I will be in Argentina with two friends in October. We plan to spend one of our three weeks in Buenos Aires and were considering renting an apartment. We're all fairly seasoned travellers in our thirties.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions regarding this process? I've seen postings on Craigslist and on EnjoyingBA.com and I wonder if anyone out there could share their personal experience with either one. Or maybe you have another suggestion entirely?

We thought this would be more economical — and probably more fun — than spending a week in a hotel.

Any information will be appreciated.

lisabella: you are probably right that "this would be more economical — and probably more fun — than spending a week in a hotel."

That said, there is a LOT of info on this subject in this forum and elsewhere.

I suggest you research http://www.byt-argentina.com.ar/
by writing byt in this forum's search feature. You could try to do the same thing elsewhere.

Have a great time in our country, ladies.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIP!

I checked out some other postings here and I now have lots more information than when I started. We'll just have to choose a neighborhood...

Many thanks!

I would say you sound like you would enjoy Palermo, as a first choice, or Recoleta as your second choice.

There are MANY discussions about these two areas, both in this forum and elsewhere.

Stay with a reputable and known agency to minimize the possibility that the experience will be less fun and more costly than you imagined. The byt agency AV mentions is one of several established agencies.

i suggest http://www.buenosairesstay.com
that took great care of me

I used bytargentina and was more than pleased - the apartment itself, the furnishings and location, and the service. I also had them arrange transport from the airport and it was a snap.

I suggest www.buenosairesfeelhome.com.ar
It's not a very big agency but they're very careful and nice. And the prices are good

avrooster:
We are 3 gal pals planning to rent an apt. in B.A. You mentioned Ricoleta and Palermo neighborhoods. I also saw "Palermo-SOhO-Hollywood" or something on that line. What is the difference?
What is the best time of year to go to avoid harsh winter or hot summer?
Also, what is your input on safety for women traveling alone, like any big city?

I LOVE it when gals ask me questions directly! LOL!!!

The old Palermo neighborhood has been divided by real estate agents in different areas, such as Palermo Viejo, Soho and Hollywood.

I'm not terribly sure about the difference, but I believe Soho or Hollywood might be right for you.

Let's ask for qualified advice. DrDawggy, will you help me help the gals, by telling us which of the Palermos would be best for them and the difference between each?

Our spring (Sept/Nov.) and our fall (March/May) are the best times to come, but there is no such thing as a "harsh winter" in BA. It very seldom gets below freezing.

About safety for women traveling alone, you said it, like in "any big city", you need to be alert and use your brains.

That said, I feel BA is no more dangerous than any other big town.

I'll e-mail our foremost BA expert, DrDawggy, asking for his input on the different Palermos. He also LOVES it when gals ask him questions. LOL!!!

Don't worry, you'll have a great time in our town, gals.

Palermo is a very large neighborhood. The older section is known as Palermo Viejo, an area that has been undergoing gentrification in the past few years...rescued (some say ruined) after a period of decline. Palermo Soho was the first section of Palermo Viejo to undergo transformation and it is here that the updates--boutique shopping, boutique hotels, fusion restaurants, and clubs for the young and young at heart are most visible.

Palermo Hollywood is a section of Palermo Viejo that is less well developed/rehabed than Soho. The newest, trendiest restaurants in town tend to be clustered here...and there are a few (more each day) shops and boutique hotels opening...but overall, block after block of unrehabbed, shabby and dark buildings remain. If you stay on/near one of the areas where lots of recent construction/renovatrion has occured...you will be fine in Hollywood...but I would not want to venture too far out into the neighborhood at night.

Please thank our top expert, DrDawggy, gals!

I only stayed 3 weeks in buenos aires. www.artsuites.com.ar worked for me... it´s in Ricoleta

I am just leaving Buenos Aires and could not be happier; I have a few more hours. You know, I have read all these forums before venturing to BA, my partner and I, are attorneys from NYC and I most certainly now believe most of what you post is paid for work! Compare BA with other destinations and see the difference in style, the simplicity and honest exchanges - i will not trust expert recommendations in future from the prolific posters. Although, he best advice I received was to use Buenos Aires Stay -my view of BA:
1. It is the dirtiest and noisiest city I have ever visited
2. It is not cheap, I would say that food and alcohol prices are equal to the US
3. The locals smile, but their contempt is obvious, they just want your Dollars and do everything possible for ‘A few Dollars more.’ What happened to these once proud people?
4. They dislike Americans and their obvious racism towards my black boyfriend meant that we did not feel like going to clubs at night – shame on you Portenos! Maybe you are not ready to enter a modern world?
5. Recoleta is awash with girly bars and street children begging, the restaurants are very expensive and very poor in the main – the beef???! – Texas beef knocks the socks off the horrible beef I ate in most restaurants apart from one Felix Olla, Juncal y Rod Pena, highly recommended
6. The streets of Palermo Soho and Belgrano are the two places that seem to have been upgraded recently, although I would not recommend Soho as I witnessed two thefts (or crying women with police) on my two visits. The rest of the city I grisly.
7. I loved the areas around Belgrano, Las Canitas and the North East of Palermo and would highly recommend these barrios or Recoleta – stay away from Centro and San Telmo
8. Centro is a disgusting mess unless you are at Congreso or Plaza Mayo and the surrounding streets are not safe after dark.
9. San Telmo is very dangerous and I was approached on Derego Square with menace twice, once at 5pm one day and again at 2am when getting into my apartment
10. I rented an apartment in SanTelmo and the agency was great, but when I complained and wanted to move from San Telmo, I was stuck with a contract and without the agencies help we might of lost both our deposit and residual rent, they put a new tenant in our apartment with the landlord’s agreement and moved us next door to them on Junin and Pena, great studio and the area is much better for tourists, it is called north barrio.
11. The agency we used is called Buenos Aires Stay and they were very good, but remember that once you rent an apartment, you are stuck in that apartment subject to a tenancy agreement, if you do not like the area or have a problem tough. We were told we were lucky to get to move.
12. Use an agency that hold your security deposit, the owners cannot be trusted
13. Although Buenos Aires Stay were wonderful I cannot recommend entering into a legal agreement whilst on holiday or renting an apartment –too much can go wrong

