Icaro Suites (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - Hotel Review

Highly recommended Value for Money Hotel in Downtown BA

My wife and I love comfortable travel, however given the trip to Argentina was very costly, we needed to select the hotels wisely and work within our budget and hence I had put in a lot of time and effort in choosing the perfect hotel to stay in Buenos Aires for 6 nights. After much research (on all review websites as well as a detailed cost benefit analysis) I zeroed in on Icaro Suites as the perfect place to stay for our vacation. The positive aspects of this hotel are given below.  

I am trying to put together a series of articles on how best to plan a trip to Argentina for the Indian Traveller, so you may want to visit my Blog Site on TravelTantra.Blogspot.com

1. Located Downtown, walking distance from the Obelisk and the Metro station Callao. This is located in a crowded and safe neighbourhood on Montevideo Street and within a 8 minute walk to the Callao metro station. It also has many restaurants around with at least 10 from the hotel lobby to AV Corrientes. There is a Carrefour, Havanna, McDonalds and multiple ATMs (incl. Citibank) located very close to the hotel (within a 5 min walk at max). Even if you are returning relatively late at night (after sightseeing), the roads are fairly crowded and you should feel fairly safe walking down the road. There is a bakery opposite which serves freshly baked bread and other snacks. From a location perspective it was perfect, though a few other hotels in this location can boast of similar facilities within a 10 min walk. This is at least a 15 min drive from Recoleta and Retiro, however I gave much more weightage for the hotel being in a crowded and safe part of Buenos Aires rather than close to the touristy locations. 

2.Facilities - The first thing I look for is Free Wifi and scan the review if the speed is adequate, and I was very satisfied with the Wifi Speed. They have router and booster combinations on every floor. Most of the rooms do not have a view and overlook other buildings, so the tip is to get a room on the backside of the hotel and on a higher floor if possible. My guess is that the rooms overlooking the street would be a bit noisy and you may want to specifically want to request for a room at the back. The hotel has a gym on the top floor with a single treadmill, and surprisingly I never found anyone using it. They have a self service washing machine on the top floor and this is important given that you may have a very long trip and may not be carrying those many clothes. Beds are comfortable and the toilets are very clean. I would rate it as a 4* Indian hotel. There are microwaves, plates, spoons, TV and dryer in the room and the room is very well equipped like any other Business Hotel.  

3. Food - I was disappointed with the breakfast spread and given that we had 5 days here, it got very boring. The breakfast options are fairly limited with basic varieties of eggs and bread, however there are multiple eateries around which serve awesome food, so please do not waste your time in the hotel and enjoy all the great food joints there. The recommendation is to stock your mini bar with stuff from the grocery shop nearby or freshly baked bread and other snacks from the bakery opposite. The room has a microwave as well as cutlery and crockery - so this is a great option. If you can save some bucks taking the non breakfast option, it would be great as well.   

4. Staff - The staff is very friendly and helpful, they speak broken English, but I did not face any problem communicating with them. They have maps available and mark out the key places to visit. Given that I had done a lot of research on the trip, I only needed help in booking a Tango Show which I did on the first night and they were happy to help. The staff willingly offered to store our luggage without charging us anything when we went to Mendoza and El Calafate for a couple of days. You will not need to interact much with the staff, and their English communications skills are sufficient to get you through your stay

Given the rates for the rooms, this is a very economical options for staying in downtown Buenos Aires. Some of my friends who visited a little after me stayed in Retiro, however I do not recommend this option as it is not very accessible to all the happening areas and you may need to take a cab ride here and there. Both recoleta cemetery and the Retiro bus stop are a bit away, but can be accessed by metro or by cab.

Because I had Premier Miles on my Citibank Credit Card, I booked on the Premier Miles site, but the prices are the same on almost any website.  

Airport Review, O.R.Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg

This is the main airport of Johannesburg, and both the Domestic and International Terminals are in the same airport complex about 300m apart. Due to this you can easily get your domestic connections without having to exit the airport.

It is best advised to have at least 2 hours of time between the arrival time of your incoming plane and the departure time of your outgoing plane. This is because you will need at least 30 minutes to complete immigration and baggage claim and 30 mins, 15 mins to go to the domestic terminal and 30 mins to complete check in and security. You also need to leave a 45 minute buffer, so please do not take connecting flights which do not have at least a 2 hour gap in-between – if you do it will be very likely that you miss the connections.

