Just Back From 1 Week In BA -- What We Liked Best
Apr 4th, 2007, 01:13 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just Back From 1 Week In BA -- What We Liked Best
Aaaaaah! One entire week in BA without kids (our first international trip away since son #1 of 3 was born 6 years ago). It was absolutely fabulous. Some people warned that we would be bored with an entire week in BA. No way! Here's what we liked best:
Our travel agent. We used Paula Isabella from Argentina Travellers (pisabella(at)argentina-travellers.com) -- a small agency in BA. She was fantastic. She knew we had a limited budget and helped make choices accordingly. On the first day, she arranged to meet us at our hotel and then spent 20 minutes, helping us circle restaurants & sights in Fodors & Lonely Plant. She also made additional recommendations -- like where the less expensive shops were (further up Sante Fe Ave). The personal touch was genuine and indicative of the warmth we experinced from thePortenos.
The Art Suites Hotel -- fantastic location in the Recoletta. It was nice to have a bedroom & sitting room, plus the balcony. Staff was super helpful and would call radio taxis or advise on places to eat. Continental breakfast brought to your room in the am -- very prompt. I would highly recommend the place.
Did a day trip to a family owned Estancia called Dos Hermanos Estancia. There were only 15 of us (10 of whom were the flight crew from Air France -- a few of them had been before). A real treat -- not touristy at all. And, talk about beautiful country. You can ride as much as 4 hours out on the ranch with the very friendly guides -- Anna or Archie. I'm not a very good rider, so in the pm, I relaxed under the trees, ate fantastic food / drank wine (continually brought by the Estancia staff) and contemplated a dip in the pool. The ride back to BA was about 1.25 hours and cost 200 pesos. The Estancia was $60 US dollars per person.
The best restaurant of our trip (and we tried a lot of them)
El Trapiche in Palermo -- the biggest, tastiest steaks of the trip. My husband was drooling. We just told the wait staff to bring what they recommended since our Spanish was limited. Best thing we did!
BTW, Cabana las Lilas in Puerto Madera was disappointing; the food was good but the atmosphere was very touristy. It was the only time that we felt rushed through our dinner because of a long line of reservations.
All-in-all a fabulous trip. We miss it and we want to go back!
Our travel agent. We used Paula Isabella from Argentina Travellers (pisabella(at)argentina-travellers.com) -- a small agency in BA. She was fantastic. She knew we had a limited budget and helped make choices accordingly. On the first day, she arranged to meet us at our hotel and then spent 20 minutes, helping us circle restaurants & sights in Fodors & Lonely Plant. She also made additional recommendations -- like where the less expensive shops were (further up Sante Fe Ave). The personal touch was genuine and indicative of the warmth we experinced from thePortenos.
The Art Suites Hotel -- fantastic location in the Recoletta. It was nice to have a bedroom & sitting room, plus the balcony. Staff was super helpful and would call radio taxis or advise on places to eat. Continental breakfast brought to your room in the am -- very prompt. I would highly recommend the place.
Did a day trip to a family owned Estancia called Dos Hermanos Estancia. There were only 15 of us (10 of whom were the flight crew from Air France -- a few of them had been before). A real treat -- not touristy at all. And, talk about beautiful country. You can ride as much as 4 hours out on the ranch with the very friendly guides -- Anna or Archie. I'm not a very good rider, so in the pm, I relaxed under the trees, ate fantastic food / drank wine (continually brought by the Estancia staff) and contemplated a dip in the pool. The ride back to BA was about 1.25 hours and cost 200 pesos. The Estancia was $60 US dollars per person.
The best restaurant of our trip (and we tried a lot of them)
El Trapiche in Palermo -- the biggest, tastiest steaks of the trip. My husband was drooling. We just told the wait staff to bring what they recommended since our Spanish was limited. Best thing we did!
BTW, Cabana las Lilas in Puerto Madera was disappointing; the food was good but the atmosphere was very touristy. It was the only time that we felt rushed through our dinner because of a long line of reservations.
All-in-all a fabulous trip. We miss it and we want to go back!
Apr 4th, 2007, 02:27 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have stayed in Art Suites, eaten at El Trapiche and rode horses at Dos Hermanos....three great choices by your Travel Agent in my opinion....
Cabana las Lilas...ah, if only you had listened to the advice on this board and Trip Advisor....overpriced/overrated...
But if that was your worst experience, you did well...Glad you liked BA!
Cabana las Lilas...ah, if only you had listened to the advice on this board and Trip Advisor....overpriced/overrated...
But if that was your worst experience, you did well...Glad you liked BA!
Apr 4th, 2007, 03:26 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fantastic! Thank you for posting!
So glad you too liked the ArtSuites.that is where we stayed and I thank dr dawggy for his recommendation
" you would be bored with an entire week in BA"...Now that you have been there, you can see how crazy that idea was!! lol
I have to go to that Estancia! I keep reading such good things and I think I need to get on a horse before I am too old lol.
So, Jen, when are you going back?
So glad you too liked the ArtSuites.that is where we stayed and I thank dr dawggy for his recommendation
" you would be bored with an entire week in BA"...Now that you have been there, you can see how crazy that idea was!! lol
I have to go to that Estancia! I keep reading such good things and I think I need to get on a horse before I am too old lol.
So, Jen, when are you going back?
Apr 4th, 2007, 04:01 PM
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
G;lad you had a good time. I agre with Estancia Dos Hermanos, hosts are very good at giving the right horse to each person, and they have a lot. I loved everything there, the ambiance, not touristy at all. Buenos Aires is a cosmopolitan city with many faces and certainly a week is not enough to begin to know it and of course, you cannot get bored in a week I would say.
Nov 2nd, 2007, 11:18 AM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey Wisconsin Jen,
I loved your trip report and would love to contact your travel agent, Paula Isabella. I sent her an email over a week ago to the address you posted, but haven't received a reply. I tried to contact her through what I believe is their web site and got a bounce back.
Can you please verify the contact info you have for her? [email protected]
We're going about the same time of year that you went, and really appreciated all your tips.
Thanks!
I loved your trip report and would love to contact your travel agent, Paula Isabella. I sent her an email over a week ago to the address you posted, but haven't received a reply. I tried to contact her through what I believe is their web site and got a bounce back.
Can you please verify the contact info you have for her? [email protected]
We're going about the same time of year that you went, and really appreciated all your tips.
Thanks!
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:11 PM
#9
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi
We spent nearly a week in BA last year. How could anyone think a week is too long? Maybe they are worrird about their cholestarol. We plan, in a couple of years, to go back but this time we will rent an apartmant and stay 2/3 months.
We spent nearly a week in BA last year. How could anyone think a week is too long? Maybe they are worrird about their cholestarol. We plan, in a couple of years, to go back but this time we will rent an apartmant and stay 2/3 months.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
seeksocean
Mexico & Central America
40
Jan 8th, 2009 08:05 PM
