Patricia o’shea

OWNER, HOME HOTEL

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Buenos Aires-native Patricia O'Shea left for Ireland as soon as she finished school. She spent 16 years living in her beloved Dublin, supporting herself by working in restaurants and hotels while she studied Marketing and PR, before starting her own hospitality consultancy.

In 2003, Patricia returned to her home country of Argentina to create the appropriately-named Home Hotel, the city's first boutique hotel, and our “home away from home” in Buenos Aires.

Follow Home Hotel here.

1. WHAT DOES THE THE NAME HOME MEAN TO YOU? HOW DO YOU CURATE AN EXPERIENCE TO MAKE TRAVELERS FEEL ‘AT HOME,’ AND HOW DO YOUR GUESTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE ATMOSPHERE HERE?

Home means for most of us a safe, familiar and soul warming space. Home is the place you let your guard down and just be. Our goal is to make our visitors feel Home in BA. From the moment they walk in the door, the ambiance is laid back, our team is friendly, there are no big formalities, yet our service is efficient and tailor made. Our back garden is a little oasis that contributes to that feeling of wellbeing. Having breakfast to the sound of the birds, surrounded by plants and flowers, is one of our guests’ highlights of the day. We are extremely lucky that we seem to attract amazing people from all over the world who share a joie de vivre and a positive attitude to life with culture and respect.  You can’t have a great hotel without great guests. 

2. WHO WOULD YOU LOVE TO HOST AT HOME? (LIVING OR DEAD!)

We’ve had so many fabulous guests throughout the years from different walks of life and creative industries. Some artists and celebrities stay with us when they want a very low profile visit; we are super respectful of their privacy and desire for anonymity. Personally, would love to host Meryl Streep, I think she could be very “Home” and she is so fun. My daughter Lupe is really into all sorts of music so she would love Billie Eilish, Katy Perry or Daft Punk to stay. She is also Harry Potter mad, and luckily we had Lord Voldemort stay a few years ago! (Ralph Fiennes). My husband Tom (an ex music producer) got his dream guests, Kraftwerk, stay at the hotel (though he was too shy to ask them to sign one of his vinyl records - he’s got every single one of their albums!).

3. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO BUENOS AIRES?

Buenos Aires is one of the handful of cities with a special energy. It is alive, it is foreign yet familiar, it has a huge personality and so much to experience that visitors always wish they had stayed longer.

4. WHAT IS A DREAM TRAVEL DESTINATION? WHY?

Travel is very personal, and the world a big, wonderful place. A dream destination is the one you don’t want to leave, whatever it may be, a beach, a city or a jungle (or hopefully all 3 in one trip!).

5. WHAT IS ONE ITEM YOU WOULD LOVE TO STEAL FROM THE ROOMS OF HOME?

The original vintage wallpapers! They are unique and irreplaceable.

6. WHAT IS AN INSPIRATION TO YOU IN LIFE? WHY?

I get inspired by pieces of music, architecture, art, nature and travel.  In terms of people, I get inspired by women’s stories of resilience and determination every day.