I do not know if this is true but I have taken off and landed into Johannesburg’s O.R.Tambo International Airport, and every time we were descending or ascending from the airport we had real bad turbulence. Real Bad as in horrible, almost making me puke – so please brace yourself before the landing and take off 

The check in / check-out and baggage claim processes are very efficient at O.R.Tambo International Airport. Terminal 1 in the International Terminal and Terminal 2 is the Domestic Terminal. Both the Terminals of the O.R.Tambo International Airport have got a major face lift for the FIFA World Cup. The Immigration Staff is very friendly and welcoming and does not ask you too many questions. Do keep in mind that if you are carrying any Food Items, it is better to declare them upfront to avoid any trouble.

Once you come out of Terminal 1, you are on Level 0 and you will enter a lobby area where there are money changers and ATMs. As I have stated in one of my other articles, it is best to withdraw cash from ATMs through your Indian Bank Account and not through the Money Changers. All the tour guides and taxi pickups are waiting here (in the lobby area) with nameplates.

If you have a domestic connection to catch, then you need to take the elevator and go to Level 2 which is the departures area for domestic flights. It is to be noted that on O.R.Tambo International Airport, Level 0 is the Arrivals area, Level 1 is shopping and restaurants and Level 2 is the departures area. In the domestic section there are about 100+ counters for the airlines – you just need to go to the set of Airline Counters and check in. Do not bother asking anyone or the information counter – as they are not able to understand much and ask you to show the ticket and try to sell you something. After domestic check-in there are only restaurants, so please complete all your shopping on Level 1 before check in.

ATMs are easily available on all Levels. Money changers are also there in abundance. An Internet Café is on level 0 charging ZAR 60 for 30 mins of browsing, the looks are very clean. Loads of restaurants and eating options on Level 1. Raj Indian Restaurant was my favorite and it serves awesome Chicken Biriyani. In the shopping options, Amarula is very cheap and you can but it at the airport, you will get cheaper Vuvuzela’s in the city. It is advisable to buy from a proper store and not from hawkers who are sitting near the check in area.

This is an efficient airport, but frankly I expected better.

Airport Review, Mpumalanga Nelspruit Kruger International Airport

The Kruger-Mpumalanga-Nelspruit International Airport is a beautiful airport on the outskirts of Nelspruit City and about an hour and a half away from the main gates of the Kruger National Park. You will need to take a flight to this airport especially if Kruger National Park is on your itinerary.

It operates approximately 10 flights per day and has only 1 baggage conveyor belt – but the beauty of this airport blows you away. There are no buses to take you from the aircraft to the terminal and you simply need to walk it up. The staff is very friendly and the airport building is maintained very well. The restrooms are very clean and have baby changers as well. Baggage handling can be an issue at items especially if there are several flights landing at about the same time.

As soon as you have picked your baggage and come out you will get the car rentals – taxis are very expensive and charge 5 times as much. It is recommended that you book a car rental before the trip so as not to be forced to pay the cab fare. I would recommend the choosing Thrifty Cabs as they are cheaper compared to Hertz and Avis. Please do not talk to the touts who are trying to convince you to take a cab.

There are 2 ATMs at the exit which support all Credit and Debit Cards – however one of them was out of currency but that would have been a one off issue. There is no area to shop at Kruger Mpumalanga Nelspruit International Airport, other than one shop which sells pictures and wall hangings. I found that very expensive – so not recommended to buy. There are not many restaurants – the Wimpys on the Upper Level is best and the outer gallery has views of the runway which is very beautiful – it is recommended you take the seat outside.

I think this is one of the most scenic airports I have visited and is a welcome change from the hustle bustle of other airports.

Hotel Review: Umhlanga Sands, Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort, Durban

I visited the Umhlanga Sands Lifestyle Resort in last week September, 2010 which is located in the Umhlanga Rocks Area which is about 20 minutes from the Durban City Centre in South Africa. I exchanged one of my RCI Weeks for a week at this resort and I was very impressed by what I saw. It is to be noted that this is a Gold Crown Resort and it definitely lives up to its expectation.

Let me state up front that this is a resort for couples with kids as most of the entertainment and activities at this resort have kids as the main target group. If you are a honeymooning couple or are in for a romantic getaway then avoid this resort and go for the Cabana Beach Resort which is located next door which will be more suited to your taste. You may find the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort a bit too noisy with too much stuff happening all around.

The Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort is situated 20 minutes from the King Shaka International Airport and 15 minutes from the Durban City Centre. It is located exactly at the mid point of the Airport and the City Centre in the Umhlanga Rocks Area. The Umhlanga Rocks area is the best place to stay when you are in Durban and the most economical as well as compared to the hotels on the Golden Mile Sea Coast in Durban which are definitely not worth the amount which they charge. A taxi from the airport to the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort will cost you ZAR 200 one way and the resort can arrange for a pick up (you can alternatively book from one of the cab companies of which Umhlanga Cabs in the most efficient, offers the best rates and is the most preferred).

