Tigre Hotel
| Company type | Hotel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | February 12, 1890 |
| Founder | Emilio Mitre, Ernesto Tornquist, Luis García |
| Defunct | 1940 |
| Fate | Demolished |
| Headquarters | Tigre , Argentina |
| Products | Lodging, casino (until 1933) |
The Tigre Hotel was a distinguished lodging establishment situated along the Luján River in Paseo Victorica, Tigre, Buenos Aires, approximately north of Buenos Aires city center. It flourished during the late 1800s and early 1900s, becoming a sought-after retreat for Argentina's affluent society.
Significantly, the hotel was home to the nation's inaugural casino. Nevertheless, a 1933 legislative ban on gambling in Argentina led to its closure, and the structure was eventually razed in 1940.
History
The concept of establishing a hotel in Tigre—then known as "Las Conchas"—originated from rowing aficionados who gathered at Buenos Aires' "Pulpería del Portugués" in 1870. Several rowing organizations, including Buenos Aires R.C., set up their bases nearby. After evaluating potential locations, they chose a plot near where the Reconquista and Luján Rivers meet.
Engineer Emilio Mitre (son of former Argentine president Bartolomé Mitre) designed the building, with financial backing from Mitre himself, Ernesto Tornquist, and Luis García. Construction commenced in 1873. Officially opening on February 12, 1890, the hotel rapidly became a central venue for socializing, tourism, and sports for residents of Tigre and Buenos Aires. It boasted three levels, an elevator, 50 heated rooms, a dining hall accommodating 200 guests, separate salons for smoking, billiards, and ladies, along with facilities such as a café, tennis courts, cricket grounds, roller skating rink, and an automobile garage.
By 1892, the proprietors applied for authorization to host regattas on Sundays and holidays; by 1895 they introduced a casino within the premises. Entertainment offerings included fireworks exhibitions and a resident orchestra performing along the Luján River. Subsequent enhancements featured an Andalusian Patio and a winter garden.
At the turn of the century, Ludovico Schafer and E.E. Fischer took ownership and reopened the hotel in 1895 with modifications like eliminating the roulette room. During the Belle Époque era around 1916, it became a preferred venue among elites renowned for its dance events. However, economic challenges during the Great Depression affected its operations; in 1933 it ceased functioning following Argentina's prohibition of gambling activities. The building suffered fire damage a year later and was ultimately demolished.
The land stayed unused until Tigre City Council erected its administrative offices there, next to Tigre Club (presently known as Tigre Art Museum).
Facilities
The hotel comprised three stories containing 120 rooms featuring expansive terraces and ornate wood paneling. Advanced for its era were amenities such as central heating and an elevator. The landscaped grounds included tennis courts and a cricket pitch; regular fireworks displays were also popular attractions. A garage was added subsequently.
Inside, guests had access to designated smoking lounges and enjoyed dances and masquerade balls accompanied by a permanent orchestra—an offering likely appreciated by distinguished visitors like Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. Recreational opportunities included boat excursions along the Tigre River leading to the hotel's private dock on the Luján River. A notable spectacle was the water parade: boats and steamers traveling from Carapachay River up the Luján River passed directly by the hotel en route to the Marine Workshops (currently Naval Museum).
In popular culture
The Tigre Hotel is frequently mistaken for the nearby Tigre Club, which was constructed in 1912 and remains intact today. Following its recognition as a National Historic Monument in 1979, the Tigre Club experienced extensive restoration over ten years, leading to the inauguration of the Tigre Art Museum in 2006.
Bibliography
- Graciela Clemente, Tigre y Delta, Grijalbo Mondadori, Buenos Aires, 2004.