My husband & I are looking to plan a trip to Argentina in late December. It seems flights are pretty pricey, but I've heard that once you get there it's not expensive. Can anyone confirm this? Are hotels & restuarants moderately priced? We'll probably be in Buenos Aires a few days, maybe head to iguazu & possibly somewhere else (11 days total).

AngelaS: food is certainly cheap. About hotels, it depends, but I'd say they are comparatively cheaper than in the USA.

Hi
I think that it is so, flights are expensive, but <b>some</b> hotels are inexpensive. Some hotels here are very expensive and remember, VAT..
I believe it is 21%..
Restaurants are all pretty reasonable and many are very inexpensive as shopping can be also..taxis are very inexpensive.
11 days is a nice amount of time to see the highlights of BA .. I think it will be nice and hot when you visit

ahh, how could I forget the wonderful VAT.. =)
We dealt with it in Italy also. Is it taxed on top of everything in Argentina then?? Any way of getting it refunded?

The NW of Argentina is even cheaper than BA or PAtagonia... and the sceneries are amazing...
Flintstones

Yes Angela. There is a check in for Global Refund when you leave the country, in the International airport. Argentina has very good prices and places to visit. I live in Buenos Aires,
It is a very good choice!!! good luck and ask me if you like.

my e-mail : [email protected]

speaking as an American, I thought hotels and restaurants were very inexpensive. We went to wonderful places for far less money than anything comparable in the US.

By Argentine standards, we picked some places that were expensive, but by my standards at home, they were all a bargain.

The VAT refund does NOT apply to hotels or restaurants, only to SOME shopping in upscale places.

Thanks for all the info. It looks like an amazing place. Consuelo I'll be in touch if I have any ?s as we get further in planning. =)

Like everywhere else, it depends of where you stay. Generally speaking, restaurants will be extraordinarily inexpensive. However, shopping and lodging in Recoleta can be similar to shopping and lodging in New York.

We did a similar trip a couple of years ago (but in February) - Buenos Aires and then Iguazu. It was absolutely wonderful. We STILL talk about how affordable it was. You get the feel of a European city in Buenos Aires, but everything seemed incredible cheap for us (from NY). Food especially. It makes the flight worth it, I think.

We rented an apartment in BA and I think that made our experience even better - it was extremely affordable and because we had the kitchen we enjoyed our neighborhood more by having the experience of getting groceries. We left our stuff at &quot;home&quot; when we went to Iguazu, and it was still worth it. We had 10 days and felt 3 days in Iguazu and the rest in BA was perfect.

As someone else mentioned, food and taxis are very cheap and the food was excellent. We bought a lot of leather too, which was a great value and now we're sorry we didn't buy more.

Have a wonderful time if you choose to go!

Friends of mine who have a 2nd home in BA tell me that the international chain hotels - Hilton, etc - have rates comparable to everywhere else. Smaller and Argentine-owned hotels have rates reflecting the depressed currency and economic crash of a few years ago, i.e., really good. And you can expect to eat well for less.

I just saw a Globetrekker show about BA and at the end Justine says it's very expensive. I think in relation to most of South America, that's true. But not, generally, compared prices in the USA.

VERY inexpensive. Mind you I live in NYC but we were laughing out loud at how cheap it was!!! We stayed in an OK hotel and each paid $40 a night. Dinners out (and I'm talking 4 course--- wine etc) were $40 MAX and we pigged out. Cabs were super cheap. Wine was cheaper than water. I loved it. HIGHLY recommend.

the globetrekker show is old. It was produced before the currency devaluation. I thought the same thing when I heard it until I noticed that it was filmed in 2000 when the peso was equal to the dollar.

Aha!

With pleasure Angela!!! Keep us in touch. But you remember: the flights have international prices.Do you speak Spanish? [email protected]
Bye

Example of last nights dinner which was too much to eat, Italian, pasta with putanesca sauce, and some small polenta thingees with sauce and 2 drinks, AR 18.00 or U$6.00.
We took our longest taxi ride yesterday- out to the polo fields and Belgrano-AR$12-U$4.00
I saw some shoes I want to go back and try on today, here in Recoleta...suede/leather pointy toe, little heel..beautiful.about $40 US..

The ArtSuites hotel in November was U$110 a night, including breakfast &amp; tax.

We won't talk about the airfare we paid this time lol.
Hope this helps ((F)

I greatly appreciate everyone's comments affirming everything I've heard. I speak Portuguese, but my husband who is from Brazil, speaks some Spanish. I'm sure we'll get along fine. =)

travellamb,

In which neighborhood did you rent your apartment? Would you rent in the same place again?

Di you rent direct or with an agent?

We will be in Argentina in November and plan on renting an apt in Bueons Aires