Neighborhood to stay in in Buenos Aires
Jan 23rd, 2009, 07:01 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neighborhood to stay in in Buenos Aires
My partner and I are planning our first ever visit to Buenos Aires for my 40th birthday in October and I need some help on choosing a neighborhood to stay in. I'm debating between San Telmo and Palermo. Looking for a boutique type hotel without too much attititude and a neighborhood that's nice to walk around and preferably convenient to the Subte. I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me. Thanks!
Jan 23rd, 2009, 09:04 AM
#2
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was just there, came back to L.A. on Dec 28th, and stayed in Palermo Hollywood which I liked a lot.
I plan to return, in summer, and will be staying in Palermo Soho, for 5 days of my Buenos Aires stay and then somewhere else (haven't decided yet) for the remaining days. Check out palermosoholoft.com. These are new lofts. I contacted them, by e-mail, and have booked here. You may need to e-mail places twice as e-mail, in Buenos Aires, seems to get lost in cyber space.
Two advantages of staying at the loft are that the Kendra restaurant is downstairs. It's a popular local restaurant that has gotten high reviews. I checked some of the reviews and also the the La Viruta (tango) is in the same block. Yippee! The Palermo Soho Loft is at Armenia 1396 and the La Viruta is at Armenia 1366. Check out the website at http://www.lavirutatango.com/english...copyright.html. Also if you go on youtube and type in La Viruta, there's some great video of tango dancers there.
As for San Telmo, it's a nice area, but I'd personally pick Palermo over San Telmo. I had thought of staying in both San Telmo and Palermo Soho on the upcoming return, summer trip, but I e-mailed the mansiondandiroyal.com twice and haven't heard back from them, so they're off my list.
Since, I noticed that La Viruta just happens to be in the same block as the Palermo Soho Loft, I will be close to a tango hall and won't need to be at the Mansion Dandi Royal. I can keep plenty busy in my neighborhood. I usually stay in 1-3 places, within a 7-8 day stay in any city that I travel to. I like to try out different areas and places.
The Parlermo Soho Loft consists of only 4 lofts in the whole building which I think is great. Each loft is US$180. a night, but I e-mailed them and negotiated a "cash" price to be paid in either US dollars or pesos and the price was dropped to $162. a night. Argentina is a "cash" country. I was even able to go into a major store, at a mall, and pay in cash US dollars which made things so easy.
I was in Buenos Aires for 8 days and only cashed $500 into pesos, at the beginning of the trip, at the airport. I came home with pesos. I used cash dollars to pay for all of my tours of which I had 4 of them for a total of $297. and then I paid dollars for some other miscellaneous items and clothing. Happy Travels!
I plan to return, in summer, and will be staying in Palermo Soho, for 5 days of my Buenos Aires stay and then somewhere else (haven't decided yet) for the remaining days. Check out palermosoholoft.com. These are new lofts. I contacted them, by e-mail, and have booked here. You may need to e-mail places twice as e-mail, in Buenos Aires, seems to get lost in cyber space.
Two advantages of staying at the loft are that the Kendra restaurant is downstairs. It's a popular local restaurant that has gotten high reviews. I checked some of the reviews and also the the La Viruta (tango) is in the same block. Yippee! The Palermo Soho Loft is at Armenia 1396 and the La Viruta is at Armenia 1366. Check out the website at http://www.lavirutatango.com/english...copyright.html. Also if you go on youtube and type in La Viruta, there's some great video of tango dancers there.
As for San Telmo, it's a nice area, but I'd personally pick Palermo over San Telmo. I had thought of staying in both San Telmo and Palermo Soho on the upcoming return, summer trip, but I e-mailed the mansiondandiroyal.com twice and haven't heard back from them, so they're off my list.
Since, I noticed that La Viruta just happens to be in the same block as the Palermo Soho Loft, I will be close to a tango hall and won't need to be at the Mansion Dandi Royal. I can keep plenty busy in my neighborhood. I usually stay in 1-3 places, within a 7-8 day stay in any city that I travel to. I like to try out different areas and places.
The Parlermo Soho Loft consists of only 4 lofts in the whole building which I think is great. Each loft is US$180. a night, but I e-mailed them and negotiated a "cash" price to be paid in either US dollars or pesos and the price was dropped to $162. a night. Argentina is a "cash" country. I was even able to go into a major store, at a mall, and pay in cash US dollars which made things so easy.
