Buenos Aires Basics

Where to stay in Buenos Aires: Pros and cons of the neighborhoods

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By | July 28, 2020

Buenos Aires neighborhoods

The best neighborhood summaries, advantage/disadvantages, hotel suggestions, budget hostels and tips. Guide on where to stay in Buenos Aires.

Choosing which neighborhood to stay in Buenos Aires can be tough! An advantageous base location will help make getting around more convenient plus who doesn’t want proximity to public transportation, things to do and see, restaurants and bars…it can be crucial. Let’s have a look at the best neighborhoods, hotel suggestions and some random tips.

Which neighborhoods to stay in

Old building on corner in San Telmo, Buenos Aires

San Telmo: This is for those Buenos Aires romantics who want a taste of the city’s old school Porteño charm.

  • Cobblestone streets
  • Crumbling 1900’s mansions
  • Densely populated with lots of restaurants and cafés
  • Large, inexpensive rental houses and apartments
  • Antique market and artisan street fair on Sundays

It is close to Centro (many of the main sites), Puerto Madero (great for fine dining and strolling around the port), but 20-30 minutes from Palermo and Recoleta. Sometimes at night it can get a bit sketchy on the outskirts of the barrio. This is what many consider to be the “real” Buenos Aires. It is where tango still breathes deep into the night, young bohemians stroll the streets between bars and old school Porteños sip their Moscato with lunch.
More info on San Telmo

Palermo Hollywood streets, Buenos Aires

Palermo: Buenos Aires’ trendiest neighborhood and the heart of the city’s nightlife. By day Palermo is filled with designer shops, chic cafés, and spacious parks. By night bars overflow with patrons seeking the latest craft beers. Many of the best restaurants in Buenos Aires fire up their grills, and queues for electronica clubs stretch into the streets. Palermo is huge and divided into subsections including Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Chico, Las Cañitas, Alto Palermo, and Palermo Botánico.

  • Tree lined streets
  • Chic shopping, restaurants and bars
  • Large, spread out neighborhood
  • Boutique hotels, lots of compact rental apartments

Word to the wise: many real estate agencies are now capitalizing and renaming other barrios as Palermo ___ (ie “Palermo Queens” which is really Villa Crespo or “Palermo Brooklyn” which is really… I’m not even sure what that neighborhood should be called). Target Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood to stay close to the action and have plenty of public transport options including the convenient D subway line.

Recoleta's famous cemetery entr

Recoleta: The old money Porteño neighborhood of Buenos Aires, it is one of the wealthiest areas in the city, home to the country’s most elite cemetery (Eva Peron and may of the founding fathers are buried there) and high end shopping.

  • Classic French and Italian facades, architecture
  • Mid-sized to large, mid-range $$$ to high end $$$$ hotels
  • Recoleta Cemetery (with surrounding artisan fair on Saturdays and Sundays)

Recoleta is one of the most advantageous points in the city being centered to what most travelers desire in Buenos Aires. Close to both Palermo and Centro, public transportation is ample with buses on Las Heras, Pueyrredon, Libertador and the H line subte (subway).

The area does come with a price tag and may not be for budget travelers. Don’t skip the Museum of Fine Art (Museo de Bellas Artes).

Centro neighborhood, Buenos Aires

Centro: The business and finance epicenter of Argentina. Very busy during the day filled with office workers and the hustle of a big city. Many of the city’s most famous landmarks are here; Obelisco, Casa Rosada, Plaza de Mayo, Teatro Colón, and 9 de Julio (the world’s widest avenue). The government has been converting several of the side streets into pedestrian only areas cutting down on traffic and noise pollution. These streets of course include the long standing Florida pedestrian shopping street that houses thousands of shops and the large mall Galeria Pacifico.

  • Dense, tall buildings, wide avenues with tight side streets
  • Compact apartments and mid-sized hotels
  • Main sites and Florida pedestrian shopping steet
  • Easy access to transportation to whole city

By night Centro turns a bit more desolate with limited restaurants and bars. Some areas can prove to be a bit seedy like most downtown areas in the world. However, with good proximity to Recoleta, Puerto Madero and San Telmo you’ll be just a taxi or subway ride away from the rest of the city. Ideal for those that are staying just a couple of nights to see the main sites and taxi around a bit to different neighborhoods.

Port area in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires

Puerto Madero: Described as a bit sterile comparatively to the other distinct Buenos Aires neighborhoods, Puerto Madero is designed as the more international business area of the city. Fine dining restaurants lining the port, high end apartments in residential skyscrapers towering over the city’s harbor. It is the safest area of the city (the Coast Guard are stationed and patrol the area quite seriously) and you can stroll about carefree.

  • Spread out, tall buildings and bustling port restaurants, cafes and bars
  • High end hotels and rental apartments
  • Super safe
  • Limited access to public transportation to whole city
  • Ecological Reserve

Options for public transport are at a minimum in Puerto Madero so plan to take taxis in and out. Fantastic for long strolls by the port, exploring the Ecological Reserve and basking in the sun at any of the many outdoor patios this area is inhabited by Buenos Aires’ Nouveau riche.

So now that you have chosen the neighborhood, next up is finding the right place to stay in BA…

Hotels, Hostels and Apartment Rentals: Recommendations and Tips

Hotels
If you’re staying less than a week, and you prefer some front desk help and other amenities, Buenos Aires offers all classes of hotels. The boutique hotels however are something to pay a bit more attention to with their decided unique styles and advantageous locations.

The Big 4/5 Star Hotels: Alvear Place Hotel, Faena Hotel, Park Hyatt Palacio Duhua, Four Seasons, Hilton. If you want to YOLO your stay away or desire the top end, luxury accommodations these are the cream of the crop of hotel opulence in Buenos Aires.

The Boutique Hotels: Fierro Hotel, Algodon Mansion, Home Hotel, Legado Mitico, Jardin Escondido, Mine, 1828 Smart Hotel (All cost about $100 USD and up). The boutique hotel boom in Buenos Aires combined with the city’s creative style has led to some distinctive creations.

Hostels: In Buenos Aires on a budget? A hostel is your best option to find rooms that range between $15-50 USD per night. The pros? Meet an endless stream of new travelers from around world. The cons? Lack of privacy and some of the rowdier hostels can be quite noisy.

Our Buenos Aires hostel picks: Limehouse, Chillhouse Hostel, Estoril Hostel, Circus, America del Sur Hostel and Tango Backpackers.

Temporary Apartments
Prices on temporary apartments differ according to location, size and luxury, but for a modest yet cozy one-bedroom apartment you should expect to pay roughly $500 USD per week (June 2018). If you want to rent on the monthly basis, a good monthly rate for similar accommodations should cost you around $1,200 USD per month (all bills included).

AirBNB has gained a lot of ground over the past few years, but many old school Argentinians prefer to use local agencies. Many of the hidden gems may be listed on their sites only. Nothing a bit of Googling can’t fix though.

Be prepared: If using a local rental agency you may need to pay both a deposit equal to your rental price to confirm the reservation AND the entire week’s or month’s rent in cash. This is quite common so choose your rental agency wisely. Deposits for short-term stay apartments are returned to you, in cash, before your departure (so long as you didn’t trash the place!).

Wow! Don't forget to check the 'Activities you might like' right here