Pre-Cruise Hotel in Buenos Aires

[Wisconsin Travelers]

We plan to spend a couple of days pre-cruise in mid February in Buenos Aires.  Does anyone have recommendations for a reasonably priced and well-located hotel?  Also, any suggestions for activities for those days?  Thanks!

 

[Budget Queen]

Well located for what?   🙂    I'd suggest doing your touring planning first and finding out what you are going to doing.    THEN your areas are significantly narrowed down.   I am -  extremely picky where I stay in Buenos Aries.  I suggest making sure you have some kind of data plan/SIM card as well-   but of course utmost caution-  with any cell phone display.   🙂   (the snatchers were again, alive and well in  February)   

[Wisconsin Travelers]

We have never been to South America, so we'd like a neighborhood convenient to local non-touristy restaurants, maybe museums, and one where we'd feel safe walking around the area at night.  I know that pickpocket risk is higher in some places than others - we take normal precautions when traveling, and of course, awareness of your surroundings is always important.

 

We would like to do a tango lesson/show - I'm not sure about the dinner these places offer.  Our experience in other countries with dinner shows has not been particularly good . . . show might be good, but food is really mediocre, so we'd probably rather eat somewhere else.  I know there are several places offering these shows - do you know of one or two in particular that you would recommend?  Walking tours in various areas in BA would be of interest, or a Hop On Hop Off to get familiar with the city and then start exploring on our own is something we tend to do when visiting a new city.

 

I've read many of your posts and I'm confident you probably know more about South America than most U.S. travelers!  Why do you think we should bring our cell phone?  We're kind of dinosaurs when it comes to technology and the only times we've ever used a cell phone while traveling in another country is to call Uber.  Most of the time we take subways and public transportation, or local cabs.  Is Uber a better (and safer) option in BA?

 

Another thing we've seen advertised that pique our interest are estancia day trips from BA to see gauchos at work, watch a mini rodeo, maybe some horseback riding, etc.  Do you have any thoughts on that?

 

Thanks so much for your input.  I'm looking forward to your guidance.

[Budget Queen]

On 6/23/2020 at 3:04 PM, Wisconsin Travelers said:

We have never been to South America, so we'd like a neighborhood convenient to local non-touristy restaurants, maybe museums, and one where we'd feel safe walking around the area at night.  I know that pickpocket risk is higher in some places than others - we take normal precautions when traveling, and of course, awareness of your surroundings is always important.

 

We would like to do a tango lesson/show - I'm not sure about the dinner these places offer.  Our experience in other countries with dinner shows has not been particularly good . . . show might be good, but food is really mediocre, so we'd probably rather eat somewhere else.  I know there are several places offering these shows - do you know of one or two in particular that you would recommend?  Walking tours in various areas in BA would be of interest, or a Hop On Hop Off to get familiar with the city and then start exploring on our own is something we tend to do when visiting a new city.

 

I've read many of your posts and I'm confident you probably know more about South America than most U.S. travelers!  Why do you think we should bring our cell phone?  We're kind of dinosaurs when it comes to technology and the only times we've ever used a cell phone while traveling in another country is to call Uber.  Most of the time we take subways and public transportation, or local cabs.  Is Uber a better (and safer) option in BA?

 

Another thing we've seen advertised that pique our interest are estancia day trips from BA to see gauchos at work, watch a mini rodeo, maybe some horseback riding, etc.  Do you have any thoughts on that?

 

Thanks so much for your input.  I'm looking forward to your guidance.

I’ll continue to suggest you look closer at details with your activities of interest.  You’re too general.    I don’t do the meal/theatrical shows.     
 

Walking tours are multiple and excellent.  There are multiple vendors-  perhaps try a few.   I think the La Boca tours are especially worthwhile- Uber works well-  be careful stepping outside the area. There are HOHO buses as well.   I do use Uber which offers fixed prices-  which I prefer.   But-  cell phones are snatch and run targets.   I personally ran into 2 victims-  at the port-  again.   This is common every trip.    
 

I get slammed for being an alarmist-  but it bears out-  every year for the past 10. 14 trips.   Santiago has similar problems.    Last year I spent 3 months in Europe which- again in my experience-  is  not on the personal crime level.    (Travel there at least every year as well).   
 

Overall-  the Recoleta area woks well and could be a safer consideration.    

[Payd]

I recommend looking at the Duque Hotel in Palermo SOHO. Reasonably priced.  Walking distance to wonderful restaurants with street patios.  Also easy walk to the both routes of the HOHO. Attaching some photos of the neighbourhood.

[Wisconsin Travelers]

Thanks for your recommendation, Payd.  Talk about coincidence . . . I started looking around on booking.com last week and saw  the Duque Hotel.  Looked very good to me so I booked it, thinking if someone made a recommendation that looked better I could always cancel.  So thank you for confirming my decision!  Did you try any local restaurants that you liked?

 

You said it's walking distance to the HOHO bus - what did you think of that?  The reviews of a couple of HOHO type bus companies aren't very good.

 

What else did you do in BA that you enjoyed?

[Budget Queen]

There are also several excellent walking tours to consider.  Especially La Boca is good guided option.   It’s worth a walk up guided tour of the Recoleta Cemetery.  There’s a lot more history than the Duarte crypt.    🤩.    
 

If architecture is of interest-  a highlight is the Dante building-  then consider adding the twin-  the Salvo.   🤩.  
 

The Opera house has a very nice tour too.
 

Endless possibilities.     

[Payd]

2 hours ago, Wisconsin Travelers said:

Thanks for your recommendation, Payd.  Talk about coincidence . . . I started looking around on booking.com last week and saw  the Duque Hotel.  Looked very good to me so I booked it, thinking if someone made a recommendation that looked better I could always cancel.  So thank you for confirming my decision!  Did you try any local restaurants that you liked?

 

You said it's walking distance to the HOHO bus - what did you think of that?  The reviews of a couple of HOHO type bus companies aren't very good.

 

What else did you do in BA that you enjoyed?

We stayed at the Duque at the end of February.  We were on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise which debarked Buenos Aires and ended up in San Diego 30 days later.  The hotel offers a good exchange rate to convert USD to ARS.  We tried and liked Butchers Daughter, Crepa and Proper. Proper was amazing, although you can walk right past the entrance because there isn't much for signage. And it was inexpensive! We shared a bone in 28 oz steak (we call them Tomahawk Steaks in Canada), a couple of sides and a bottle of wine.  Total cost including tip was around $25 USD.  The HOHO stops on either side of a park, which on weekends is set up like a farmers market, and there are some performances, etc.  The HOHO comes as commented on by Tripadvisor . . . commentary isn't very good . . . but we used it as more of a form of transportation to get around the City . . . we don't like structured tours very much and prefer to do things at our own pace.  We loved the architecture, the plazas, and the history of the City.  There was a nice market by the Recoleta Cemetery . . . we accidently toured the cemetery trying to short cut to the Hard Rock Cafe  . . . but that is another story.  We also did a day trip to the Tigre Delta, and others on the ship did a day trip to the Iguazu Falls, which when we get back to Buenos Aires, will definitely tour.

[Heartfelttraveler]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Puerto Madero.

The location was great.  Walking distance to lots of restaurants.  Nice walking along the river.

The rooms were clean.  The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful.

We enjoyed the Galerias Pacifico Shopping Mall.  Great prices on leather goods at El Boyero.

 

[BSR]

We also stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.  Good location and we enjoyed the walk along the river.  There were several restaurants nearby.