Beware When Looking for a Hotel

Beware when looking on your own for a place to stay in Buenos Aires, for you will see some places advertised as “Hotel”, but they just might not be exactly what you are looking for.

There are “normal hotels” and there are “telos”. Telos are also known as “albergues transitorios“, and are basically places where you rent a room by the hour. This may sound a bit sleazy but it actually is quite a common practice here for many people to go to telos with their girlfriend, or boyfriend, or misstress, or lover, or whoever.

One reason for this is that many people in Argentina live with their parents until the time they get married, so as couples often want to be intimate they go to a telo so satisfy their basic necessities. Another reason is quite obvious…

There are lots of telos of different standard and quality, and some are constructed in such a way that you drive your car right into your room. Some feature huge jacuzzi baths, mirrors in the ceilings, round beds, free meals, whatever you can imagine. Prices vary depending on the class of service, type of room, time, place, day of the week, reputation, location, the usual stuff.

I think it is an interesting and important thing to know about Argentine culture. So if you are looking for a hotel make sure it is not a telo… unless!!!