The check in is from Saturday to Saturday and the check-in process can be very time consuming as everyone checks in at the same time and you may have to wait a wile which may spoil the first impression you get of the resort, but do not let that bother you. I would rate the resort rooms as absolutely awesome due to the following reasons.

(1) 4 beds across 2 rooms. 2 single beds for the kids and a double bed in the main room. No extra bedding required and no one needs to sleep on the floor
(2) Partial Kitchenette equipped with a toaster, microwave and fridge and lots of crockery and cutlery. There is no cooking range which disappointed me a bit
(3) Huge bathroom with rooms being cleaned and linens changed on a daily basis
(4) Main bedroom is awesome with a sit out balcony overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean – all rooms are sea facing and the view especially in the evening is awesome
(5) Adequate cupboard space for a family of 4 for a week

In addition to the awesome room the following activities organized by the resort staff make the resort even more exciting for kids

(1) Brai (Barbeque) is organized twice a week usually on Sunday’s and Tuesday’s
(2) Live Entretainment and quizzes and game shows on a daily basis
(3) A lot of Games are sporting events for kids
(4) 2 Restaurants and a Bar, 3 pool including one which is adults only
(5) Beachwear Shop, Massage parlour, hair dresser, hand ball field, gym and many other amenities

Other local attractions when you are staying in this resort are as follows. The resort staff will be able to guide you on the bookings which need to be made.

(1) 1 day trip to Durban city preferable in the Rickshaw Bus which takes you around 23 important spots in the city
(2) Gateway Mall which is an awesome place to shop, catch a movie and relax
(3) Kashmir Restaurant which is a 15 minute walk away and other good restaurants in the Umhlanga Rocks Area

I would highly recommend this resort for a week’s stay especially if you have kids travelling with you.

Hotel Review: Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town

Strengths: Located centrally very close to the V&A Waterfront
Weakness: Expensive if you do not get discounted pricing which is available from time to time

I visited this hotel in mid September 2010. I did my booking via RCI Rentals via the Bangalore Call Centre (available only to RCI Members) and got a Hot Deal which offered me a rate of INR 7000 per night as opposed to regular rate of INR 13000 per night. If you get any process below INR 9000 per night – please go ahead as opting for this hotel saves you a lot of money travelling within the city.

The Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town is located bang in central Cape Town very close to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront). If you choose to walk down to the hotel it is a 15 minute walk but the hotel runs a complimentary shuttle for all customers which operates every 15 minutes to the waterfront.

The rooms at the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town are well equipped with all the regular amenities of a 4 Star Hotel, only a mini bar / fridge was missing from the room. The rooms are a bit small but very comfortable. Wi-Fi Internet as well as the Internet Vouchers at the Business Centre are very expensive and charge ZAR 100 for 1 hour slots – so internet surfing is avoidable.

I found the hotel staff exceptionally friendly and helpful. The reception guys offered good tips of travelling around the city and the concierge desk bent backwards to find me a laptop adaptor as well as an ice bucket (to protect the expensive cheese we had bought) given that there was no mini – bar / fridge in the room. None of the rooms at the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town offer any spectacular views of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront so do not bother asking for one.

The breakfast at the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town is included in the room tariff for most packages. The breakfast spread has a lot of variety and no matter which part of the world you are from you will not face an issue in finding something to suit your palette. Room Service Menu is limited but very affordable and the service is pretty prompt as well. I enjoyed the mini meals such as chicken curry and rice that they had on offer.

This hotel is centrally located and the following attractions are very accessible from this hotel.

(1)City Sight Seeing Bus Tour (Stop No.3)
(2)Clock Tower
(3)Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island
(4)Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

You can find further details on the above attractions in my other blogs or from the hotel staff or on the Internet. Do note that there are 3 Southern Sun Group Hotels in the Cape Town area. The hotel which I am referring to is the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, Cape Town.

Hotel Review: Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg

Strengths: Located 500 meters from the O.R. Tambo International Airport
Weakness: Not much to do around the hotel, only good if you are staying here as a stopover before taking an onward flight

The Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is located barely 500 meters from the O.R. Tambo Airport and is very convenient as a stopover when you are taking a connecting flight the next day. The rates start from ZAR 1000 per night non-inclusive of breakfast and are more economical as compared to other hotels in the vicinity such as the Intercontinental or the Protea Hotel O. R. Tambo.

