San Telmo safe at night?
 

I was ready to book a room at this B&B: http://bonitobuenosaires.com/en_santelmo_index.html

It's on Av Juan de Garay between Defensa and Bolivar. I'm a 65 year old solo female traveler, and my friend who used to live in BsAs, and still has friends there, is telling me that San Telmo isn't safe for me at night. This is a neat B&B at a good price (at least for my dates) and the area seems to be convenient. However, I have no wish to run into unnecessary trouble. Is it really a bad idea to stay there, and would I be better off at Thames and Jose Antonio Cabrera in Palermo Soho instead? (I won't be wearing anything worth stealing, and I'll leave my passport and ATM cards in the B&B or in my money belt.)

If I were you, I would heed the advice of your friend's local friends.

Have a great time in our town.

Have listened to the warnings and booked the Duque in Palermo instead.

Although I have heeded the warnings, I'm puzzled.

If San Telmo is such a dangerous area at night, why do all the guidebooks list hotels there? The place I was considering is a "Fodor's Choice"! I suppose Fodors might think I'd take taxis every night, but I doubt Lonely Planet and Rough Guide do.

I don't think "San Telmo is SUCH a dangerous area at night".

However, considering you describe yourself "a 65 year old solo female traveler", why court trouble?

As a matter of course, I would tend to avoid places suggested by "all the guidebooks", but that's just the way I am.

Have you read the Bonito's reviews on TA?

http://tinyurl.com/cylkcel

I wouldn't even consider staying there.

Have a great time time in our town, staying in the Palermo area.

Well, Palermo is "suggested by all the guidebooks" too. Although I too prefer less touristy places, on a first visit I'm more likely stay nearer the sights.

Those reviews are for the sister hotel in Montserrat. I was looking at the B&B in San Telmo, formerly the Cocker, reviewed here:

http://tinyurl.com/9dl6bgp

I am in a similar situation, beginning to plan for a trip this April... female, solo, first time in Argentina. From what I've read, San Telmo is described as a bohemian, gentrifying area, mostly fine, but I have read several times that one needs to be very careful walking alone after dark. For me, if I had a friend with me, I'd likely be ok with it, but alone in an unfamiliar foreign city,it would make me a bit nervous. I decided to avoid staying there as well for that reason... I don't want to put myself in a situation where I feel uneasy/on edge walking home each evening. It does sound like a neat area to poke around in during the day though!

We spent a month in BsAs in February last year staying in Las Canitas - part of Palermo. Spent several evenings in San Telmo with a friend who owns a bar and a restaurant there and certainly did a lot of walking around the streets with him and felt fine....but he knows the area well. Mainly I would say for the few nights you have in BsAs Palermo is preferable for its location and proximity to the main sites you'll likely want to see.

My 2 cents worth :)
First of all, there are a few "Palermo's" .. Palermo Botanico can be walked to from Recoleta, it is a family neighborhood, shops, stores, parks, the zoo .. Then there is Palermo Soho ( imagine NYC Soho but more funky) Palermo Hollywood ( restaurants) ..
I always think of Las Canitas as being part of Belgrano.. they border each other. It is a bit farther away from things but very nice.
San Telmo is lovely but the danger part comes when a person who does not know their way around, wanders ( especially a night) into the neighboring areas of Monserrat .. then there are the areas near the highways that are not safe at all.
During the day, most of the neighborhood is like all others, busy people going about their day, it is the night that can be troublesome and you don't want that on your holiday. Not to mention, San Telmo is a bit farther away from the tourist sights that you will want to visit each day. Traffic and transportation prices going up can be annoying, staying more centrally located is just smarter in this way.
Recoleta/Barrio Norte/Palermo Chico/Botanico are excellent for single women travellers as well as everyone else.

Things change rapidly. In Buenos Aires you must be alert in all areas all day all night.
There are many good taxis and remises.