Suggestions for Buenos Aires
 

My husband and I are coming to Buenos Aires for a belated honeymoon this November. We thought about renting an apartment through HomeAway.com. Does anyone know if this is a better way to go instead of hotels?

We haven't decided if we plan to travel to other cities within Argentina since flights seem to be a little expensive. If we do we probably will only venture to one other city. We will be there for seven days and eight nights. Anyone have any suggestions as to which city other city aside from Buenos Aires is a MUST see?

Any other places to visit, things to see, restaurants to eat at suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Try www.ryanair.com and look for accomodations where you will bed and breakfasts, hostels, apartments, and hotels. I went to Santiago, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo using this web site and everything worked out fine.

It's great you are coming to Argentina for your honeymoon!!!
Due to the little time you will be here I highly recommend you visit the Iguazú falls, it's an amazing place and you will have an unforgettable experience. Visit both sides, Argentina and Brazil and also try to take the moonlight walk, the perfect excursion for a newlyweds!

Hello,

Yeh Argentina is SUCH a romantic place! Iguazu is great, and most people just go for a night and 2 full days, which is all it really needs, flights with bsas4u are around $280 return, which isnt too bad for a 1.5hr flight. Another option could be a couple of days in Bariloche where you can explore the lakes and mountains, in both cases the scenery is spectacular! Bariloche probably has more to offer in terms of activities, Iguazu is more about just observing!

Have a great time!

I completely agree with SOFI; I think 2 nights would be perfect. If you are from the US, and if you are reluctant to pay the Brazilian VISA charge, you would likely find one night enough. But, if you are only there for one night, and this is a belated honeymoon, you should consider the Sheraton right in the I. Falls park.

We found the Falls magical and more stunning than Niagra or Victoria Falls.

Happy Honeymoon. ~Marnie

<red>paulb2009, I have noticed your advertising on TripAdvisor also. Have you actually been to Buenos Aires or are you just spamming ?</red>

I have not heard of HomeAway but many <B>many,</B> people rent apartments for stays of a week or more.

I go along with the others, stay in BA, take a night or 2 in Iguazu and maybe a day trip to Colonia on the high speed ferry, and perhaps a day on an Estancia.
That would give you a nice rounded sort of look at various parts of life in this area.
** get marnie to tell you about the Estancia where she stayed :) **
I agree with staying in the Sheraton. Forget what it looks like, it is the view outside that makes it a good place to stay .. other than it being the only hotel <I>within</I> the Park.

A day in Tigre might be fun too, with a boat ride, going in and out of the waterways and seeing life on a Delta.

Happy Honeymoon ((L))

I agree with MarnieWDC... the visa isnt necessarily worth it, the view is excellent from the Argentinean side and lots of people just go for a night and 2 days! The Brazilian side is closer, but personally I prefer the Argentinean side - its more dramatic!

Have a great trip!

As you are only here for 7 days, I suggest that you read about all the above possible side-trips and pick just one ... or one side-trip and a day trip, such as Tigre (a train ride, a boat ride on the Delta - fun). They are all very good options, it is just a matter of preference. Our first trip we went to Iguazzu Falls, because I just love Falls - and they didn't disappoint. But, if you want the plains and an Estancia, consider Scarlett's reference to San Antonio de Arecho (by bus), & overnight in Estancia el Ombu.

So many great options, so few days...just plan to return for your anniversary.

Best to you, ~Marnie

Another vote for El Ombu. I loved it there. It was exactly what I expected an estancia to be. The food was delicious and I loved riding.

www.asiarooms.com Iguazu

Claridge my fav in BsAs usually cheaper nicer than apts

Falls view room at the Sheraton $200

very romantic for me...

Brazil side visa not worth it...

Just another opinion on the Falls:

We thought the Brazilian side was quite stunning; It provided a different perspective and feel.

Time, money, personal interest and preference should be your deciding factors.

Chao, ~Marnie

I would opt for a bed and breakfast in BA. Take the hydrofoil to Uraguay either to Colonia or stay the night in Puenta del Este (if you are beach people). You could go to the falls or go to Mendoza wine country depending on your interest.

If you go to the falls I would look for a B&B on the Argentina side. The Sheraton is $US 300.00 a night. A nice B&B, likes Los Troncos is $us 100. You can take a taxi to the Brazil side and it will wait for you and save the $150 visa fee for US citzens.

You may want to look into a nice boutique hotel that I stayed at back in April - the Nuss Hotel in Palermo Soho. Perfect location, beautiful hotel and friendly staff.

As someone else mentioned, a trip to Tigre might be worthwhile. If you are looking for some off-the-beaten-track adventure, you could try a bike tour of the area.

http://www.nusshotel.com/
http://en.urbanbiking.com/Cycling-Tours/Tigre-Delta/

For a rental you might want to try www.nancylandi.com. My wife and I are going in January, where we are staying in the same building in Recoleta as friends who are going for a month. They had a friend in BA check out several properties from different websites and found Nanci Landi's to be the best. There is also a US number to call to speak to them.