The best part of staying at the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is that they run a complimentary Airport Shuttle to and from the Airport for 24 hours every 15 minutes. The pick-up point for the Shuttle is outside the International Arrivals area immediately behind the Intercontinental Hotel. If you have any difficulty finding this pickup point, then walk over to the Intercontinental Hotel and ask the guard there and he will be able to direct you. This shuttle bus service will save you ZAR 100 which a Taxi will charge to get you to the hotel even though it is located only 500 meters away from O.R. Tambo Airport.

The staff at the hotel is very friendly and the check in process is very quick and easy. The room is good and well equipped, the only missing thing is a mini bar / fridge. However the décor of the room at the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is very dull as compared to the other Southern Sun Group Hotels which I have stayed in. The internet rates on offer at this hotel are much cheaper than most hotels in South Africa and they charge ZAR 50 per hour as opposed to ZAR 100 per hour charged by most hotels.

If you have time to kill, I would recommend the spa. The time, at which I went the therapists were very good, however some of the treatments are expensive however highly recommended as I found them much more relaxing and effective as compared to some others that I have experienced. The room service menu is limited and a bit of the expensive side as well.

Do note that this is a very formal business hotel with no recreational activities what so ever, very different from the airport hotels we have in Mumbai. So I would recommend the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg as it is very economical compared to the other hotels in the area and very convenient for a stop-over before you catch your next flight.

Hotel Review: Protea Hotel - Kruger Gate, Kruger

Strengths: Proximity to Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park
Weakness: Expensive

I visited the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate in mid September 2010. This hotel is located about 90 miles from the Mpumalanga Nelspruit Airport (pronounced as MUM-ALANGA) and it takes about an hour and forty five minutes to cover that distance. It is advisable to rent a car and not take a cab as it is 5 times more economical and saved you ZAR 800 one way.

When you drive through, remember you will pass through Whiteriver and Hazyview and then you will come to Paul Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate is about 100 metres before the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park. There are Protea Hotels in Hazyview and Nelspruit as well, but I strongly suggest that you stay in Protea Hotel Kruger Gate due to the proximity to the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park.

This hotel is best suited for a 2 night stay if you are going for a safari into the Kruger National Park (obviously you need to be a die-hard wildlife enthusiast, else there is no point coming to Kruger in the first place). There is no other reason for staying here, other than visiting Kruger. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate (or almost all hotels in and around Kruger) is very expensive priced at approximately INR 13000 per night. This rate is inclusive of breakfast and dinner. The room facilities are as good as any other 4 Star hotels. I would not rate it is as a 5 Star as my experience was a bit below the best as there were some leakages in the bathroom and the Air Conditioning was a problem – and they took a lot of time to fix it. But I am guessing that this was a one off occurrence.

The breakfast is awesome and could be rated as one of the best I have ever had, however the dinner was a bit weird for my traditional Indian Palette. There is a variety of meat which is served (and very little chicken or mutton which significantly reduced my options). It is really great if you eat all types of meat including Pork, Beef, Deer, Kudu and several other varieties which I was scared to even touch. So I did not rate the dinner option very highly, however I realize that this is specific to my taste only and others may find it pretty good, and I think the other tourists who were present found it awesome. The good part during dinner was that they have a tribal group of teenagers performing some traditional African songs and this was quite an experience as I think it was the first time I was listening to traditional tribal African music.

The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has a Travel & Tours desk which organize day trips to the Kruger National Park. You have several tour companies to select from and I would rate Echo Safaris as one of the best. They have a full day tour from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM for ZAR 750 per person where they take you out in an open air jeep and it is very cool. Their guides are also very good and know exactly the places where you will be able to spot the wildlife.

The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has 2 very nice restaurants, one of them with a sit out area overlooking the Kruger National Park and if you are equipped with Binoculars you will be definitely be able to spot some wildlife from the restaurant deck itself. It is an awesome place to unwind with Pizza or wine or whatever it is you like. The swimming pool at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate is very small and is more of the kiddies pool and the water was freezing cold in mid September – so I did not enter it at all. The Internet is very expensive at ZAR 100 for 1 hour which means you are shelling out INR 700 for 1 hour of Internet. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has a store on premises where you can but stuff like souvenirs and batteries for your camera and Kruger National Park memorabilia.

I strongly recommend that when you visit South Africa you need to spend a maximum of 2 nights in the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate. The first day can be a full day Kruger National Park Safari and the second day will be chilling out at the hotel, going for a massage etc. Any more days spent in the Kruger National park area and I am sure you will get bored, unless you are a die-hard wildlife enthusiast.