During my four trips to Buenos Aires--I've stayed in Recoleta which I liked very much. This October I want a change and will be staying in a well-appointed, luxury apartment in Palermo. I am excited because the venue and its environs are quite lovely.

In response to your query--I'd like to comment that I would stay in Las Canitas after some portenos (locals) who write at this forum inform you as to the convenience to other places outside of the area in question.

Personally, if I had know of this particular property, I perhaps would have booked it. It's fantastically furnished and has more room in it than my townhouse in California.

Thanks - topping for the portenos!

I would suggest that Recoletta is quite expensive.. if you really want to experience the real Buenos Aires, the up and coming neighbourhood of Villa Crespo is great!

ttt

Hi, Elizabeth_S!

You can ask Bob Kimball about me, or you can read his http://www.fodors.com/community/south-america/rhkkmks-visit-to-south-america-as-reported-on-the-sa-board.cfm

The porteños may not be the best people to answer your question, because they LIVE in BA, which is quite different from just renting for 6 weeks. Furthermore, while I was born a "porteño", I have lived about half my life in BA's Northern suburbs, so I'm not quite a "porteño" any more.

However, I can tell you I have met through this forum many couples who stay in BA during our summer, including several from Canada and they agree that the area called "Palermo Botánico" is the best, for that kind of stay.

I'll send this thread to some of them, for their feedback. If you wish, you can write to me albertovgalloATyahoo.com

Rest assured you'll have a great time in our town, while getting away from the cold, Elizabeth_S.

We've had 3 trips to BA and couldn't agree more with AV. Our last stay was in Palmero Botanico and we really liked that neighborhood alot -- u could easily walk to Recoleta. There are lots of restaurants and shops and it has a bit of a neighborhood feel. The area is lovely with several parks in proximity to the neighborhood. That said Recoleta is lovely, a bit more high end it appears. We stayed in Loi Suites Recoleta on our first trip and found that we kept gravitating back to the Palmeros. We've also stayed in Palmero Soho and San Telmo. Is this your first visit to BA?

We've only spent an afternoon in Las Canitas and while I liked it, I think its as good a location for sightseeing.

Hopefully a couple of AV other friends who have spent way more time than I in BA will chime in.

Have a great trip--BA is fabulous!

Hi Elizabeth_S.

avrooster alerted me to this thread, and asked me to chime in. I am happy to do so.

In February/March, we stayed for 6 weeks in an apartment in Palermo Botánico and we loved the location due to its mix of residential and retail, its many fine restaurants, its proximity to the beautiful parks, and its easy access to transportation.

Las Cañitas is a fine area, a bit further north from Palermo Botánico. There are lots of shops and good restaurants, and it is close to the parks, the polo fields, the horse track and a golf course.

If I were forced to choose, I would pick Palermo Botánico as the more lively, cosmopolitan, interesting and convenient option.

There are several decent short term rental agencies in Bs As that will offer you many more options than VRBO. (Reynolds Propiedades, ByT Argentina, Buenos Aires Habitat). Simply search this Forum or Tripadvisor, or ask for advice --- and be aware that many of us have strong preferences/biases for or against paticular agencies!.

Elizabeth_S: Just so you don´t get confused and find it more easily on the Internet, it's "Palermo", like the Italian town, not "Palmero".

Furthermore, real estate agents divide Palermo into several different areas, such as: Viejo, Botánico, Soho, Hollywood, etc.

Have a great time in our town.

As a reminder to hikerboy, JIC he visits this thread again:

http://www.fodors.com/community/south-america/buenos-aires-te-queremos-a-trip-report.cfm#last-comment

Thanks all - it's early days for my searching and I plan to check out the other rental agencies as well ... I was just curious about Las Canitas as I was less familiar with it.

This will be our first visit to BA, as part of 8 to 10 weeks in SA (east side of Andes) likely to include Rio, an Amazon cruise of some kind, driving around Argentina and - if there are any last minute deals - an Antarctic cruise.

Thanks, AV, I must pick up that thread again!

