The Plaza Hotel Buenos Aires is a currently closed

five-star hotel Hotel ratings are often used to classify hotels according to their quality. From the initial purpose of informing travellers on basic facilities that can be expected, the objectives of hotel rating have expanded into a focus on the hotel experie ...

in the Retiro district, just steps from the Calle Florida shopping area and overlooking the Plaza San Martín. The hotel, inaugurated in 1909, was part of several international chains including

InterContinental InterContinental Hotels & Resorts by IHG is a British-American luxury hotel brand created in 1946 by Pan Am founder Juan Trippe. It has been part of UK-based InterContinental Hotels Group since 1998. As of January 2023, there were 208 InterC ...

, and Marriott, until it was closed in 2017. Since then, the building has been refurbished and it is expected to be opened in 2027 as a complex that will include apartment buildings and a 12-floor hotel.Avanzan las obras del mítico Plaza Hotel de Retiro y esperan abrirlo en tres años
on ''La Política Online'', 11 Feb 2023 At the moment of being inaugurated, the 9-floor Plaza Hotel was the tallest building in Buenos Aires, until it was surpassed by the

Kavanagh Building The Kavanagh Building () is a residential skyscraper in Retiro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Designed in 1934 by architects Gregorio Sánchez, Ernesto Lagos and Luis María de la Torre, it is considered a pinnacle of modernist architecture. At the t ...

, inaugurated in 1936.Las increíbles historias del Kavanagh
on Infobae, 14 Apr 2022

History

The Plaza was developed by local landowner and banker Ernesto Tornquist, in anticipation of the crowds of tourists expected for the 1910 Argentina Centennial celebrations. Facing San Martín Square, the nine-story hotel was designed by German born architect

Alfred Zucker Alfred J. R. E. Zucker (January 23, 1852 – August 2, 1913)
Guillermo ...

and built at the northern end of

Florida Street Florida Street () is a popular shopping street in Buenos Aires CBD, Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913. The Walkability, pedestrian section as such starts at the i ...

. It was inaugurated as the Plaza Hotel on July 15, 1909 (soon after the death of Tornquist), with the presence of President José Figueroa Alcorta. Tornquist died in 1908 and did not live to see his hotel in operation. Touted at the time as the finest hotel in South America, it was also its most modern. The original 160 rooms and 16 suites had central heating, telephones, and elevator service. The hotel was wholly furnished by the prestigious

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

houses of Thompson & Company and

Waring & Gillow Waring & Gillow (also written as Waring and Gillow) was a noted firm of English furniture manufacturers and antique dealers formed in 1897 by the merger of Gillows of Lancaster and London and Waring of Liverpool. Background Gillow & Co. The fi ...

. Marble sculptures by Gustav Eberlein of

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and ceiling frescoes by Julio Vila y Prades of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

added to its decor. The hotel was completely remodeled in 1934, with much of the elaborate exterior ornamentation removed and the interiors redone in the Art Deco style. Between 1942 and 1948 a large annex was constructed in the rear, along San Martin, designed by architects Carlos Alfredo Rocha and Enrique Martínez Castro. Further expansion by architects Clorindo Testa and Héctor Lacarra in 1977, in preparation for the

1978 FIFA World Cup The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names, quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It wa ...

, brought the number of rooms to nearly 400. The Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires initially based itself out of the hotel when it opened in 1949. The hotel was a part of the Inter-Continental Hotels chain from 1981 to 1982 and was briefly renamed the "Plaza Inter-Continental".

Marriott Hotels Marriott may refer to: People *Marriott (surname) Corporations * Marriott Corporation, founded as Hot Shoppes, Inc. in 1927; split into Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation in 1993 * Marriott International, international hotel ...

assumed management in 1994 and the hotel was renamed the "Marriott Plaza Hotel Buenos Aires", though the property was still owned by Tornquist's descendants. Following a US$10 million refurbishment, it was awarded a five-star rating. It was renovated ahead of its 100th anniversary in 2009, which was celebrated with tours for local residents and a book about its history. left, The surviving 1909 wing in 2023, after demolition of later additions In 2013, the Tornquist and Shaw families sold the hotel to the Grupo Sutton Dabbah for 280 million Pesos (approximately $48 million US at the time) and the hotel left Marriott, returning to its historic name, the "Plaza Hotel Buenos Aires". The hotel closed on April 29, 2017. Its furnishings and contents were sold to the public in 2021.Los hoteles Alvear y Plaza venden desde valijas hasta escritorios
on ''La Nación'' Plans were announced in 2022 for a complete reconstruction of the hotel, designed by BMA, architecture firm based in Argentina, Chile and Miami, with interior design by local architect Martín Zanotti. The Sutton Sabbah family also owns the Llao Llao and Icon Hotels, and

Galerías Pacífico Galerías Pacífico is a shopping centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue. Overview The Beaux Arts building was designed by the architects Emilio Agrelo and Roland Le Vacher in 1889 to ...

shopping mall. The work will cost $50 million. The original 1909 structure will be converted to luxury residences. The 1948 extension was demolished in 2022 and will be replaced by a new 12-story hotel tower. The hotel is expected to reopen in 2027.

Famous guests

Gallery

Marriott Plaza Hotel Buenos Aires, Argentina - lobby.JPG, Lobby Plazahotel comedor.jpg, Dining room Plazahotel salon.jpg, Hall Plazahotel piscina.jpg, Swimming pool

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marriott Plaza Hotel, Buenos Aires Hotels in Buenos Aires Hotel buildings completed in 1909 Hotels established in 1909 Hotels disestablished in 2017