Amidst the chaos in the bustling heart of microcentro is where architect Carlos Levit sited CasaCalma; an eco-friendly “home away from home” geared to relaxation, calmness and wellness.
The ideology behind CasaCalma is three-fold: it combines the spa hotel, with the feeling of being in the comfort of your own home and a strong focus on being kind to the environment.
CasaCalma is the first of its kind in Argentina. Carlos comments: “Although the concept of wellness is reaching Argentina through movements such as slow food, this is the first hotel which combines wellness and spa with being at home.”
The hotel unites the ideas of spa and home by bringing a mini spa into each room. All rooms are fitted with jacuzzi and the deluxe rooms with sauna, and all massages and spa treatments are performed in the rooms. The environmental aspect is present throughout the hotel from the eco friendly building materials and vertical garden to the 100% organic spa products and food.
Somehow it seems an oxymoron to have this eco haven of relaxation plonked in the middle of Buenos Aires’ hectic business district. The aim is to offer businessmen and tourists a central location which is also a relaxing refuge at the end of a meeting-packed or sightseeing-crammed day.
Tu casa es mi casa
CasaCalma is designed to make the guests feel at home. The honesty bar, whereby guests help themselves to the fully stocked fridge making a note of what they consume, is one of the ways CasaCalma tries to create a homely atmosphere.
So, you arrive exhausted and clammy after a day exploring the city, grab a book or DVD from the library, take a snack or drink from the honesty bar, and once in your spacious room, dock your i-pod and listen to some of your music whilst enjoying your private sauna and jacuzzi.
Fancy a massage to soothe those aching muscles having toured the city on foot? You don’t even need to leave your spa sanctuary for treatments (or to practise yoga!) as all the facilities are in your room, as well as a fully stocked mini bar with a selection of healthy snacks and organic treats and a boutique of eco spa products.
Eco friendly pledge
The designers and owners of CasaCalma have gone to great lengths to make sure both the building and running of their hotel is as environmentally friendly as possible.
“The chairs and headboard in the rooms are made from hand woven recycled craft paper; the wallpaper from ecological fibres,” explains Carlos. These types of materials aren’t readily available in Argentina: “We had to do a lot of research to find what alternative and ecological materials exist; we had to go to Catalonia for the wallpaper,” he adds. “The wood that we used for the floor and some walls is all certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.” This means that the wood comes from managed forests where new trees are planted to replace those cut down for wood production.
“Using these ecological materials has obviously increased the investment cost,” admits Carlos, “but we are very clear about the hotel’s philosophy and we don’t want any details to let us down.” The project required a $1,200,000 investment.
Energy saving vertical garden
Green is the theme colour of the hotel which is “wrapped up” in a vertical garden. As the garden winds its way up the walls the expansive windows of the guest’s suites are veiled by a light curtain of vegetation, detracting from the view of the congested Suipacha street. The garden has a double purpose: not only does it create contact with nature, but it also saves on energy as the plants – ivy, creepers and jasmine – act as insulation during winter and a sun block in summer.
“We have tried to use environmentally friendly mechanisms when designing the hotel, for example, all the lights in the corridors are movement sensitive and in the rooms are activated by the key card,” remarks Carlos. “We have also used aluminium instead of environment poisoning PVC for the window frames,” he adds.
Even the smallest details such as eco-pencils and recycled writing paper, decorative plant pots instead of cut flowers and reusable bottles for the spa products, confirm that CasaCalma is serious about its pledge to the environment.
Gastronomy delights
The menu at CasaCalma was compiled by chef Patricio MacLoughlin, and uses healthy, fresh and 100% organic ingredients. It aims to offer light but filling and wholesome dishes with original twists and unexpected combinations.
I opted for a goat’s cheese and strawberry salad followed by pumpkin and mint risotto. However, it was the desert that most impressed me: an organic chocolate brownie with summer fruits and cream. Doesn’t sound much like health food? Well, apparently it was, and was actually mouth-wateringly delicious and tasted surprisingly healthy at the same time.
The lunch menu, with three options, is also available for non-guests and costs between $35 and $65.
My trip to CasaCalma convinced me that it is possible to create a refuge in a metropolis using just a small space but with big ideas.
Average price US$250 per room per night, more information and reservations online at www.casacalma.com.ar