Algodon Mansion Façade: Before & After

Wow, we have come a long way!  These are a few photo comparisons of Algodon Mansion, and the “before” shots are what the mansion looked like before we began any of our construction.  Other than having said that, I think the photos speak for themselves!

 

  

 

 

We’re having a professional photographer come in for some more shots soon, so I’m really looking forward to showing you the “before & afters” of the interiors- suites, Chez Nous, etc.  You won’t want to miss it.
-Scott Mathis

Tennis Courts, AM staff, Chez Nous…

We’re seeing some great progress on the courts! They’re ready for play, and as you can see from the photo, they just need a net and some fences. The Algodon Malbec Classic, hosted at Algodon Wine Estates of course, is not far off…

Algodon Mansion is also really looking great; I was down there last week. Our management team did a great job of interviewing candidates for the hotel and kitchen. Some of our new hires are from one of my favorite hotels in Recoleta. This is an experienced group that will represent Algodon Mansion well.

I spoke with nearly everyone here and we have all decided to rename (or name; since we never officially decided on one) the mansion’s restaurant to “CHEZ NOUS,” which means “OUR PLACE” in French. Our Buenos Aires crew really likes it and how it works with the property and the concept! The menu at CHEZ NOUS is complete as well, and I believe everyone will love it. We are currently having an English translation of the menu prepared, which we’ll share as soon as it’s finished.

All in all, there has been substantial progress on Algodon Mansion. With most of the larger projects complete, we are now primarily just working on the little details. Everyone down there is working very well together, and they (as much as us in New York) are all very excited to see the finish line and a finished product in the very near future...

The Argentine Post directs us to a nostalgic YouTube video of Argentina’s early years. The 1932 travel newsreel is a classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presentation. As I was watching the video, it struck me that this was the same period in time when José Jurado was first making a name for himself in the international golf world.

--Scott Mathis

New Algodon Mansion Website

Our new Algodon Mansion website is up and running, in anticipation of the hotel’s grand opening this Fall. The website design is very sophisticated and polished, and though it only represents a preface of how the website will appear once the hotel has actually opened its doors, it’s still enough for you to get a clear idea of its sleek and elegant design. I feel it represents the concept of Algodon Mansion quite well. As we move closer to our grand opening, you’ll see more and more information, photos, navigational options, etc. that will expand the website’s current sitemap, so keep checking back.

--Scott Mathis

Algodon Mansion

“Perhaps the most tangible sign of Argentina’s economic recovery, is its booming real estate market, which has transformed Buenos Aires, the capital, into a construction site.” - The Wall Street Journal I love that quote. Tourism in Argentina is thriving right now, and has been for the last several years. I see it every time I go down there, and my favorite hotels are always almost booked to capacity. Argentina is literally the leading tourism destination in all of Latin America, and had over 4.5 million visitors in 2007. The Argentine Tourism Office says that visitors from the US alone grew more than 35% between 2005 and 2007. I like those numbers! 2.2 million foreigners visited Buenos Aires last year, and Buenos Aires City Tourism Bureau did a study that found foreign tourists prefer four and five star hotels (who doesn’t?), and that 2007 occupancy rates exceeded 85%. Things are looking good for our hotel project. The mansion we purchased is absolutely amazing. It was previously a private residence and is located at 1647 Montevideo Street in the heart of the embassy and luxury hotel district, Recoleta. The Mansion is a magnificent 20,000 sq/ft estate that was built in 1912. It’s a 5-story building, but we added a subbasement during the renovation, bringing it to 6-stories. The architectural team we decided to use for the renovation is headed by internationally acclaimed architect, Gerhard Heusch. He’s got a great portfolio, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of his past projects in person, including The Grand Havana Room in both New York and LA. The hotel will feature 10 luxury suites, a 5-story hanging garden, and rooftop pool, spa, and bar. Watching the completion of this project has been a real experience. These days, I get down there to oversee the project just about every other week. One of the highlights for me has been the construction of the rooftop pool. Wow. It’s going to be truly fantastic. The hotel is also going to have a restaurant featuring South American & French-fusion cuisine, a private dining room with a wine cave and humidor, library bar, wine cellar, and an outside dining patio that features an A-framed glass ceiling. This project has become very personal to me, and I have to say that I’m quite proud of it. With Gerhard’s help (as well as the rest of our incredible work team down there), Algodon Mansion should be opening its doors in December. That’s right around the corner, and we’re all very excited about it. The plan is to have a wonderful New Year’s opening party for our partners and friends. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be here next week with more about Algodon Mansion…Gotta go, I have work to do! --Scott Mathis

Taking Action

During the period leading up to the economic collapse, the Argentine peso was artificially pegged to the dollar on a one-for-one basis. This action artificially inflated the cost for foreigners to visit Buenos Aires and consequently reduced the volume of tourism and the demand for development of additional hotel infrastructure. In recent years, the situation has dramatically reversed - demand has far exceeded the supply of quality hotel and other tourist-oriented facilities, especially in the category of premium intimate properties. I have spent a lot of time since my first visit to Buenos Aires both studying and focusing on the hotel sector of this rapidly rebounding city. In January 2007, my company InvestProperty Group closed on the purchase of a magnificent old mansion located in Buenos Aires’ most elegant residential neighborhood, Recoleta. This neighborhood is truly unbelievable. It’s like the Beverly Hills of Buenos Aries. It’s known for its broad tree-lined avenues, fashionable boutiques, high-end restaurants, cafés, art galleries, and exquisite French architecture. I can’t go on enough about this place, it’s unquestionably the city’s most cultured neighborhood, and that’s why I thought it would be the ideal location for IPG’s flagship luxury boutique hotel, “Algodon Mansion.” I’m out of time for today, but I’ll write more about this project in my next entry.