Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA five-star Sheraton hotel and convention complex in Buenos Aires's Retiro district.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center is a five-star hotel complex in the Retiro district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It occupies a prominent site in the Catalinas Norte business area, a major urban redevelopment project created on land associated with the Port of Buenos Aires. The property was conceived during the late 1960s as the Hostal Santa María de los Buenos Aires and became the first Sheraton hotel in Argentina. The municipal government commissioned an urban-development program in 1967 through the Municipal Department of Architecture and Urbanism. In October 1968, a 26,700-square-metre parcel was sold to the local developer Kokourek S.A., whose plans for the hotel were subsequently approved. Construction began on June 26, 1969, after a groundbreaking ceremony led by Buenos Aires mayor Manuel Iricíbar. The hotel opened on August 24, 1972, under the name Buenos Aires-Sheraton Hotel. Its original 24-story tower was designed by the Argentine architectural practice SEPRA, whose principals were Santiago Sánchez Elía, Federico Peralta Ramos, and Alfredo Agostini. The building was among Argentina's early major hotel projects in the International style. At opening, it contained 739 rooms, including 33 suites, together with restaurants and bars, an indoor shopping area, gardens, tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, underground parking, and a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Río de la Plata. Its meeting facilities included an auditorium seating approximately 230 people. The hotel became the scene of a terrorist bombing on October 16, 1972, only weeks after opening. A bomb detonated in room 2204, killing Canadian tourist Lois Crozier and injuring her husband and an American woman. Police also found and defused a second device on the second floor. The left-wing organizations Montoneros and Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias later claimed responsibility. This incident is a significant part of the property's documented history, although the hotel's principal identity has remained that of a hospitality and events venue. A major expansion took place in 1996. A connected 23-story tower, marketed separately as Park Tower and affiliated with The Luxury Collection, added 181 rooms and suites. The convention operation was also enlarged, and a new Convention Center opened in March 1996, raising the complex's meeting capacity to approximately 2,000 people. A Neptune Pool & Fitness Center followed in December of the same year. The expanded facilities were described as the largest hotel complex in Latin America at that time. The combined property has hosted prominent international visitors and public events. In November 1996, Korean businessman Sun Myung Moon and former United States president George H. W. Bush attended the inauguration of Tiempos del Mundo, a newspaper published by News World Communications. The hotel therefore operates not only as accommodation but also as a large-scale venue for conferences, receptions, business gatherings, dining, and leisure. Its positioning is upper-upscale to luxury-oriented within the Buenos Aires market, supported by its central business-district location, extensive meeting infrastructure, Sheraton affiliation, and physical connection to the Park Tower property.
History
The history of Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center is closely tied to the redevelopment of the northern waterfront and business district of Buenos Aires. In 1967, a municipal ordinance directed the Municipal Department of Architecture and Urbanism to develop Catalinas Norte, an office and commercial district on land that had previously been regarded as a neglected part of the Port of Buenos Aires. The northernmost parcel, measuring approximately 26,700 square metres, was sold by the municipal government to local developer Kokourek S.A. on October 22, 1968. The original project was approved under the name Hostal Santa María de los Buenos Aires. It was intended to become the first Sheraton hotel in Argentina. Construction began on June 26, 1969, following a groundbreaking ceremony led by mayor Manuel Iricíbar. The design was produced by SEPRA, the Argentine architectural firm associated with Santiago Sánchez Elía, Federico Peralta Ramos, and Alfredo Agostini. The completed building was one of the country's early large hotels designed in the International style and formed part of the emerging high-rise character of Catalinas Norte. The property opened on August 24, 1972, as the Buenos Aires-Sheraton Hotel. Its 24-story tower contained 739 rooms, including 33 suites. The original complex was designed as a self-contained hospitality and leisure destination rather than simply a room tower. It included restaurants and bars arranged along a first-floor promenade, an indoor shopping center, gardens, two tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, underground parking, and a rooftop restaurant with views toward the Río de la Plata. Its initial conference infrastructure included an auditorium with capacity for about 230 people. The hotel's early history was marked by a terrorist attack on October 16, 1972. A bomb exploded in room 2204, killing Canadian tourist Lois Crozier and injuring her husband and an American woman. Police discovered another bomb on the second floor and defused it. Montoneros and Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias later claimed responsibility. The attack occurred during a period of severe political violence in Argentina and remains the most serious documented security incident directly associated with the property. The complex was substantially enlarged in 1996. A connected 23-story tower called Park Tower was developed and marketed as a separate hotel within The Luxury Collection. It contributed 181 rooms and suites. At the same time, the main property adopted the name Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center, reflecting the expansion of its events business. The new Convention Center, opened in March 1996, increased total meeting capacity to around 2,000 people. A Neptune Pool & Fitness Center was added in December, further broadening the complex's leisure facilities. The expanded two-hotel development was described at the time as the largest hotel complex in Latin America. The property also gained visibility through high-profile visitors and institutional events. In November 1996, Korean businessman Sun Myung Moon and former United States president George H. W. Bush attended the inauguration of Tiempos del Mundo, a newspaper published by News World Communications. Through its location, scale, and conference facilities, the hotel became an important venue for corporate, diplomatic, media, and social functions in Buenos Aires. Its documented development illustrates the transformation of Catalinas Norte from underused port-adjacent land into a major business and hospitality district.
