Review of Tango Hostel
Fructuoso Rivera 70 Cordoba, Argentina
I recently visited Cordoba, Argentina on my way north to Salta and Bolivia. The second largest city in Argentina, and home to its oldest University, Cordoba is a vibrant city alive with unmistakable energy thanks to the key demographic of college students.
I stayed at Tango Hostel (http://tangohostelcordoba.com/en/) in the heart of the college district. Centrally located, you can walk to the main parts of the city center in ten minutes. You also have the two imperative traveler requirements nearby: laundry facilities on the corner and a grocery store less than two blocks away.
Upon check-in, Vicky, one of the owners, immediately greeted me. Vicky has that wonderful air of positive energy, a giant smile and goes above and beyond to make sure your stay is comfortable.
The place itself is like a little home. When you’re on the road for so long, it’s nice to feel like you are in your own place: to sit in a living room area with a TV, and just kick up your feet as if you were in your own house. And that’s exactly what you get at Tango – the feeling of being home. Since it’s a small hostel, you get called by your name and treated like family.
Leandro, or “Lele” has the morning shift and he makes sure you get your breakfast the minute you go downstairs (it’s included). Breakfast consists of bread, jam, butter, dulce de leche, tea or coffee. While I was there, they had a choripan night, but unfortunately I had to make my bus before it was ready. Everyone in the hostel was getting in on the choripan action, so I’m sure it turned out great.
In terms of activities, the hostel offers a walking tour of the city for 80 pesos, led by their very own Lele. I took the tour and was really impressed; Lele’s passion for the city really shines through and that’s what makes the tour so great. They offer other excursions like trekking, skydiving and horseback riding; you only need to ask.
The hostel creates a ‘family’ environment in the kitchen area, so most travelers end up chatting it up, having some drinks, and eventually going out together. It’s not the crazy social hostel where you sleep all day and go out all night; it has a good balance of promoting that nightlife activity, the social aspect and still managing to get you out to explore the city and surrounding areas.
Cleanliness is top notch. I would see Vicky and Lele cleaning the rooms and bathrooms every morning. The lobby has this addictive clean cotton smell that I just couldn’t get enough of.
So for the bargain price of 100 pesos a night (for a 4 bedroom dorm and shared bathroom), this place gets a gold star on the Mayra scale.