Going to BA Jan 2005 - need hotel help
 

Hi everyone. I have been reading all your wonderful messages tonight :)

I just bought my ticket to BA for a 9-day stay in mid-January. I can't decide where I should stay! Downtown, Recoleta, or somewhere else??

My hotel budget is $100/night (tax included). I would like to do the "usual" sightseeing, but I am also interested in cafes, bars, clubs, and shopping.

I also need advice on how comfortable it is for a 32-year old female to go to bars/clubs alone.

Any hotel and nightlife advice?? Thanks!!

Recoleta is a mixed neighborhood--tourists and residents. The poshest areas of Recoleta compete with the upper east side of NY. The nightlife in Recoleta is far superior to most parts of downtown.

Dowtnown is a mixed area--commercial and tourism.

You will have to decide which area is best for you. For 100 per night or less, I like the following hotels (my tastes tend toward botique hotels and those with character, rather than a typical hotel that could just as well be in Ames, Iowa as in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These hotels are in historic buildings that have been renovated and are in excellent shape:

NH Jouston. On Corrientes, downtown. Not far from Plaza de Mayo and Puerto Madero. The NH City is also in this area, but is much larger and impersonal.

Hotel Belair. On Arenales in the Recoleta/barrio norte. Great looking building with good restaurant and near lots of good restaurants, bars and shops.

Nightlife:

Museo in San Telmo has a happy hour on Wed's that lasts well into the night.

Kilkenny Pub. Reconquista/marcelo T. De Alvear downtown. Very crowded at night, with a mix of locals and tourists.

Gran Bar Danzon. On Libertad between Santa Fe and Arenales (near the Belair hotel). A wine and sushi bar, favored by young and chic Portenos.

Las Canitas. An section of Belgrano brimming with bars and restaurants. The Soul Cafe is one of the best.

Palermo Viejo/Hollywood. Another trendy part of town with lots of bars/restaurants. The area surrounding Plaza Serrano is a good place to start.

Deep Blue. A cool bar/pool hall. There are two locations, one in Recoleta and the other downtown.

Tequila. A trendy late night restaurant/disco. Opens at 11 for dinner, and the tables are cleared about 1AM for dancing till dawn. Costanera Norte.

Asia de Cuba. Near the Hilton Hotel in Puerto Madero. Another fashionable disco.

Night clubs in general:I take a large group of university students to BsAs each year. They report that the men in discos can be very, very aggressive....way beyond the suggestive leers and comments found in the United States. They also report that if you are mouthy enough and don't hesitate to apply your knee to the groin of males who try to grope you, you will soon be left alone.

Drdawggy - thank you for all of your information. I go to Turkey a lot, so I am used to the aggressive behavior! I will make sure I bring my boxing gloves, hahah.

Re hotels, I'll check out NH Jouston and Belair. Do you have an opinion on Colon and Crillon hotels? I have been looking at expedia and orbitz, and those hotels keep popping up. Just curious. Thanks!!

I have never stayed in either the Crillon or the Colon so I can't comment one way or the other. My impression is that they are more dated than the hotels I mentioned. I have been by the Crillon before, and it is near Plaza San Martin in the downtown area.

If you check the hotels I mention, try the websites for rates. http://www.hotelbelair.com.ar/
http://www.nh-hoteles.com

Also, before you book via expedia, try either cintia at wowargentina.com or Mike at argentinago.com to compare rates. These are local agents and can often get you better rates than you will find on-line.

Glad to hear you have boxing gloves.

I just noticed that you are not going until January...you should be able to get a good rate at a BA hotel in January...it is the middle of summer.....

Be sure and get a place with a good air conditioner! Neither of the hotels I mentioned have a swimming pool, but the NH City does....and it is within your price range and an excellent hotel.

Thank you again for your response. Yes, air conditioning is key. Having a pool would be nice because I do need to relax. I contacted BelAir today. The rates are between $80-$100 depending on the room for my stay. Good deal, tax and breakfast included in those rates. I will also check out NH. I will also email the travel agents you listed.

Thanks again for your help :)