The art of creative hospitality: Sandanzas, Buenos Aires

They say art involves suffering. Some extend that to the experience of culture. Certainly every traveller can attest to large doses of sufferance in the accommodation stakes.

Now, thanks to the creative efforts of five childhood friends from Buenos Aires, those headed to the ‘Paris’ of Latin America can immerse themselves in the bustling city’s art, music, dance and social scenes while still sleeping comfortably at night.

Located in the cobble-stoned antique and Tango district of historic San Telmo, Sandanzas is one hostel that breaks the mould (pun intended) of backpacker digs.

Bright, airy, clean and distinctively designed by its owners, it has a comfortable, modern ambiance more often seen on the pages of a Vogue interiors magazine than in big city (over 13 million in the case of ‘BA’) crash pads.

Travellers choose from several dorm rooms with up to six beds, two double rooms and a matrimonial. Bathrooms are always spotless thanks to the friendly resident housekeeper Sylvia, and the water always hot. With several communal areas including a cable TV and video equipped lounge, dining room, a well-stocked kitchen and courtyard, there’s plenty of opportunity to swap notes with fellow travellers.

Guests are extended kitchen privileges with free coffee and tea on offer throughout the day, or if you want to go really native, there’s always ‘mate’ the traditional Argentine herbal drink. If that’s not enough, there’s also free internet (to find out exactly what ‘mate’ is before you join the thermos-toting masses).

Irene (teacher and history buff), Nicolas (photographer), Pablo (sociologist), Tomas (teacher) and Veronica (artist) opened their ‘project’ hostel in 2002 with grand ideas of creating accommodation that better served travellers looking to connect with their city’s heart.

“We began Sandanzas as a group of young travellers, artists and investigators of Latin American culture wanting to help others journey and explore our country as we have,” says one fifth of the Sandanzas ‘family’, Nicolas.

“At Sandanzas, travellers can find a space for exchange with young artists and social researchers of the porteña, Latin-American and Argentine culture. Dancers can practice Tango in our salon, take classes with our teachers and take advantage of our agreements with the best milongas (tango dance halls) in the city,” says Nicolas.

Indeed, having barely dropped the pack, you already feel as though you’ve landed in a major cultural enclave. Paintings by Veronica adorns the walls, her sculptures decorate corners, Nicholas’ photography lines the hallways and the hostel’s guitar is being gently strummed in the lounge. Tonight there’s free Tango lessons in the quirkily decorated activity room upstairs. Next week there’s a drum workshop and a live band. There’s always something unfolding here.

Still, despite their best efforts, even the Sandanzas team couldn’t stuff all of Buenos Aires into the homey hostel. Instead they provide you with everything you need to get out and about in the city, from information on tango shows, art displays, football games, antique fairs, live music and bars to contacts for Spanish and Tango lessons. If you want to know, they’ll find out for you and serve you coffee while you wait.

If there’s one Argentine custom that, along with a fresh and filling breakfast, is served up at Sandanzas in huge doses, it’s their renowned hospitality. It could be said that the Sandanzas family has taken hostelling to a new level. Indeed, they’ve mastered it as an art form.