Our receptionists will be glad to recommend places to dine, party and shop. We have free maps and tickets to go to discos, please kindly request them at the front desk.
You're going at a great time of the year ; summer is very warm. BA is a large city with many beautiful neighborhoods. It's also a walking city; I like to take a taxi to the area I wish to explore and go on foot from there.
Money.....I always change some money at EZE, in the bank on the right as you exit customs; and get needed cash from the ATMs throughout the city. The exchange rate is pretty good, about 4 pesos to the USD.
A taxi is the best way to get from EZE to the city; it takes about 40 minutes and costs about 40 USD; a kiosk is located outside customs or your hotel can arrange a pickup very easily.
Hotels.....Plentiful and generally priced well. Recoleta is my favorite part of BA to stay, although any hotel in the city proper works well because taxis are cheap and the city is easy to get around. I would suggest you consider the Sheraton which is a modern large hotel in Retiro, near the central train station. Hotel Alevar in Recoletta is very old word elegance and has a great Sunday brunch. Other good hotels include the Marriott in Recoleta and the Conquistador on Ave Libertador. The Hilton in Puerto Madero is modern and the Hotel Faena, very expensive is also in Puerto Madero; Faena has a great restaurant and is worth a visit just to look around. I have stayed at the Hilton, although for me PM feels too isolated from the rest of the city.Restaurants.....Also plentiful and operate at a very high service level; just ordering coffee is a ceremony.
Steak is a specialty of Argentina and Cabanas Las Lilas in Puerto Madero is my favorite steak house in the world. La Cabrera, another steak house. El obrero in san telmo is very good to check out. The Italian influence in Argentina is incredibly strong and the food, wine and cafes are a result of that influence and are generally exceptional.
My favorite restaurants are Dominga in Palermo...everything is excellent and they have live entertainment as well on some nights; Osaka in Palermo...Japanese; Zucre in Belgrano and Danzon in Recoleta. To, a combination of Japanese and french cuisine is superb. Cafe Biela, in central Recoleta, is a great place for snacks and near the Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron is laid to rest...a must see. Mott in Palermo is fine for lunch and taking a break while visiting Palermo. Cafe Rivaz in San Telmo and Babieca on Santa Fe are also good.
Tango.....Cafe Tortoni is a must see as it is a historical location and past gathering spot of artists and writers. It's nice for coffee and snacks. At night Tortoni has a great tango show in the cellar which requires reservations; it is open seating and all seats are good but the earlier you get there the better. Look for the picture of Hillary Clinton near the entrance.
Day Trips.....A bus trip to an Estancia, an Argentine ranch, is much fun; you can check out some locations with the consignee. The boat ride to Colonia in Uruguay is also fun and you can do that on your own, just take an early boat..buque bus from the port, bring your passport and head over.
Beaches.....if you have 3 or 4 days, Punta del Este in Uruguay and Mar del Plata are my favorite places. We can talk about those if you are interested.
Museums.....MALBA for Latin American Modern art and Belles Artes for classical art are both exceptional and close to each other in Palermo. The Fortabat Museum in Puerto Madero is also excellent for art. Casa Rosada may be open for a tour, check with the concierge. Walking around Casa Rosada and Plaza de Mayo is also interesting. I learned much and enjoyed visiting the Eva Peron museum which is a converted home for unwed mothers located in Palermo.
Shopping.....Galeria Pacifico and Patio Bullrich are nice large malls to visit. Casa Lopez sells very high end leather products and Prune is good for well priced handbags; both are located in Patio Bullrich but have stores elsewhere. Galeria Pacifico is on Ave Florida which is the pedestrian shopping street in BA.
City tours.....San Telmo and the Sunday flea market in Plaza Dorrego is fun and walking around Palermo is always fun also.Highly recommended a trip to Mendoza and wine road. Zuccardi winery is a most, it´s restaurant wine are very good.Wikipedia is a great place to learn about the history of Argentina and BA.
Hope this helps your stay in Argentina.
Kevin. Vicepresident of AA.
