BenPaul

I am currently living in Palermo and it really is a superb place - great bars, restuarants, parks, people and lots of great hotels to choose from.

One particular hotel I stayed at and was really nice was the Posada Palermo, http://www.posadapalermo.com ,which is an upscale b&b and relaxing - I only could stay there a couple of days because I am on a strict budget but it was well worth the splurge.

Other things I recommend in Buenos Aires are:

A Boca Juniors football game - truly unmissable - but make sure you go with a guided group because it can be a little edgy.

Also, you said your Spanish was bad - I would consider a few days at a Spanish school in Buenos Aires - to learn and to meet some great people - I learnt for two weeks at http://www.expanish.com , which is a school in the heart of Buenos Aires and it was extremely good.

111op

Posada has rooms but they need three nights in a row. I'm only thinking of booking two -- after I come back from Iguazu Falls. Anyway, I'm going this weekend so I'll need to pick this up later.

I need to buy the LAN tickets to Iguazu though. They are approaching $500 now.

yestravel

Not sure which area you are looking to stay in, but I just learned of a new hotel in San Telmo -- someone on Trip Advisor posted about it. It's Hotel Babel www.hotelbabel.com.ar
They have been very responsive via email. Rates are $80USD for standard and $100USD for superior. They will give a 10% discount for payment in cash.
Enjoy your tirp!

111op

Hi, how's the intersection of Pringles and Cordoba? It looks to be right at the edge of Palermo. Is this an ok location and safe? Most of the hotels in Palermo I've looked at are booked.

I'm really amazed by how tight availaibility is. The top-rated hotels in Tripadvisor, including hostels, are all booked.

Right now I've several reservations at downtown hotels for the first part, and I'm trying to decide. I've booked the Ibis, Ritz (not ritzy...), Don Telmo and Alcazar.

I think that I'll go with Alcazar. Are there people familiar with this hotel? It should be on Avenida de Mayo. Hotels like Ritz, Don Telmo and Alcazar are, I think, more traditional hotels and therefore less popular. Personally I would probably opt for other choices too had they been available. But then, these hotels are all under $100 a night, and I'd imagine that they are perfectly fine too. In fact I think Alcazar is only about $60 a night.

Then I need two nights in a Palermo hotel, which I haven't managed to book yet.

Thanks!

111op

Do people know where I can buy a SIM card in Buenos Aires? I'm thinking it's easy, but should I think about getting one ahead of time? It may not arrive in time though. I guess it's bad planning on my part. Thanks!

avrooster

http://tinyurl.com/4j2t3w

111op

Thanks. I checked a few of the threads, but I found another one on Flyertalk that said that activating a SIM card may take 24 hours.

Not sure if it's really that worth it, especially since I arrive on a Saturday and probably can't do anything until Monday. So I guess I probably won't end up doing anything then.

ToddPBrown

Hey 111op
I'm going there on a honeymoon trip in November and I've been talking with argentinaforless.com to plan most everything after the cruise. They've been very good at helping and responding.

111op

As it turns out, I probably have to cancel the trip. I'm looking at my options right now. Thanks though for all the help everyone has given me!

111op

I've started the cancellation process -- just cancelled my ticket with AA. It's a little painful to have to do this two days before departure, but I guess life could be worse.

I think my LAN ticket for Iguazu is completely refundable. Two hotels have no penalties. The hostel at Iguazu has a small penalty for a booking fee, but even the full amount is small in the worst scenario (about $100).

Thanks again!

111op

As much as people praise LAN, their 866 number is terrible. My call has been dropped twice within the last 10 minutes. Yesterday my call was dropped once. And when I finally got through yesterday I felt the person I was talking to was submerged in water.

But to their credit, the guy who processed my refund today was very helpful.

caboom

I just returned from BA and Iguazu. My companion and I stayed at an "aparthotel" in Barrio Norte, near Palermo and Recoleta. While it had great plumbing, a lovely terrace, and was convenient to the D line, the neighborhood was too commercial for my taste and the rooms were really sterile. Next time i'll try a smaller B&B. The exhaust fumes and fierce traffic in the microcenter would drive me nuts. San Telmo has lots of character, but it can be creepy on the streets at night (I rented an apartment there last time) and the sidewalks are in very bad repair. I think Palermo and its small sub-neighborhoods are more inviting with lots of shady streets, hip shops and great inexpensive restaurants. We hailed radio taxis frequently and were treated with courtesy and never cheated--the key is to always make sure the taxi has the word "radio" on it. At the airport, the Ezeiza remise (car service) is a wonderful bargain that I found reading this forum. We took it both ways and saved a bundle compared to what the concierge at the aparthotel suggested. Personally, I found the subte pretty easy to navigate, trains running frequently, and some of the stations displaying spectacular tile work; however, there's no AC and the stations need a good scrubbing. At 30 cents a ride, my Scots heart couldn't resist a few journeys.
A local friend shepherded us on and off the buses one day and riding with a bunch of Boca team soccer players was hilarious. Lo de Jesus and La Cabrera were our favorite parillas and we took home half our steaks for hearty leftovers. I bought vegetables and did some cooking because I love to go to the markets, but honestly, we were often smiling guiltily at the exchange rate when the tabs at restaurants were presented. Wonderful salads, great ice cream, luscious wine, and food that is not spicy unless you choose a place that specializes in it. All avrooster's tips are great. LAN to Iguazu was excellent, the falls are really worth it and we didn't make reservations until we got to BA because we didn't want to spend all that money and then encounter a couple of rainy days. We went online at the aparthotel and booked The Sheraton and the flight quite easily, but I think the Sheraton was fully booked other days. Maybe someone can suggest a nice place outside the park, but we were delighted to be able to take a stroll at dusk, after the park closes to daytrippers. South of the equator, the quarter moons are completely different--- watch the sky at night!

avrooster

Thank you for your great trip report, caboom!

I wish you had posted it separately, but, well, the important thing is that you had my trademark "a great time in our country". LOL!!

I agree that the streets of San Telmo "can be creepy" at night.

I LMAO with your "At 30 cents a ride, my Scots heart couldn't resist a few journeys." about our "tube".

Thank you for your "All avrooster's tips are great."

DO come back soon and try staying in Palermo.

Tempusfugit

I woudl stay in Ricolleta

111op

By the way, just in case people are wondering why I cancelled -- the company had started laying off people.

In the end, I was laid off on Tuesday. So if I had timed it a little better -- like scheduling the trip next week, I could have gone.