WHERE TO STAY IN BUENOS AIRES

If you are interested in where to stay in Buenos Aires, you may also be interested in where to stay in Salta, where to stay in Mendoza or where to stay in Ushuaia.

Palermo, the best neighborhood to stay in Buenos Aires

Palermo is the most chosen neighborhood to stay in Buenos Aires and our favorite recommendation for your stay in Buenos Aires. Why? Well, Staying in Palermo is a great option for you to be close to green spaces, museums and shopping centers plus the great gastronomic offer, bars and fashion. It is definitely the most  trendy and popular area in the city.

The neighborhood has good public transport connections and is only about 20 minutes from the center by subway. The best areas, in my opinion, would be around Plaza Italia and Santa Fe Avenue, which concentrate most of the public transport services. You can find a huge range of hotels, hostels, and apartments of all kinds. There is something for all tastes and budgets. The Botanical Gardens, Japanese Gardens, the Spanish monument, the Galileo Galilei planetarium and the Palermo Woods are must visit spots of Buenos Aires located just around the corner. If you feel like getting some souvenirs, you can also visit Alto Palermo shopping mall.

On the other hand, the districts called Palermo SoHo and Palermo Hollywood are an excellent alternative if you are more interested in staying in the coolest area and close to restaurants, countless bars, shopping places and the most lively nightlife in the whole city. This area also is characterized by its design and urban art that can be seen on the walls that show informal artistic talent.

Hotels in Palermo

Other areas to stay in Buenos Aires

Microcentro

Actually, this area is the financial center, and it is not a neighborhood itself. Almost no one lives in the Microcentro, since it is a purely commercial area, so during working hours it is characterized by being full of people, but at night you have to be careful as it is an area without any movement at all.

It is a small area full of places of tourist interest, since there is the Casa Rosada (headquarters of the Argentine government), the Plaza de Mayo, the Church of San Ignacio de Loyola, the Manzana de las Luces and the Museum of the City.

Staying in the Microcentro is a good option to stay in Buenos Aires, especially for those who are on a business trip and the average cost is more affordable than other areas such as Palermo. Transport is just at the palm of your hand since you are staying right in the heart of the city.

Hotels in Microcentro

Recoleta

Recoleta is one of the areas most chosen by tourists for many reasons. It is mostly a residential neighborhood, and a very elegant one. There are many parks, museums and French-style buildings. In the Plaza Intendente Alvear there is a large craft fair. In addition, there is a wide range of restaurants of all categories and various businesses. In this area is also the famous Recoleta Cemetery, a very must-visit.

Recoleta has very good access to public transportation by train and metro and is located at a strategic point in the city, quite close to the center and other tourist spots.

In this neighborhood there are many 5-star hotels, including the famous Alvear Palace Hotel, but there are also excellent intermediate options from very good hotel chains. For those who can't afford the previous options, you also have cheaper accommodations of the hostel kind with breakfast and Wi-Fi included.

Hotels in Recoleta

Montserrat

Montserrat is considered the oldest neighborhood in the city, and its main street is the famous and historical Avenida de Mayo. There are a large number of public offices, commercial buildings and shops of all kinds, but the area stands out for its monuments and old buildings, of great interest to tourists who can also take advantage of the walk to make purchases and taste typical dishes, while walking through its lively streets.

The Plaza del Congreso, the church of San Ignacio, Montserrat, Nuestra Señora del Rosario and San Francisco, the famous Barolo Palace or the Buenos Aires Cathedral, are some of the innumerable points of interest that Montserrat offers.

Staying in this neighborhood is quite accessible for all budgets, and it is also very close to Retiro, where the main train and bus terminal are located. Many subway lines also pass the area, as it is at the very center of the city.

Hotels in Montserrat

Balvanera

The very famous area, known as "Abasto", covers the neighborhoods of  ​​Almagro and Balvanera. It is characterized by being a tango neighborhood, since Carlos Gardel, the greatest reference of tango in Argentina, lived there a long time ago.

It has a mixture of tenement houses, old houses and modern buildings. Here is the Abasto Shopping Mall, the best-known shopping center in the area, and also the Casa Carlos Gardel Museum. It has a good location, convenient to get to the center and with many means of transport since you will find several lines of buses and metro in the area.