Regarding taking a taxi to the Brazil side and not having a visa... I have heard lately on other forums that this might not be a great idea. Going from one country into another without a visa might get you in trouble. From what I hear, it is hit or miss, some people get away with it and some have problems.
I , personally, would get a visa before taking that chance.

A daytrip to Colonia in Uruguay would be fantastic! I've been there a couple of weeks ago with my boyfriend and it was great! Really romantic, specially the boat ride!

If you do the falls, see both sides. I stayed on the Brazilian side right in the park itself in the one and only upscale hotel there. The next day a couple from Israel and I boarded a "big" bus with our independent guide and ventured to the falls on the Argentine side. My what a variance of the two.

We stayed on that side for at least six or more hours just taking it all in.

I'd stay in an apartment in BA if I were you two. I stayed in a lovely apartment 1 bd which I got through www.bairesapartments.com; the apartment was in Recoleta and not too far from the National Art Museum. While there I walked throughout the community, taking in all of its attributes.

If I were you I wouldnt take a taxi to the falls without a visa, there are always ways to make money out of ilegal tourists in South America and if you're unlucky you could be one of them! You'd be best off just spending 1 or 2 nights there from the BA side or getting a visa and going via Rio...

Have a great trip!

Another vote for prudence regarding border crossing without a Visa - it could be a really dredfull and costly experience.

I agree with Scarlett and bsasexpert - do not risk turning your vacation into a nightmare !

If you cannot afford the Visa, enjoy the Argentine side more fully.

~Marnie

Yeh, you DEFINITELY wont run out of places to visit and things to see and do in Argentina... you could spend a few months travelling in Argentina alone before you would have seen it all!

Happy trip planning!

Thanks for all your suggestions!! If we go ahead with renting an apartment for our time in BA, what are the best areas that are in good locations close to markets, museums, etc.?

The main areas for apartment rentals and tourist activities would be Recoleta, Palermo and San Telmo.
Recoleta has a few of the main / big museums, the Decorative Artes, the Belle Artes and the MALBA as well as the Palais de Glace and some smaller wonderful musuems, the Metropolitan for one. Palermo has the Evita and the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo and La Rural ... both neighborhoods have a lot of big beautiful parks..
All neighborhoods have plenty of markets.. you can hardly go a block or 2 without seeing a produce market, kioskos and drug stores.. Disco and Carrefours supermarkets ..

When we visited BA, we stayed at the ArtSuites in Recoleta, when we moved here we rented an apartment in Recoleta and decided after some weeks of wandering , that this was also where we wanted to live. I had a particular sort of apartment building that I wanted to live in and we found one here.
Some people enjoy staying in different areas, it all depends on taste and some on pocketbook.
What you want is to be in a clean and as quiet as possible apartment where you will be safe and able to walk out the door and enjoy all that the city has to offer.

Taxis and buses get you around, we always walk or take a taxi.

If you want to see the Brasilian side of Iguazu and are on a budget -- you can save enough money to procure your visas simply by opting out of staying at the very over-priced Sheraton. Being within the park is no great shakes - the view is NOT stupendous from the Sheraton -- it's at the edge of the park and the falls are quite a distance away.

If you want the Sheraton experience without the cost -- just have a reliable private driver (such as the one that is recommended through the Secret Garden Bed & Breakfast) take you EARLY to the Sheraton for breakfast or pick you up late from the Sheraton.

BTW, the Secret Garden is a wonderful place to stay.. you'll get much more of a feel for Iguazu as a whole -- and even with you hiring a private driver -- you'll still save an enormous amount of money.

http://www.secretgardeniguazu.com/

If you want to save even more and are more independent in your travel style (willing to take local buses or find your own driver), you can even stay in one of the budget hotels like Los Helechos (where a clean room with AC is around $40 US a night).

http://www.hosterialoshelechos.com.ar/

It is hard to understand how anyone could have been so dumb as to frustrate and drive away such a helpful poster as Ms. Karmalaw...

Well, come to think of it, the same people didn't frustrate me, they banned me for telling it like it is! LOL!!!

Aw Av... it's all politics... each site is like an independent nation -- and just like some countries you're only allowed to spew forth propaganda! Or copy and paste the "allowed" information (regardless of whether you've actually been to the destination you're commenting about).

Me? I'm an advocate that's pro-traveler and skewed anti-tourist (meaning: if you want to eat at MacDonalds, stay in a US hotel chain, ride a tour bus guided only in English, and want to pay everything in dollars -- I'm probably going to why you don't stay home and buy a coffee table book -- but if you'd like to move beyond the glass wall that separates the tourists from the locals and experience the flavor -- ask on -- I'm here to answer).

oops -- that's "wonder why". no edit feature here either. :-(

dear gods of the travel boards of the universe: please grace us with a board that has EDIT.

your eternal servant,

karmalaw.

Well, no less than a demanding newcomer! LOL!!

Do not expect those gods to please you.

hahahah a girl can be a wishful thinker can't she? I'm ever the optimist...

Sorry but going back to the Iguazú falls, I think you should reconsiderate going to the Brazilian side. You never know when you'll come back so it would be a pitty to be so close to the falls in Brazil and not going there...