Budget for Argentina?
 

Good morning--we are starting to plan a 3 week trip to Argentina in late June-early July. We have heard back from some travel agents that they now charge a $100 fee to plan a trip, and that they only work with 4* and 5* hotels (starting at USD 160, averaging USD 200-260 plus 21% tax). We are definitely interested in visiting Buenos Aires, and the Northwest (e.g., Salta), and are gathering information about Estero de Ibera and the Peninsula Valdes (whale season). We would like to stay at an estancia at least part of the time. What is a typical budget for such a trip? We normally try to keep our total expenses to an average of $200 or less per day for the two of us--so the above hotel costs are really too high. Is that doable? Suggestions for bringing costs down? Thanks so much.

Why not research and make your own hotel reservations?

Then, have the travel agent make all the other arrangements.

BTW, that $100 "fee" will probably be applied to your actual costs (e.g. domestic air tickets).

I do not know for all Argentine travel agents, but WOW Argentina the one agency I use,btw I am extremely happy with WOW, charges $100 for extense custom planing which is then APPLIED to your expenses. In other words it is not a charge, since it is deducted from your expenses.
I have to tell you that in Argentina: "stars" are sometimes given freely to hotels, there is not an official rating of hotels as I understand it, you have to know in which hotel you are getting into.
This is not to say that they have very nice hotels properly rated.
There are many new b&b but again you have to double check carefully. I have been there recently and I have noticed that prices have indeed gone up, in a good restaurant a meal with wine is at least 30 dollars per person, but of course there are many nice little restaurants or confiterias with resto service where meals can be have for half the price.
Usually ordering the :MENU DEL DIA which is a set daily menu with a couple of choices only.
We had a couple of excellent lunches in one of this places called Torre Paris in the corner of M.T. de ALvear and Calle Libertad. Food was delicious. However in the most reknow places it was 30 and up dollars per person.
The best ticket for the theater was only aprox. 20 dollars.Probably Salta is less expensive but I am not sure. Taxis are inexpensive. Most shorts rides are around two dollars.

I see no reason at all for you to use a travel agent.
If you have any travel experience at all, you can do the research, hotel booking etc yourselves.

June / July the weather will be cool/fall-ish in BA.
If you are staying for 3 weeks, you might consider an apt rental..that way you can leave the bulk of your belongings there when you visit Salta etc.

You can go to an Estancia for a day or overnight, they are all different prices and levels of wonderfulness...poshness etc.

Hotels all charge 21% VAT.
www.artsuites.com.ar
We stayed at the ArtSuites hotel in Recoleta for 2 weeks, last Oct/Nov. We had no complaints. The price is very good.

You can stay in BA, do an overnight to an Estancia..do a daytrip to Colonia..do an overnight to Igauzu Falls or break the trip in half , BA half then somewhere else. To cut down on price, lodging and travel within the country seem to be the biggest expenses.

Hope this helps :)

lacontessa; this forum can helpt to plan the trip by yourself, You can get the flights through an agent and use the services recommended by the posters. Salta an the NW is great that tiem of the year, it is like a cool springtime... in winter ! You need at least five days to see the most outstanding points like Purmamarca, the Salt Flats and Tilcara. And two days for the wine country. For further information about this area feel free to make any questions.
Warm regards,
Flintstones

Sorry ; I forgot... Therea re nice hotels for an average of U$S50 per day or less, and the food is really cheap in the NW; And average of U$S 200 per day for you two is possible. In Salta POSADA DEL MARQUEZ in Purmamarca EL CARDON in CAFAYATE ( Killa is a little more but it worths, take it as a bonus for a romantic night!!!)You can get good food for a really low price.
Warm regards...
Flintstones

Thanks so much for the replies. We were in Costa Rica the past two weeks so are now back to planning our trip to Argentina. Although well recommended, WOW Argentina has stated that they only work with 4 and 5 star hotels starting at USD 160, averaging 200-260 plus 21% tax. And estancias cost even more. You are right, we can make the reservations ourselves. However, we often use a travel agent based within the country we are traveling in to make hotel, air and transfer reservations. It helps to have someone to contact when the unexpected happens (e.g., we were at the Singapore airport on our way to Maldives and Thailand when the tsunami hit), and they tend to know about neat places that aren't yet written up in the guidebooks. The bulletin boards such as Fodors are wonderful to get real feedback from folks who have been there recently. We appreciate your comments on how to keep our expenses to $200 or less per day for the two of us. Thanks again.

lacontessa: for a great, independent local travel agent, i suggest you read this thread:
Trip Report - BA/Iguazu/Mendoza Highlights