I was in Buenos Aires for 8 days and only cashed $500 into pesos, at the beginning of the trip, at the airport. I came home with pesos. I used cash dollars to pay for all of my tours of which I had 4 of them for a total of $297. and then I paid dollars for some other miscellaneous items and clothing. Happy Travels!
Jan 23rd, 2009, 09:31 AM
#4
I think for your first trip you'd be better off in Palermo. On our first trip we split time between Recoleta and Palmero. We liked San Telmo so this time we started our trip in San Telmo, left BA and then returned to Palmero Soho for the end of the trip. But on the second trip we didn't feel the need to see lots of sites, so we just stuck to ST and enjoyed hanging out in the neighborhood. I loved San Telmo, but there seems to be limited number of hotels and it doesn't seem as centrally located.
We stayed at Hotel Babel in ST and it was ok. The Cocker House is popular, but u need to book early to get in there. I spent a lot of time researching areas of ST and was greatly assisted by people on Trip Advisor.
In general in BA people are incredibly nice and I don't think we ever experienced attitude anywhere.
Palmero has tons of boutique hotels to choose from, restaurants and shopping and is much more crowded (toursity even) than ST. We enjoyed a stay at Miravida Soho. The suite is very nice. Definitely visit San Telmo esp for their fair on Sunday.
Have fun planning!
We stayed at Hotel Babel in ST and it was ok. The Cocker House is popular, but u need to book early to get in there. I spent a lot of time researching areas of ST and was greatly assisted by people on Trip Advisor.
In general in BA people are incredibly nice and I don't think we ever experienced attitude anywhere.
Palmero has tons of boutique hotels to choose from, restaurants and shopping and is much more crowded (toursity even) than ST. We enjoyed a stay at Miravida Soho. The suite is very nice. Definitely visit San Telmo esp for their fair on Sunday.
Have fun planning!
Jan 23rd, 2009, 10:25 AM
#5
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree about the "attitude" statement. I didn't find Buenos Aires to have any "attitude" problems. It was as kicked back and the people were as kind and nice as the southern California I grew up in as a kid and young adult, before the swarms of folks. Smiles. I'm in my early 50s now. Happy Travels!
Jan 23rd, 2009, 12:42 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Coming from NYC, expecting attitude is normal.. we did too. But every day, we are amazed at the friendliness and kindness of the people of Buenos Aires.
Home Hotel in Palermo would be nice for you. They have a pool, the owner and his wife are well liked by customers and residents ..
http://www.homebuenosaires.com/home/
October is a good time, the weather will be warming up, nights will still be cool and it is usually sunny with blue skies every day.
But book ahead on the hotel, that is the beginning of the tourist season.
Home Hotel in Palermo would be nice for you. They have a pool, the owner and his wife are well liked by customers and residents ..
http://www.homebuenosaires.com/home/
October is a good time, the weather will be warming up, nights will still be cool and it is usually sunny with blue skies every day.
But book ahead on the hotel, that is the beginning of the tourist season.
Jan 25th, 2009, 03:35 PM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you all for the great responses! I think we'll stay in Palermo as it seems more fun. Of course I'll check out San Telmo too. I'm sure I'll have more questions before we depart. Can't wait for the trip!
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
Jan 25th, 2009, 11:44 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My wife and I are currently renting an apartment in the Recoleta neighborhood a few blocks from the Recoleta Cemetery, where EVITA is buried. We've been here since June 2008, traveling throughout South America.
There's been an increase in street crime. This is a third world country with 13 million people living in Buenos Aires. Like in NYC, my home town you have to be careful and know where to go. I don't recommend San Telmo. Just go to San telmo for the Sunday market and on weekdays for antique shopping and art galleries. Nights are a problem.
Recoleta is an upscale neighborhood but you'll find accommodations reasonable because the USA $$ is strong here. We rented our 1-bedroom apartment with a 24-hour doorman (highly recommended) from Reynolds Propiedades.Com Ask for Jimena Souto. $400.00 can get you a nice apartment for a week. Jimena, will find you an apartment for a week or more -- cheaper than any decent Hotel in Buenos Aires.