Ignore sarah, she didn't get catered to because she is a NY lawyer and she had a bad time.

If you have traveled to other large cities, I dont think you will find it dirty here. We have found it to be very clean.
We have rented an apartment in the Recoleta neighborhood and it is great to be close to so many great places.
http://www.bytargentina.com/re/propv...p;ano_sal=2009

It is a simple apartment with lots of room and great value.

Why is it that negatives posts like SARAHNYC above are always the first time people have ever even posted on this forum? She has exactly 2 posts total. Both the same, both trashing BA.

You know, I have read all these forums before venturing to BA, my partner and I, are attorneys from NYC and I most certainly now believe most of what you post is paid for work! Compare BA with other destinations and see the difference in style, the simplicity and honest exchanges - i will not trust expert recommendations in future from the prolific posters.

---I find your comments about not trusting prolific posters interesting indeed. As noted below, several of your complaints could have been avoided if you had read and followed the advice and information provided by prolific posters.

-my view of BA:
1. It is the dirtiest and noisiest city I have ever visited

--You live in New York City and consider BA noisy?

2. It is not cheap, I would say that food and alcohol prices are equal to the US

--The 'prolific posters' that you no longer trust have been talking about inflation and price increases for several years now. Many places in the USA are certainly as cheap as BA....although your home town of New York City is considerably more expensive for restaurants, cabs, movies and overall cost of living.

3. The locals smile, but their contempt is obvious....

--and you know this because? My experience has been just the opposite.

4. They dislike Americans...

---Again, this is not my experience. Perhaps it is you they disliked, not all Americans?

5. Recoleta is awash with girly bars and street children begging, the restaurants are very expensive and very poor in the main...

--Recoleta is a large barrio. The Restaurant Row area of Recoleta across from the cemetery is very commercialized and the restaurants are overpriced....much like tourist traps everywhere....go a couple of blocks away and the prices go down, the quality goes up....

– the beef???! – Texas beef knocks the socks off the horrible beef I ate in most restaurants...

---I live in Texas, in the heart of cow country. I could not disagree more with your assessment, although tastiness is a matter of preference.

7. I loved the areas around Belgrano, Las Canitas and the North East of Palermo and would highly recommend these barrios or Recoleta ....
--I have a strong preference for the North East of Palermo myself...so I won't disagree here.

8. Centro is a disgusting mess unless you are at Congreso or Plaza Mayo and the surrounding streets are not safe after dark.

---Plaza San Martin is a very nice area in central Buenos Aires. I prefer Palermo but I do not find Centro "disgusting," a meaningless, non-descriptive term.

9. San Telmo is very dangerous and I was approached on Derego Square with menace twice, once at 5pm one day and again at 2am when getting into my apartment

--Again, you obviously ignored the advice of most of the "prolific posters" whose posts you say you will not trust in the future. With rare exceptions, most of us advise people to visit San Telmo but stay elsewhere.

10. I rented an apartment in SanTelmo and the agency was great, but when I complained and wanted to move from San Telmo, I was stuck with a contract and without the agencies help we might of lost both our deposit and residual rent, they put a new tenant in our apartment with the landlord’s agreement and moved us next door to them on Junin and Pena, great studio and the area is much better for tourists, it is called north barrio.

--You are an attorney. You signed a contract. You should know the terms before you sign.



12. Use an agency that hold your security deposit...

--One of the few points you make that I agree with 100%

13. Although Buenos Aires Stay were wonderful I cannot recommend entering into a legal agreement whilst on holiday or renting an apartment –too much can go wrong

--I have not had a problem, but certainly staying in a hotel is less risky. If you do not like the hotel or area you can can pick up and move with fewer complications.

Bravo, dr dawggy =D>

I've rented quite a few apartments over the years and have yet to find one that will let me move if I don't like the area/the noisy neighbor/the cleanliness of it. After much research on the apartments and area I have yet to be disappointed. You should actually consider yourself quite lucky to have been moved, this speaks volumes of BuenosAirsStay,which ,I for one will bookmark.