The Center Buenos Aires

1) One member of the staff (I presume the owner, otherwise I don't understand why) tried to overcharge us. He wanted to charge us a 10% more for using a debit card, I asked him why as there was no mentioned of that in booking, and he said "he didn't know why" and provided no further clarity on the matter, I assumed then that it was some Argentinean legislation. To my surprise, when I googled it I found in an official Argentinean website that it is forbidden for businesses to add any extra charges to customers for using debit or credit cards. 2) Our room was an absolute disaster. There was a leak in the radiator (there was a little glass jar by the radiator pipe and a towel under the jar, and every morning when we woke up we had to empty the jar). There was also a leak in the toilet, which made the floor constantly wet and very slippery. 3) The shower was really unreliable. Water would come and go as you were showering. I spent 4 nights there and I could not wash my hair because I just could not do it with that water. 4) WiFi connection was very slow. 5) Sound proofing was non-existent. We could hear EVERYTHING that happened in surrounding rooms. One one occasion we overheard how the same member of the staff tried to scam another couple. 6) They have a kitchen for guests, that is true. But the kitchen is almost empty, there were very few dishes, knives, forks, etc. Defefinetely not enough for all (or even half of) the guests in the hostel.

I booked a room with a queen bed and a privare bathroom in this hostel via Travelocity from 02/07/20-02/12/20. I paid $150 to Travelocity right away, 7 months in adavance ( in May of 2019.) Instead, I was given a windowless room with a twin bed and a shared bathroom in the hallway. At first, I thought that it was some kind of a mix up, so I showed my receit with the picture of the room that I booked. I was told that there was no mix up, that since I am alone I should be in a twin bed, and that all twin beds come with a shared bathroom. And I was also told that 7 months ago what I paid might have been the right price, but that at my time of arrival the room that I booked became much more expensive. I immediately wrote to Travelocity and asked for my money back because what I was offered upon arrival wasnt at all what I booked. I received no reply. When I returned from my trip, I tried to get my money back. The owner of the hostel said that I refused the room that she offered me ( I had to go to a different hotel because a twin bed is too small for me and I am unable to use shared bathrooms), so she didnt owe me a refund. And Travelocity told me that I chose to not stay there. I chose to not stay there because they refused to give me the room that I booked. In fact, I ended up paying a lot more at a different hotel because I needed a room immediately. So their refusal to give me the room that I booked in advance had cost me in many ways. But I cant even get a refund for the booking that I was refused. Travelocity ignored me at the time when it was happening, and then sided with the hostel owner, even though their reasoning was illogical and illegal. And they just kept my money.

I stayed for 3 nights. There were not so many people as it was the winter season. The hostel was very cozy and the stuff is so friendly told me a nice highking course. I stayed max 4 people's room and the atmosphere was really nice as made of wood. I really love Patagonia. I'll come back and staying here again.

We stayed at the hostel for 5 nights. The room was cozy and clean, the bathroom had a nice shower and was also very clean. The staff is really friendly and helps you where ever they can. They also can recommend good activities and help you with the booking. The location is also a plus, just a few minutes from the main road, We would come here again! Nadja and Jonas

Very clean room, nice stuff, the bathroom amateur can be renewed, only 5-6 min to center down to the stair behind the bus station, there is supermarket nearby bus station Everyday the stuff cleans the room and change the blanket. Breakfast is simple but enough.

Awesome place, Facundo the owner is really helpful and attentive in getting anything you need sorted (bookings, shuttles etc.) The place has a great chilled out feel, is in a good location close to town, wifi is great - brilliant spot.

Friendly staff, but no English spoken. Location could be a lot better (especially since the bus station has moved). Walls are paperthin. Private shower in the twin double hardly gave any water at all...

This hostel was in a perfect location to visit el calafate. The owner, Facundo, is very friendly and informative. The hostel is clean and beds are comfortable. The two kitchens are incredibly well stocked. We liked it so much that we stayed twice! Thanks for an excellent stay!!

Pros: - The Beds are good and the room is clean. - The Hostel is realy close to the downtown. - The prices are good. Cons: - I didn't had time to eat the breakfast (maybe they could start it soonier). - The internet isn't good enough (this is a problem in entire Patagonia). - The bathroom doesn't have shower box, so after a shower the entire bathroom was wet. - The walls were really thin and you could hear everything that was happening in the other rooms.

We stayed at Albergue Buenos Aires for three nights in a private twin room which came to around £140 in total, easily the most expensive accommodation we stayed in during our South American journey and by no means the most luxurious. It was, however, the cheapest private room available in the town that we could find with similar places coming it at much higher prices. The rooms at this hostel are basic but spacious. There are three shared bathrooms available for guests, a common area with satellite TV and two large and well-stocked kitchens which is handy considering most visitors here will look to cook to conserve their cash in this very expensive town. The showers are consistently hot and water pressure is good. In our twin room we were provided with complimentary towels which always comes as a bonus when travelling cheaply. There is a fairly recent computer available for guests and wi-fi connections were fast and reliable which is not often the case in budget accommodation. The location is excellent, only a minute or two walk from the main bus station which is handy if you've just endured a 33 hour bus journey like we had and just want to crash immediately upon arrival. On the negative side, the breakfast provided is extremely basic even when compared to some of the cheaper and more grungy hostels we stayed at during our trip. I found my bed lacking in support and it left me with pretty bad lower back pain for a few days. There is a resident cat which runs around freely which may cause problems for people with allergies. Albergue Buenos Aires was by no means the worst hostel we stayed at but for the price I paid I would have liked an improved breakfast and a more comfortable sleep. Still, as one of the cheaper accommodations in El Calafate, I would still recommend it to anyone travelling on a shoestring who is looking for a private room before visiting the glacier.