A lot of caution is recommended at night in this area, since it is not one of the safest in Buenos Aires, but if you still think it is convenient for you, try to stay close to Corrientes avenue where there is always a lot of movement and traffic at all times, and it is safer.

Hotels in Balvanera

Retiro

Retiro is an area of ​​contrasts, where you can find from historical monuments to financial buildings, from luxurious hotels to cheap hostels, and also the main port, where maritime transport is available with service for passengers to Uruguay. The main advantage of staying here is its practicality, because it is very well-connected to almost everywhere in the rest of the city, since the main bus and train terminal station of the city is located there. And most everything, the neighborhood is located right next to Microcentro and Recoleta, places you will definitely visit when you are in Buenos Aires.

Retiro is a tourist area visited to see the Hotel de los Inmigrantes (now a museum open to the public), Plaza San Martín, the Monumental Tower and the Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento, an architectural jewel of the 19th century.

A fact: Villa 31, an informal settlement of precarious houses is located just next to the terminal so be careful with your belongings and especially while taking pictures.

Hotels in Retiro

San Telmo

San Telmo is a Bohemian neighborhood with very interesting nightlife, museums, centuries-old churches and old mansions. Everything you need is packed in a small territory.

You will be staying in the heart of tango culture but also the cradle of artisans and artists. The busiest place is Plaza Dorrego, where cafés, restaurants and bars are crowded. It is a safe, quiet neighborhood with a certain air of healthy community coexistence, but on weekdays at night, leaving the main avenues, you have to be a little careful.

It is also well-connected since it is centrally located near the Microcentro, Puerto Madero and La Boca. From any side of the city of Buenos Aires you can get to San Telmo. It can be by bus or by metro line C. Most of the accommodations in San Telmo are hostels, simple hotels or superior guesthouses, although several boutique hotels have recently opened.

Hotels in San Telmo

Belgrano

This is a historical neighborhood located to the north of the city, where modern residential buildings coexist with old mansions from the 19th century. The options to stay in Belgrano are as extensive as the neighborhood itself; It is possible to choose between various types of accommodation.

Undeniably picturesque, Belgrano has a lot to show the visitor, it is very well-connected, it is safe to walk and explore its lively streets, and it is very easy to transport since Cabildo avenue is a very big and important one in the city. You can find Line D of metro and Line Mitre of train, which connect you directly with the Microcentro.

Juramento Avenue, where it is possible to find shops and boutiques with items at very good prices or the Chinatown of Buenos Aires, are places worth visiting, as well as the Monumental stadium, home of the club River Plate football stadium.

Hotels in Belgrano

Puerto Madero

Very close to San Telmo and Retiro, Puerto Madero is the most exclusive neighborhood of Buenos Aires, home to wealthy people, full of large buildings of commercial offices and lofts, huge parks and, according to it, with high prices.

This is the area most sought after by people on business trips, since it concentrates the offices of multinational companies and is just steps from the center. Although it is an obligatory point to visit in Buenos Aires, I do not consider it the best option to stay for those who come to Buenos Aires as tourists since it does not have good public transport connections and, depending on what area of ​​the neighborhood you are in, you will have to drive in cab.

Leaving that aside, Puerto Madero is the safest neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The Puente de la Mujer is one of the most outstanding attractions, whose night lighting is truly spectacular. Nearby, the Floating Casino offers entertainment, bars and more restaurants.

Hotels in Puerto Madero

La Boca

You certainly have seen a picture of houses full of color and history that fill any visitor with nostalgia. Well, that is the neighbourhood of La Boca. In the beginning, it was a port chosen by Italian immigrants, who painted their houses with leftover paint from neighborhood workshops.

This area is famous, mostly, because of two things: 1) you can find “La Bombonera”, the well-known stadium of the Boca Juniors Club, one of the soccer teams with the most fans in Argentina and 2) because of Caminito, the street of Tango.

Although this part of the city is not the safest, maybe you are a sports lover or traveling for a specific match, so it could be convenient for you to stay in this area to get to the stadium in a matter of minutes, avoiding the dreaded porteño traffic. Take into account, the neighborhood of La Boca does not have nearby metro stations, but it connects with the rest of Buenos Aires by bus.

Hotels in La Boca