Photo by Emily Anne Epstein
“I was 25 the first time I went.” says Esteban. “I didn’t want to have sex while my parents were at home, so I went to a telo with my girlfriend. It was fun, a good experience!”
Albergues transitorios or ‘telos’ as they are more commonly known, are a type of hotel where a person pays by the hour instead of the whole night. They are used by couples as a place to go to spend ‘intimate’ time together in a discreet and private manner. In other words, they have beds – but not much sleeping gets done.
“I remember a long time ago I decided to stay in a telo the whole night with a girl but I couldn’t sleep because I could hear so many people in the surrounding rooms,” says Marco from Buenos Aires. “Plus I kept hearing the sound of women’s high heels clicking along the hallway.”
The concept often raises a few eyebrows among foreigners when they first hear about telos, with some even damning them as ‘seedy’ or ‘shameful’. But for Argentines, they are just as normal as your local convenience store or bank. They exist, and are legal and most people seem to like it that way.
“It’s a business like anything else here. The same as a supermarket,” says José, a 70-year-old employee of a telo in Constitución in Argentina’s capital. “It’s not shameful. We’re providing a service which people obviously want.” He has worked there for almost 35 years and really likes his job. “Of course I do, why would I still be working here after all this time?”
When asked more probing questions about interesting anecdotes of clients, he was very direct. “No no, I don’t know anything. The aim of a telo is privacy, for our customers. We allow them to be anonymous. They simply pay for the room then leave after their time is up, nothing more. I don’t know what goes on in there, well, apart from the obvious!”
Photo by Emily Anne Epstein
Who uses them and why?
According to the official governmental chamber (CAPRAL) which represents albergues transitorios, there are 176 establishments in the capital alone. So who goes there and why?
“I was 18 the first time I went and the main reason was because we couldn’t go to our parent’s house,” says Alejandra from Tucumán. “He had a car and also we wanted to see what a telo was like.”
For many young people in Argentina it is difficult to find somewhere to spend time with a partner. “In Europe young people move out of their parent’s house when they’re much younger,” says Juan Ignacio from Mar del Plata. “Here it is more common to live with your parents until you have a job that pays well enough or you get married.”
But another main source of clients is the older generation. “The majority of people who come here are middle aged, maybe 60% of them,” says José. He estimates that about 90% of the older generation coming with a partner are not with their spouse. He quotes the age old cliché of people sleeping with the secretary.
“Oh yes, you can see it all the time in the office,” proclaims Juan Ignacio. “These couples think we don’t know but it’s obvious. They say they’re going to get some lunch together and they come back from a telo and hour later with that expression on their face. It’s so blatant!”
“Affairs happen at work because you spend more time there than with your partner at home, so it’s bound to happen. And so at midday, telos are full of people going in and out in their suits,” adds Esteban.
Photo by Emily Anne Epstein
Culture clash
Although there are equivalent hotels in Germany and Holland, they aren’t so common in Europe. While in the US, motels are famous for the unwritten rule of why people go there. But the definition of a motel is ‘a motor hotel’ and they are not specifically designed for sex. They are so cheap so it doesn’t matter if you spend the entire night or simply a few hours.
“We are more sexually liberal here in Argentina,” argues Esteban. “In Europe these places are less common because Europeans don’t like to talk about sex or acknowledge it.”
Anna Wortman, a sociologist at the University of Buenos Aires, has her own view on Argentine society. “I think now people are becoming more liberal here and aren’t as ashamed of their sexuality, especially since the introduction of democracy. “However in Argentina we live by double moral standards. We’ll happily talk about telo experiences freely, but not who we go with!”
She argues that among the middle class families, parents still refuse to accept their children are sexually active; therefore they need to go to telos instead. For many, sex in the parental home is still a touchy subject.
“No I don’t feel comfortable having sex in my parent’s house if they are in, would you?” says Esteban. “Ok maybe in Europe or the US the parents acknowledge it and accept it more, but this has nothing to do with the existence of telos.
“The fact that your government says they’re illegal signals that something is wrong. That your society believes this kind of place is immoral, but to us this is not the case. We do not think there is anything wrong with telos. It’s not connected to what the parents think.”
Photo by Emily Anne Epstein
Different experience
Maybe he’s right? Maybe we need telos, so that people for whatever reason they want, can go to one and not feel embarrassed or ashamed of any sexual activity. Some of the oldest, most established ones on the outskirts of the city have lavish, luxurious suites where couples can enjoy the spa, jacuzzi and any other treats that might be included in the price. They even have themed hotels where you can hire costumes or enter rooms from a different time or place. [See below]
Imagine taking some guy or gal where you can be either Tarzan or Jane? Cleopatra or Marc-Anthony? Whether it be ancient Rome or Egypt, these places have everything you can imagine.