- 1996
Park Tower and Convention Center expansion
[1]The connected Park Tower added 181 rooms and suites, the Convention Center increased meeting capacity to approximately 2,000, and the complex added the Neptune Pool & Fitness Center.
- 1972
Buenos Aires-Sheraton Hotel opens
[1]The 24-story, 739-room hotel opened on August 24 with restaurants, leisure facilities, retail space, parking, and initial convention amenities.
- 1972
Terrorist bombing
[1]A bombing in room 2204 killed one guest and injured two people; a second device was defused by police.
- 1969
Construction begins
[1]Ground was broken on June 26 for the hotel project that would become Argentina's first Sheraton property.
- 1968
Hotel site sold to Kokourek S.A.
[1]The municipal government sold the northernmost Catalinas Norte parcel, approximately 26,700 square metres, to local developer Kokourek S.A. on October 22.
- 1967
Catalinas Norte redevelopment commissioned
[1]A municipal ordinance assigned the city's architecture and urbanism department to create the Catalinas Norte office district, establishing the broader redevelopment context for the hotel.
Products and positioning
Upper-upscale to luxury-oriented full-service hotel and convention complex serving business travelers, leisure guests, conferences, and large social events.
Hotel accommodation · 1972
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel
The original 24-story hotel tower opened in 1972 with 739 rooms, including 33 suites. Its full-service offer combined accommodation with restaurants, bars, leisure amenities, retail space, parking, and meeting facilities. The tower established the Sheraton presence in Argentina and remains the core identity of the wider Buenos Aires hotel and convention complex.
Luxury hotel accommodation · 1996
Park Tower
The connected 23-story Park Tower was added in 1996 and marketed as a separate hotel associated with The Luxury Collection. Its 181 rooms and suites expanded the complex's capacity and created a complementary luxury-oriented accommodation offer alongside the Sheraton tower.
Meetings and events · 1996
Convention Center
Opened in March 1996, the Convention Center substantially enlarged the property's events business and brought total meeting capacity to approximately 2,000 people. It supports conferences, corporate gatherings, receptions, and other large-scale events, complementing the original auditorium and hotel banquet infrastructure.
Leisure and wellness · 1996
Neptune Pool & Fitness Center
Added in December 1996, the Neptune Pool & Fitness Center expanded the property's recreational and wellness offer. It formed part of the broader facilities program that accompanied the Park Tower and Convention Center development.
Controversies
1972
1972 Sheraton Buenos Aires bombing
On October 16, 1972, a bomb exploded in room 2204, killing Canadian tourist Lois Crozier and injuring her husband and an American woman. Police located and defused another bomb on the second floor. Montoneros and Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias subsequently claimed responsibility. The incident took place shortly after the hotel's opening and is documented as a terrorist attack rather than a business misconduct controversy.
Brand decisions
1996
Expand the property into a connected hotel and convention complexOtherBackground
The original hotel already combined accommodation, dining, leisure, and meeting facilities, but the 1996 development broadened its room inventory and strengthened its position as a major events venue.
Action taken
A connected 23-story Park Tower with 181 rooms and suites was added, the Convention Center opened with capacity for approximately 2,000 people, and the Neptune Pool & Fitness Center was introduced.
Aftermath
The combined facilities were described as the largest hotel complex in Latin America at the time and created a larger integrated hospitality and meetings destination in Buenos Aires.
Recent events
- 1996
Park Tower and expanded convention facilities added[1]
Product generation · Other
A connected 23-story Park Tower added 181 rooms and suites, while the new Convention Center expanded the complex's meeting capacity to approximately 2,000 people.
- 1996
Tiempos del Mundo inaugurated at the hotel[1]
Other
Sun Myung Moon and former United States president George H. W. Bush attended the November inauguration of Tiempos del Mundo, a News World Communications newspaper.
- 1972
Buenos Aires-Sheraton Hotel opens in Retiro[1]
Other
The hotel opened on August 24, 1972, becoming the first Sheraton property in Argentina.
Sources1 sources
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