Buenos Aires Times | Visiting celebrities give Buenos Aires’ hotels and restaurants a boost
Nowadays, Buenos Aires is not just Tango and San Telmo anymore. The tourist itinerary for foreigners in the nation’s capitals is expanding, encompassing more and more charming neighborhoods, gastronomic and cultural offerings of the city. Producers, restaurant and hotel owners as well as PR professionals know this too, and every month new places are added to the capital’s “must-see” list. It just so happens that – in a year of international shows and mega premieres in Buenos Aires – taking a global star to a new hot stop is a very effective marketing strategy. The new experience in Buenos Aires combines luxury with tradition.
Since the turn of the year, Buenos Aires has once again become a destination for celebrities from the world of cinema and music. With the end of the restrictions introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, actors filming and presenting new projects and musicians giving mega concerts have returned. And when visiting, artists want to be out and about in their free time.
Of course, not everyone likes the same thing. And because of this, those close to the guest stars plan operations to organize itineraries tailored to their needs. The greatest difficulties are faced by those who dream of being an unknown tourist. Despite the efforts of her representatives to organize anonymous outings, someone always recognizes her, takes a picture of them and uploads it to social networks.
This is exactly what Dr. Strange and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch happened earlier this month. The British actor arrived in Argentina to accompany his wife, theater director Sophie Hunter, who will premiere two operas at the city’s famous opera house, Teatro Colón. Cumberbatch strolled through Plaza Armenia in Palmero disguised in a hat and cap, but didn’t go unnoticed.
At the other end of the scale are those who either enjoy or can’t escape the exhibition, such as Dua Lipa, Rosalía and Matt Damon, three of the international celebrities who toured restaurants and tourist attractions in Buenos Aires, surrounded by entourages of fans. Far from hiding, they preferred to take pictures with their fans and chatted with everyone who approached them.
The chosen ones
El Preferido de Palermo got on the radar of many last month after both Rosalía and Dua Lipa were spotted leaving.
The owner of this typical Porteño-Bodegón, Pablo Rivero, is used to receiving celebrities and knows how to handle it. He is also the owner of the emblematic Parrilla Don Julio, another place often chosen by artists, politicians and businessmen and where Matt Dammon also dined a few days ago. “You find something that’s hard to find: intimacy,” Rivero told Noticias.
At its other two venues, the rule is to respect the artist’s decision. “We work hard so that nothing is leaked to the press. The idea is that the personality spends a moment just another person. They will decide whether or not to expose themselves, but that’s not up to us,” he added.
The vast majority of artists chose to stay at the Four Seasons while in town. This year’s guest list included musicians like Green Day, Demi Lovato and Dua Lipa. Not all names are leaked in advance and the same rule applies as in restaurants serving the stars.
“If the person wants to say they’re here, that’s their choice, but we can’t say anything,” the hotel told Noticias.
The hotel’s operators argue that they manage to combine two fundamental things, and that’s why they were chosen: the traditional service of a five-star hotel with the fun and amenities typical of a boutique hotel. For example, in their establishments they have two gastronomic options: Elena, famous for being the only restaurant in a hotel to be included in the list of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America, and Nuestro Secreto Restaurante, a gourmet grill restaurant that has hosted celebrities such as Robert de Niro or Rod Stewart were guests and ate. “If you don’t want to leave the hotel, go downstairs and try Argentinean beef, empanadas, or the goat provoleta,” they explain.
Tailor made
For those looking to go out, the hotel’s concierge area offers a list of options. “We give them alternatives depending on their profile and what they like to do. Before they arrive, we research their preferences and don’t recommend the same places to everyone,” they said.
Word of mouth works very well outside of the hotel. That’s what the owner of El Preferido says, which is why Dua Lipa ended up in a pizzeria in Palermo, Napoletana, and Dammon in Las Violetas, a notable bar.
El Ateneo bookstore, formerly a theatre, was one of the most popular cultural spaces chosen by guest stars in 2022 – Rosalía and Dua Lipa were recently photographed there.
“You knew about it. But the truth is that almost all “big stars have gone there,” said one person who helps put together itineraries. “Sometimes large operations are set up so that they can leave without anyone noticing.”
The MALBA Museum (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) has also put itself on the list of “must sees” thanks to its new Frida Kahlo exhibition. The gallery has always been a reference point for the Buenos Aires art scene, but the popularity of the world-famous Mexican painter has propelled it up the list of visitors. These tours have managed to remain secrets for now.
The fairs that take place in La Boca and San Telmo are of course still part of the tourist itinerary. However, open-air excursions have also added other places that – until not too long ago – were only used by locals. For example, Rosalía visited the Japanese Gardens and posted pictures on social media.
“More and more people are asking us to visit other places. For example, now we’re adding the option to spend a day on an island in Tigre. A few years ago it might not have been the place it was suggested to a Hollywood star, but now the Delta is an excellent option,” said a source close to the celebrity.
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