However the majority of those found in the city centre of Buenos Aires seem to blur the lines been romantic and seedy. Upon entering one of these establishments the same question arises. Are plastic flowers, dimmed red lights and multi-coloured carpets romantic? The waiting rooms alone seem to misinterpret good taste with tackiness. But like any service, you pay for what you get. The price range and quality of surroundings varies dramatically, so choosing a particular telo should be a careful process. However for the majority, it’s not about the surroundings.
“Last week I went to a telo with a girl and it was too busy. I had to wait one hour for a room in the waiting area, one hour! And there were other people in the queue,” fumes Marcos, explaining his recent experience.
Most people are very open to talking about their telo experiences.
“And a friend of mine once saw his friend’s girlfriend coming out of one with another guy which was very funny. What are you supposed to say in this situation?” giggles Juan Ignacio.
“About six months ago I went to a telo and I ran into my ex-girlfriend leaving as I was arriving. It was so awkward but funny,” laughs Marcos as he tells me another of his numerous stories.
So what does the future hold for this apparently thriving business? Everyone agrees that they will continue to exist. “It’s a tradition, a custom in Argentina. So until we change our customs, it will remain the same,” affirms José, who has spent half of his life in one.
Photo by Emily Anne Epstein
Big business
What is clear though is that albergues transitorios are evolving, like any other business. And what’s the secret to any successful business in our consumer driven society? Give the customers what they want!
“There are telos now which have suites only available for orgies. You can’t get in without at least five people. It’s true!” assures Alejandra.
“In Mar Del Plata, many of the telos turn into seasonal, family hotels in the summer to deal with rising demands from tourists,” says Juan Ignacio. “My friend turned up to one one night with a girl and the receptionist had to kindly explain to him that ‘it’s not that kind of place right now mate’.”
No matter how much you pay or where you go, every telo offers the same service – privacy. However the general décor and design of these establishments would suggest secrecy rather than privacy. The smaller, cheaper ones are discretely signposted and the larger, more luxurious places are located outside of the city. So why do these places have to be hidden from society when society acknowledges them as part of Argentine life? Is there an underlying factor of shame?
To Argentines, this is not the case as they believe that telos are important and relevant to society and have no problem discussing them. The bottom line is, they are quite happy with the plethora of amenities available to them 24 hours a day.
Telos with a Theme
Some telos are worth of more than just a one-hour visit, and recently the hotels have been going out of their way to come up with more and more extravagant themes and ideas to keep the clients coming again and again. Here’s our pick of five of the best.
Jardines de Babilonia
The Gardens of Babylon is an Egyptian-themed telo offering rooms fit for Pharaohs, from ‘The Emperor’s Key’ to the pricier and plusher ‘Ishtar’s Temple’. Each room is different but many boast a hot tub and erotic wall murals to stimulate… your imagination! If you’re after a truly five star experience, then the ‘Imperial Suite’ will appeal to you. It has two very large hot tubs, one in the conservatory and the other indoors under rather more flattering lighting! www.hoteljardines.com.ar
O’tello
If you’re a theatrical type then O’tello is definitely for you. It has the greatest variety of themes. Some of the more bizarre include ‘Train Compartment’ with fake windows and platform scenes and ‘The Bat Cave’, the most striking feature of which is the huge bat-shaped headboard: not one for the faint hearted! www.otello.com.ar
Horoscopo
As the name suggests, Horoscope has rooms themed by each sign of the zodiac. The Taurus room is particularly atmospheric, horns hang over the bed and six bullheads carved out of the wooden headboard are lit up in red from behind. www.horoscopohotel.com.ar
Del Bosque
Despite being located just five minutes from the microcentro Of The Wood hotel allows customers to get in touch with nature, without the practical challenges confronted when rolling around in a bush! Hidden from the street by trees, here you can share a blissfully toasty night under the stars if you opt for one of the rooms with a sky view. www.delbosquehotel.com.ar
Las Brujas
The Witches Hotel in Rosario is at the forefront of telo technology. Many rooms are equipped with a touchscreen, which the guests can use to control everything including music, lighting, air conditioning and room service. Some rooms also have Scottish showers, a particularly powerful shower with purported health benefits. You can rent a camera to capture your special experience or, if photographic evidence is not enough, the motel sells bats and ceramic witches fit for public display – their full meaning known only to you and your partner! www.lasbrujas.com
