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Casa Lucía, Meliá Collection
Buenos Aires, Argentina · The Meliá Collection · Core Luxury
Casa Lucia occupies the Edificio Mihanovich, an Art Deco tower completed in 1929 for shipping magnate Nicolas Mihanovich, who wanted it tall enough to watch his own vessels depart for Uruguay across the Rio de la Plata. City rules capped its spire at the height of the nearby Palacio Barolo, so architects gave the tower a lighthouse-shaped crown instead. The building operated as Argentina's first Sofitel until 2017, sat empty for seven years, then reopened in January 2024 as Casa Lucia under Unico Hotels following a 6 million dollar renovation by Torrado Arquitectos and Fernanda Schuch.
- 142 rooms
- Opened 2024
- Neighborhood: Recoleta
- Rooms from 269 sq ft (25 m²)
- Architect: Torrado Arquitectos
- Interiors: Fernanda Schuch
About Casa Lucía, Meliá Collection
- Nicolas Mihanovich was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in what is now Croatia, and arrived in Argentina as a young sailor before building a shipping empire that later earned him the title father of the Argentine merchant marine.
- City height rules meant the tower's central section rises 20 stories while its side wings reach only seven, giving the building its distinctive tiered, lighthouse-like silhouette on Avenida Arroyo.
- The 142-room hotel's renovation preserved details from the Art Deco original while adding a 16-meter heated pool, part of a design language its architects describe as inspired by Argentina's 1880-to-1940 golden age.
- Entry-level rooms start at 269 sq ft (25 m²).
History
Casa Lucía occupies the historic Edificio Mihanovich, an Art Deco tower on Avenida Arroyo in Buenos Aires' Retiro/Recoleta area, completed around 1928–1929 and commissioned by the shipping magnate Nicolás Mihanovich — once the tallest building in Latin America. For years the building operated as a Sofitel, which departed in 2017 following a dispute with the owning Bencich family, leaving the property empty for some seven years.
It reopened as Casa Lucía in January 2024, operated by the Spanish group Único Hotels under a 20-year lease following a roughly US$6 million renovation, with architecture by Torrado Arquitectos and interiors by Fernanda Schuch. The 142-room hotel, part of the Meliá Collection, features a 16-metre heated pool.
Restaurants and bars
- LE CLUB BACAN — Bar · Cocktail bar
- Cantina Restaurante Buenos Aires — Restaurant · Argentinian
Amenities
- Spa
- Indoor pool
- Sauna
- Fitness center
Awards
- Argentina's Leading Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
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