Immense Buenos Aires
Argentina’s capital city has over one million rooms officially registered across its enormous variety of hotels, plus innumerable apartments and short-rental options. This huge, attractive metropolis, with 14 million inhabitants, 48 different city barrios (districts) and more taxis per inhabitant than either London or New York, can at first seem overwhelming.
Once safely settled into your hotel, however, you’ll quickly find that it’s an amazingly enjoyable city to walk, bike and people watch. We have used our firsthand local knowledge to make choosing a hotel as easy as possible.
Location considerations
Rooftop bar at CasaSur hotel, Buenos Aires
Most Antarctic travellers will need to transfer between the city’s two airports located some 40km (30 miles) from each other, and many people will rightly choose to spend a night or two seeing one of Latin America’s most exciting and captivating cities. Almost all domestic air and bus routes converge on the city, and in a country that speaks Spanish and is full of unexpected twists e.g. impromptu political protests, a stay here can seem complicated. Your choice of hotel, and its location can be key to you enjoying your stay.
Daniel says
When in Buenos Aires enroute to Antarctica, I loved staying in Palermo. Its Soho style and laidback feel was perfect. I spent my days getting to know its steakhouses and enjoying its fantastic cafes...I’ll definitely return.
Daniel Brooks Antarctica Specialist
Why stay in Palermo & Recoleta?
These two districts of Buenos Aires represent the safest and most popular places to stay in the city. Both are packed with character, great shopping and eating opportunities, and plenty of cool things to see and do for both long or short stays in the city.
Recoleta, sometimes called Barrio Norte, or 'The Paris of South America'. It is the city’s most classic, elegant district, with wonderful architecture along its streets and avenues. Palermo has a younger vibe, and is packed with bars and restaurants; it’s Soho and Hollywood areas are the most popular.
With very quick access to the domestic Jorge Newbery airport (only 10 minutes by taxi) these two districts are strategically located for our Antarctic travellers' peace-of-mind, for that all-important flight south to Ushuaia.
Our recommended hotels
Our shortlist of five Buenos Aires hotels is designed to help you effortlessly choose where you stay in the city, as part of your Antarctic trip of a lifetime.
We have considered many factors such as location, value for money, the quality and commodity of the hotels, as well as our past travellers' comments.
We have enjoyed helping hundreds of customers enjoy time in Buenos Aires over the last 10+ years, and believe our selection represents the most practical, safe and well-located hotels on offer.
CasaSur, our favourite
CasaSur fits right into the Palermo vibe; cool, sophisticated and fresh. This boutique-style hotel offers friendly service, good amenities and a great location, all at a superb value. With its spacious rooftop terrace, refreshing swimming pool and contemporary restaurant, you’d be forgiven if you don't feel like venturing out. The hotel’s rooms are elegant and ample, with an attractive modern design and feature balconies for sitting outside. We love this hotel because of its rooftop terrace and boutique feel.
CasaSur offers free bicycles to their guests, perfect for exploring some of the city’s best contemporary restaurants and cafes that can be found nearby. That said, this is a very walking-friendly neighbourhood of Palermo, with both the metro and train stations nearby.
Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt
Possibly the city’s finest hotel, everything about it just oozes elegance and beauty. The magnificent neoclassical palace now converted into a five-star hotel, boasts its own winery, impressive works of art, manicured gardens, choice of restaurants and impeccable service. Its rooms are sleek, ample and stylish with either park or street views. We love this hotel because of its 'wow factor', staying here just makes you feel special.
Located in the heart of Recoleta, next door to the Apostolic Nunciature, the hotel is within walking distance from the district's attractions. Enjoy some of the city’s most historic cafes, wonderful restaurants and best ice-cream parlours. If you’re after something special in Buenos Aires to complement the trip of a lifetime, look no further.
Palladio Hotel
Palladio in Recoleta is everything you’d expect of a renowned 4* hotel chain in the centre of one of the world’s great cities. Popular with both tourists and business travellers, we love the Palladio because of its superior quality and wonderful location in the heart of the city. A large executive hotel with 113 rooms, it has ample public areas, boasts a spa and outdoor pool for those looking to relax, and serves a superb buffet-style breakfast. The rooms are spacious, of good quality and have really comfortable beds.