(mention Virginia and Michael). Recoleta has many fine restaurants, good shopping on Santa Fe Avenue. Public transportation on Las Heras Avenue. And the D-Line subway (green line) very close on Santa Fe and Pueyrredon Street. It's a clean good residential neighborhood a 10-minute bus ride (colectivo) for 1 PESO & 10-cents will get you downtown. A very short subway (subte) ride -- 3-stops. You can walk to downtown in 20-minutes. Palermo is nice too but there's a lot of clubs and noise and it can be a problem late at night. TAXI's are very cheap. Always take a TAXI at nights when it gets dark, especially if you are out late. Only take RADIO TAXI's. Night life starts here at 11:00 P.M. Restaurants open for dinner at 8:30 P.M. One caution, unlike in Manhattan, cars, taxi's & bus's have the right of way. Be careful crossing streets -- ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths. They speed here!
There's been an increase in street crime. This is a third world country with 13 million people living in Buenos Aires. Like in NYC, my home town you have to be careful and know where to go. I don't recommend San Telmo. Just go to San telmo for the Sunday market and on weekdays for antique shopping and art galleries. Nights are a problem.
Recoleta is an upscale neighborhood but you'll find accommodations reasonable because the USA $$ is strong here. We rented our 1-bedroom apartment with a 24-hour doorman (highly recommended) from Reynolds Propiedades.Com Ask for Jimena Souto. $400.00 can get you a nice apartment for a week. Jimena, will find you an apartment for a week or more -- cheaper than any decent Hotel in Buenos Aires.
(mention Virginia and Michael). Recoleta has many fine restaurants, good shopping on Santa Fe Avenue. Public transportation on Las Heras Avenue. And the D-Line subway (green line) very close on Santa Fe and Pueyrredon Street. It's a clean good residential neighborhood a 10-minute bus ride (colectivo) for 1 PESO & 10-cents will get you downtown. A very short subway (subte) ride -- 3-stops. You can walk to downtown in 20-minutes. Palermo is nice too but there's a lot of clubs and noise and it can be a problem late at night. TAXI's are very cheap. Always take a TAXI at nights when it gets dark, especially if you are out late. Only take RADIO TAXI's. Night life starts here at 11:00 P.M. Restaurants open for dinner at 8:30 P.M. One caution, unlike in Manhattan, cars, taxi's & bus's have the right of way. Be careful crossing streets -- ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths. They speed here!
Jan 26th, 2009, 03:42 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hezulltogo, where did you get this information?
<i> ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths. They speed here! </i>
I cannot find anything that supports this as fact.
Africa leads the world in auto deaths and the AmericaS are after that.. maybe you mean in the entire country?
And Buenos Aires is not Third World.
San Telmo is actually just another neighborhood with families and young professionals living and working there .. there are a few parts on the outskirts of the barrio and along the highway (which is also not very pretty) where no one should stay or would want to stay, otherwise, it is a nice place to stay. In this case though- it is a bit far from everything for a visitor who is not staying for a longer amount of time.
I have friends who come here each year for a few months and they love staying in San Telmo.
I live in Recoleta but for convenience, I think Palermo is also good. Better actually for Subte access. Palermo also has most of the really nice Boutique hotels, Recoleta is known for more of the Grand hotels..
<i> ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths. They speed here! </i>
I cannot find anything that supports this as fact.
Africa leads the world in auto deaths and the AmericaS are after that.. maybe you mean in the entire country?
And Buenos Aires is not Third World.
San Telmo is actually just another neighborhood with families and young professionals living and working there .. there are a few parts on the outskirts of the barrio and along the highway (which is also not very pretty) where no one should stay or would want to stay, otherwise, it is a nice place to stay. In this case though- it is a bit far from everything for a visitor who is not staying for a longer amount of time.
I have friends who come here each year for a few months and they love staying in San Telmo.
I live in Recoleta but for convenience, I think Palermo is also good. Better actually for Subte access. Palermo also has most of the really nice Boutique hotels, Recoleta is known for more of the Grand hotels..
Jan 26th, 2009, 12:52 PM
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
~sigh~ Yes, drdawggy, I try to be understanding of people who post things without thinking or even knowing what they are talking about ... I have done it too. ( still do sometimes lol)
But you know how it is ... I
Buenos Aires ~
But you know how it is ... I
Buenos Aires ~
Jan 26th, 2009, 01:13 PM
#13
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I understand we have the dubious privilege of being number one in "auto accident deaths" in percentage terms, meaning compared to the number of existing vehicles, so, as far as I know, forum member hezulltogo DOES know what he is talking about.
