From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

Amid prestigious apartment buildings and museums and art galleries, CasaSur is aimed at those seeking the cachet and convenience of a Recoleta address at an affordable price. The corner of Callao and Quintana ranks among the costliest real estate in the country, and this 36-room hotel projects itself commensurately, with a lobby of lacquered rosewood filled with scented candles and fresh lilies, a fastidiously finished interior with acoustic-layered wall fabrics that dampen ambient sound, and staff who exude formality and discretion. Room decor favors traditional elegance over experiment, with gold silk and black velvet softening robust furniture and lapacho-wood flooring. Yet the building itself is almost anorexic in its proportions, with 13 floors soaring over a lot barely 30 feet wide. As a result, the standard rooms feel somewhat cramped, and steam from the spa's super-heated plunge pool billows directly into the massage parlor. Nevertheless, catering company Croque Madame, which operates a string of cafés in patrician locations, serves well-presented tapas in the wine bar and delivers it—and fruit-laden breakfasts on silver platters—to guests' rooms. —2009 Hot List

When to go: Avoid the stifling summer months (Dec.-Feb.).

Which room to book: Any Superior room, for a modicum of outside space at a modest premium.