Buenos Aires boutique hotel offers custom-made experience

Buenos Aires has long held the cultural crown among its Latin American neighbours, being synonymous with a dedication to the arts, where bookworms do the tango and cabbies listen to poetry deep into the night.

While recent economics don't seem to add up, Argentinians are the masters of enjoying the finer things in life - queues still snake out of restaurants into the early hours, hidden cocktail bars abound and the city breeds boutique hotels. So how does the latest addition stand out from the crowd?

Hub Porteno gets off to a good start. A private mansion turned boutique hotel that encapsulates the golden age, it takes the guest's experience beyond the hotel, offering intimate access to the city's cultural credentials.

Armed with one of the best black books in town, its chief executive Gonzalo Robredo works alongside a team of Ivy League university professors and liberal arts experts to craft itineraries tailored to each client's preference. Even before your arrival, one of the hotel's experience designers gets in touch to discuss your interests.

Suggested topics stick close to the principal passions of Argentina's culture, but if Jorge Luis Borges bores you, the team will plan you an escape into the city's culinary underbelly - from spaghetti in Italian immigrant joints to flank steak in gourmet spots. Included are a personal chauffeur, dining in the city's top restaurants and a debrief over an evening aperitif in the cosy Living Room.

With just 11 suites, Hub Porteno is your private pied-à-terre. At the hotel, there is no indication, save for the elaborate marble door and art deco street lamps, that it is anything other than another chic apartment block in the well-heeled Recoleta neighbourhood.