee, the chandeliers.... well, what can I say. They take my breath away.

You can almost hear the tango playing in the background and the dancers wrapped around each other on the dancefloor...

This is definitely the place to stay when visiting Buenos Aires. Even if you don't make the trip, the design is such an inspiration. Hope you enjoyed the photos.