From its doorstep, on the bustling Callao Avenue, you can easily walk to Recoleta’s famous sights as well as quickly reach the downtown area; one of the world's most spectacular bookstores is also just a 2-minute walk away.
Hotel Clásico
Standard room at Hotel Clásico
A favourite with travellers who want to stay in trendy Palermo and who are looking for a boutique-feel, without the high-end boutique price tag. Comfortable, well-located and sufficiently small (with 32 rooms) it has a warm, welcoming feel. Staff can orientate you to explore on your own with their free bike service. Set in the heart of the hip Palermo Hollywood neighbourhood, you’ll be spoilt for a choice of restaurants and bars.
Rooms are cosy and comfortable, each styled differently to give a bespoke feel. The hotel boasts a roof terrace, but not a swimming pool. We love the Clásico because of its boutique ambience and great value for money. Some might prefer selecting a quieter location for their stay, but this hotel certainly matches the city’s vibrant atmosphere.
Dazzler Recoleta
This hotel provides everything you would need for a brief stop in Recoleta and is excellent value for money. Located in the heart of this elegant district, it is close walking distance from many of Recoleta's attractions and fantastic dining options, and with the metro system almost on the doorstep, the rest of the city is easily reachable. We love this hotel because of its modern feel and great location.
Dazzler Recoleta’s clean, modern feel is perfect for a compact urban hotel; breakfast is served till late and there is a gym and an outside pool. Its simple and functional 141 rooms are both comfortable and practical. Drawbacks might be that no restaurant or bar service is available, but with a vast array of establishments just around the corner, it’s unlikely this should be an issue.
Our favourite Buenos Aires hotels
Roof terrace at Casa Sur, Buenos Aires
Pool at Casa Sur, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Casa Sur, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Casa Sur, Buenos Aires
Lobby at Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires
Dining room at Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires
Pool at Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires
Outside Palladio, Buenos Aires
Bar at Palladio, Buenos Aires
Breakfast room at Palladio, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Palladio, Buenos Aires
Outside Hotel Clásico, Buenos Aires
Outside Hotel Clásico, Buenos Aires
Bar at Hotel Clásico, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Hotel Clásico, Buenos Aires
Lobby at Dazzler, Buenos Aires
Pool at Dazzler, Buenos Aires
Dining room at Dazzler, Buenos Aires
Bedroom at Dazzler, Buenos Aires
Swoop says
Given the proximity of both Recoleta and Palermo to the domestic airport (10 minutes by taxi), we recommend spending a night or two in these attractive, characterful and welcoming districts.
Hotels in Buenos Aires: FAQs
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What is the standard of hotels in Buenos Aires?
You can expect most hotels to be of the standard you’d expect in a comparable city back home, with one notable exception: the hotel's rating. A 4* hotel in Argentina is likely to be slightly more ‘basic’ than its American / European equivalent. We have tried to select hotels where this mismatch is not significant.
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Will the staff speak English?
Most customer-facing staff will speak conversational English, but don’t expect all staff to be able to communicate in English. In 4* and 5* hotels many staff will have good language skills and many people in Buenos Aires can speak some basic English. Try learning a few basic phrases in Spanish beforehand, to help you interact with your hosts.
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How safe are the hotels in Buenos Aires?
You can expect the hotels to be safe. Having said that, there are pickpockets operating in the city, and sometimes they even try their hand in the public areas of hotels. Always be attentive to your bags and belongings and leave your valuables (passport, cash etc) in the room safe.
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Do I need to pay a tourist tax and/or VAT?
All foreign visitors to Buenos Aires must pay a daily ‘tourist tax’ for their stay in the city, but are VAT-exempt for accommodation. We take these important factors into account in our pricing.
What our customers think of Buenos Aires hotels
We stayed at Casa Sur hotel and really liked it. Good location, helpful staff and good breakfast choice. We used their free bikes and navigated the cycle ways around the city.
Travelled: February 2017
Mike & Edwina - UK
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