Jan 26th, 2009, 01:24 PM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And where is that information provided?
All the charts that I looked at were the same, Africa came out on top for the numbers of auto deaths..
Nowhere did the poster mention Percentages..
quote-
ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths.
All the charts that I looked at were the same, Africa came out on top for the numbers of auto deaths..
Nowhere did the poster mention Percentages..
quote-
ARGENTINA is #1 in the entire world for auto accident deaths.
Jan 26th, 2009, 02:03 PM
#15
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am aware of the obvious fact that hezulltogo did NOT mention percentages, but that is what he meant and that is the relevant figure.
After talking to my friend Google for just a few seconds, he gave me the following:
http://www.luchemos.org.ar/ingles/index.htm
Have a great time in our town, but be careful when you cross the street. Never mind the color of the traffic light.
After talking to my friend Google for just a few seconds, he gave me the following:
http://www.luchemos.org.ar/ingles/index.htm
Have a great time in our town, but be careful when you cross the street. Never mind the color of the traffic light.
Jan 26th, 2009, 02:11 PM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.safecarguide.com/exp/stat...statistics.htm
This website says Ethiopia has the most auto fatalities.
Although another website said Italy was tops in the EU ..
I could not find anything on that website that said Argentina was number 1 in the world .. regardless of guessing what the poster <i>meant</i>...
Anyone who is here for one day knows the drivers are not famous for being good and safe drivers but I still don't see that statistic anywhere.. but it really isn't important.
People will still come visit and fall in love with Argentina, regardless of the bad drivers ..
This website says Ethiopia has the most auto fatalities.
Although another website said Italy was tops in the EU ..
I could not find anything on that website that said Argentina was number 1 in the world .. regardless of guessing what the poster <i>meant</i>...
Anyone who is here for one day knows the drivers are not famous for being good and safe drivers but I still don't see that statistic anywhere.. but it really isn't important.
People will still come visit and fall in love with Argentina, regardless of the bad drivers ..
Jan 26th, 2009, 02:46 PM
#18
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From the website of "Luchemos por la Vida" http://www.luchemos.org.ar/ingles/index.htm
"Luchemos por la Vida ("Let's fight for life"
is a non-profit organization working to improve the quality of life and whose only purpose is to help prevent traffic accidents in our country.
These accidents are the cause of 20 deaths each day (more than 7,000 a year), more than 130,000 injured people each year, and terrible material losses (estimated in U$S 10 billion a year).
These figures turn out to be unfortunately high for the population of the country where there are 6,800,000 circulating vehicles.
These figures are also too high when compared to those of developed countries, which have a fatality rate six to ten times lower (considering the number of circulating vehicles). In 2000, 1,126 people died in Argentina for each 1,000,000 circulating vehicles."
It should be QUITE obvious that if you wish to gauge how dangerous a country is in this respect, you have to use the RATE of fatal accidents per circulating vehicle, not just the NUMBER of fatal accidents in any given country.
"Luchemos por la Vida ("Let's fight for life"
is a non-profit organization working to improve the quality of life and whose only purpose is to help prevent traffic accidents in our country. These accidents are the cause of 20 deaths each day (more than 7,000 a year), more than 130,000 injured people each year, and terrible material losses (estimated in U$S 10 billion a year).
These figures turn out to be unfortunately high for the population of the country where there are 6,800,000 circulating vehicles.
These figures are also too high when compared to those of developed countries, which have a fatality rate six to ten times lower (considering the number of circulating vehicles). In 2000, 1,126 people died in Argentina for each 1,000,000 circulating vehicles."
It should be QUITE obvious that if you wish to gauge how dangerous a country is in this respect, you have to use the RATE of fatal accidents per circulating vehicle, not just the NUMBER of fatal accidents in any given country.
Jan 26th, 2009, 11:32 PM
#20
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 9,360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IWe spent two months in Argentina last year (including one month in BA). I have to say that I felt that the Argenine reputation for bad driving was undeserved and in the main found them courteous drivers. However, upon my return home to London I got the distinct impression that the London drivers were actually trying to kill me!! We spent a few months living and working in Sierra Leone in West Africa - believe me there you will find the worst drivers in the world!
As for the statistics, as someone once said " there are lies, damned lies and there are statistics!"
As for the statistics, as someone once said " there are lies, damned lies and there are statistics!"