I may be getting old and perhaps my memory is failing me, but I believe I heard that song before, hikerboy! LOL!!!

Rooster, I'm happy to say that we're both in the same state (or stage)of decline, but that's when those "old" songs sound best!

I wish I were in your stage of decline, hikerboy!

Do you want to swap? LOL!!!

I have been to BA enough times to fill my passport with entry and exit stamps. I have stayed in Recoleta, Palermo Soho, el Centro, and Palermo Botantico...and have visited Las Canitas a couple of times for dinner and bar hopping. Palermo Botanico (boundaries are vague...parts of this area are sometimes called Palermo Chico, Barrio Norte or Recoleta) is my favorite area, by far, for a longer term visit. The neighborhood has what is referred to as "mucho barrio" or a great sense of neighborhood...lots of restaurants, shops, museums and neighborhood bars with easy access to Recoleta/downtown in one direction and Palermo Soho in the other. Las Canitas, in contrast, is slightly more inconvenient..a bit further removed from downtown.

Thanks again - the main reasons I am interested in that particular apartment are the open kitchen and outdoor space - both are absolute requirements for us. Any suggestions for suitable one/two bedrooms apartments in your favourite neighbourhood will be appreciated! Budget - would like to keep it to $2,500/month....but open for higher for the right place. TIA

There is not much more i can add to this thread. But I'll tell you this: I'm a Palermo Botanico/Chico gal!!!! AND hubby adores the n'hood too. It was just LUCK that our first trip had us renting on Castex/Cavia for 10 weeks......by the time the 2nd trip rolled around,it felt too much like HOME to change "hoods". We were too happy. Ditto for 6 weeks this year! Salguero y Cervino offers SO much. Great transportation,parks,restaurants,museums,food shopping,walks to Recoleta,Palermo Soho,Palermo Hollywood,Las Canitas,ETC.

Hikerboy & AV: I had a REALLY big b-day last week!!!!! However, I think I have at least 21-27 years to go!!!!
CHEERS!

An open kitchen is often referred to as a Cocina America or American=style kitchen by rental agencies in Buenos Aires....there are many options available, especially in new or newly renovated properties. More traditional floor plans seem to lean toward a long galley style kitchen that parallels the living/dining area.

Here is another apartment that looks lovely - nearer to Botanico (I think) - at the corner of Pacheco de Melo and Callao. It has the open kitchen we require and the outdoor space is stunning, although I do wonder if I'll find it a bit of a sensory deprivation chamber....it seems odd to me not to have a view of BA if I'm staying there. The apartment I posted above has a lovely open view. (and 2 bedrooms, although we don't plan on visitors)

http://www.vrbo.com/265907#page-top-most

I'm still looking closer to Botanico but as yet haven't found the combination of open kitchen (not just a little pass thru bar which is often billed as open) and significant outdoor space (not just a little balcony)we want.

Comments about this area/apartment are appreciated.

Well - scratch that Recoleta apartment - now not available for the entire period.

But it gave me focus and I have found other apartments that could work nearer the Botanica area - could someone who recommends that general area give me some geographic references (street names/boundaries/etc) as dr dawggy points out the vague boundaries make it difficult to know if I'm in the area(s) that have been recommended. TIA

Melo and Callao is a great location, but not at all near Palermo Botánico.

I found online several maps of Palermo, such as: http://tinyurl.com/6f8l9rr

I'd say the street boundaries of the most desirable Palermo Botánico area are: Av. del Libertador on the East side, Lafinur (North), Las Heras (West) and Coronel Díaz (South).

West of Las Heras could also be good, but not as good as the above area.

East of Libertador is very good, but probably more expensive.

The world-famous drdawggy and other forum members who have stayed in the area should correct me, if I am wrong.

Have a great time in our town, Elizabeth_S.

avr - that's a great map! Thanks so much. This place is just outside of Botanico - what a wonderful terrace

http://www.vrbo.com/274906

Yes, it's a bit West of what I would call Palermo Botánico, in Palermo Viejo, but it looks like a good flat.

Apparently, it doesn´t feature a microwave oven, which is rather difficult to understand.