To the uninitiated, Buenos Aires can seem a labyrinth as elaborate as anything ever dreamed up by its native son, Jorge Luis Borges, the short-story writer, essayist and poet best known for his fantastical tales brimming with puzzles and paradox. Borges reveled in the otherworldly, the mystical and mysterious, and he drew inspiration from the city’s streets, which he liked to wander aimlessly for hours on end.

The business traveler is, of course, anything but aimless. Yet, if Buenos Aires is fertile ground for fiction, it’s also richly endowed with a wide variety of places to entertain and impress. From the genteel mansions of Recoleta to the high-end eateries along Puerto Madero’s trendy, tree-lined promenade to the gritty, cobblestone lanes of the city’s oldest, most historic neighborhood, San Telmo, there is something to suit every occasion. And given the city’s grid-like layout, finding it all is easier than you might think.

Perhaps the best place to start is the barrio where Borges was born — the urbane, upscale district of Palermo on the city’s northern edge. Once a shabby, semirural slum populated mainly by poor European immigrants, Palermo is now the epitome of Argentine chic, where fashion-forward Porteños, as capital residents are called, shop for designer labels, drink in exclusive clubs and feast in finely appointed restaurants like the acclaimed Casa Coupage, hailed by critics for its veal cutlet and rabbit confit.

Indeed, this Palermo bears little resemblance to the one Borges knew. But then, constant reinvention makes Buenos Aires the ever-enchanting city it is; in recent years, that’s given way to a wave of new boutique properties including the stylish Home Hotel, in so-called Palermo Hollywood, where vintage French wallpaper adds color to the otherwise minimalist décor.

If Palermo is hip and contemporary, nearby Recoleta represents the other end of the spectrum. Home to the city’s old-guard elite and many of its best Beaux Arts buildings, the neighborhood is decidedly restrained, with an air of faded elegance and the most exclusive address in town: el Cementerio de la Recoleta. The magnificent, maze-like necropolis where Argentina’s famous families rest in marble grandeur is far and away the country’s costliest real estate.

And while the cemetery is well worth a visit — both for its quiet remove from the busy streets and its densely packed rows of richly ornate mausoleums, including that of former First Lady Eva Perón and her family — business travelers find that the rest of Recoleta is very much alive, its posh restaurants and plush hotels buzzing with well-heeled, well-dressed professionals from around the world.

Of those, none surpasses the august Alvear Palace Hotel for sheer gilded extravagance. First built in 1932, the famous 5-star property was remodeled last year to make the guestrooms bigger, install Jacuzzis and LCD TVs in the bathrooms and add a new Grand Suite. Silk drapes, crystal chandeliers, a personal bilingual butler and custom-made Hermès amenities are still part of the standard package, as is the lavish lunch buffet at L’Orangerie, a perfect setting for a private meeting with that all-important client.

However, perhaps better suited to the business traveler is the much newer and no less stunning Palacio Duhau–Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. Opened in 2006, the 5-star hotel consists of two separate buildings — the original 23-room Belle Époque mansion built in 1934 and the sleek 17-story Posadas tower with 142 guestrooms — connected by an underground walkway lined with contemporary Argentine art.

Set amid beautifully landscaped gardens in the heart of Recoleta, the hotel couples high-end technology with modern décor. It’s also within easy walking distance of the city’s most upscale mall, Patio Bullrich, where tony boutiques cater to the capital’s stylish set. They offer top-shelf accessories like Ricky Sarkany stilettos and apparel by Etiqueta Negra, the official outfitter of a local polo team and the rare Argentine maker of men’s suits that can hold its own with Europe’s leading labels.

Best of all, though, is the Park Hyatt’s hushed Oak Bar, with its 17th-century carved oak panels bought from a castle in Normandy; its inviting wingback chairs of soft, supple brown leather; and a wonderful wood-burning fireplace — all combining for a soothing “club-style” ambience ideal for making deals.

At noon, Recoleta’s business crowd crams into the area’s excellent eateries for multicourse lunches capped off with a round of cafécitos. Especially popular is the upscale Italian bistro Arkakaó, where diners can choose from several simple gourmet dishes including favorites like lasagna al forno and vegetable cannelloni before indulging their sweet tooth on a seemingly endless array of desserts — everything from tiramisu made with mascarpone to rich chocolate mousse and authentic gelato.

For a true Porteño power lunch, though, there’s no substitute for the parilla (grill house). Indeed, in Argentina, one of the most carnivorous countries per capita, cooking (and consuming) steak is almost a national pastime; and while dozens of places boast the best beef in town, the always-full, 400-seat Cabaña las Lilas in the renovated docklands of Puerto Madero is widely considered king. All of the restaurant’s grass-fed beef comes from owner Octavio Caraballo’s private estancia, the wine list features dozens of rich reds from Mendoza, and the clientele range from cuff-linked executives to tourists in shorts.

For more of a liquid lunch, head to the Faena Hotel + Universe on the far side of Puerto Madero and sip fusion cocktails in an atmosphere of impious, over-the-top opulence. Co-created by Argentine fashion impresario Alan Faena and celebrity architect Phillippe Starck, the 126-room hotel, a converted granary opened in 2003, is the yin to the Alvear’s yang. And its so-called Library Lounge — with blood-red curtains, Chesterfield velvet sofas, a crystal candelabra, a shiny black baby grand and even a few books — makes for a one-of-a-kind meeting place no client will soon forget.

Weblinks

Alvear Palace Hotel
Casa Coupage
Faena Hotel + Universe
Home Hotel
Palacio Duhau–Park Hyatt Buenos Aires