Boutique Hotels in Baires

In a group of photos from Buenos Aires on Flickr some people have been asking about places to stay in Buenos Aires. There are tons of apartments for rent throughout the city. Head over to Craigslist Buenos Aires for some listings or YesBA for a more local audience.

The list below is one I put together for my aunt and uncle who are coming in March. They're traveling with friends who wanted a unique hotel and weren't too worried about the price. With that audience in mind, this list is organized by neighborhood (barrio) and the hotels were chosen for charm regardless of price.


Recoleta
Recoleta is one of the ritziest barrios of Buenos Aires. The buildings here are why Buenos Aires is called the Other Paris. There are beautiful outdoor cafes and shops (all the really fancy ones). It's close to the major tourist sights and the famous cemetery called Recoleta.

Alvear - This one is pricey but absolutely gorgeous. This street is like the St. Honore in Paris. All the really expensive shops are here.


Park Hyatt - Pricey but well worth it. Hands-down the most impressive in the area (even though some would say the Four Seasons is nicer). The service, the decor, the restaurants, bars, shopping, art gallery, everything is out of this world.

Design Suites - Less pricey. Very minimalistic design. Just down the road from the Alvear.

Art Hotel - Great area. Lots of wonderful streets to discover.

Retiro
This is the aristocrat neighborhood. It's also well located for seeing the major sights. I don't find this neighborhood to be as comfortable as Recoleta or Palermo. It's a little too close to downtown for me. Hustle and bustle without as much charm as the other areas.

Four Seasons - Called La Mansion, this hotel is also stunning.

Sofitel - Stunning as the Sofitel should be.


Palermo (Soho or Viejo)
Palermo is the trendy area of Buenos Aires. It's where all the new designers have shops, lots of great restaurants are here, the streets are less crowded and lined with trees. It feels more Buenos Aires to me than the first two barrios. The buildings are smaller (two or three stories usually). They aren't as elegant as Recoleta, but they are charming and lovely. The actual area called Palermo is huge. The hotels listed here are mostly in Palermo Soho.

Malabia House - This one looks amazing. Quiet and small with great style. Beautiful garden area.

Costa Petit Hotel - Looks just like I'd expect a boutique hotel to look and has a great location.

Home Buenos Aires - This one is pretty nice too. I love the decor... it feels very Buenos Aires.

Baucis Hotel - Artsy and unique.

Esplendor Hotel - Great location. The decor is too masculine for me. I like the gardens of Malabia and the dreamy feel of the place better.

Base Buenos Aires - There are apartments here, but that doesn't mean someone has to cook.


San Telmo
This barrio is older than the others. It was once where the aristocrats lived (the workers were in the barrio closer to the port called La Boca). Yellow fever made the aristocrats flee to Recoleta and Retiro. The houses here look more Italian. They are usually 2 or 3 stories high, have interior patios and lovely balconies, and are painted in warm earth tones. Many of them need some work, but the area has seen a lot of tourism lately (especially for tango and especially European tourists). There is a gorgeous indoor market that really makes you feel like you are in Sicily. San Telmo is not as safe as Recoleta and Palermo, but Buenos Aires is as safe as any other city of its size. San Telmo is also a bit farther away from the rest of the city and harder to get to and from. It's my favorite area because it's so artistic and alive. But it's for younger travelers who aren't here for fine dining and elegant surroundings.

Ribera Sur Hotel - Brand new hotel well-located for taking public transportation or taxis. It's a modern hotel with a great restaurant.

Gurda Hotel - A tango-dedicated hotel. Seems a little too casual for travelers looking for luxury, but it's unique.

Once a Soldier of Independence, Always a .....

A few weeks ago I found a starving, filthy cat on my way to the bank. People had laid out food, but all he seemed to want was attention. I watched him for about 30 minutes then took him to the vet. She implied she wouldn't help him unless I promised to keep him. I like cats; I just don't like the responsibility.

I don't like litter boxes. I don't like cat hair on my cool black clothes. I don't like having to find a catsitter when I go out of town. Plus, a friend was coming for New Year's and he might not like cats. No excuse worked. Indie (named after the street on which I found him, Soldado de la Independencia or Soldier of Independence) and I were roommates now.

Indie's a skinny fellow. He was covered in charcoal. His nails were shaved down to nothing. His ears were black and bald. But from the moment I picked him up, he snuggled, purred, and looked into my eyes with that adorable stare. My heart was taken. But being in a relationship means taking the good with the bad.



The thing is, like most men who haven't been fixed, he doesn't really care who loves him so long as he's the center of attention. Truly nondiscriminatory, Indie flirts with everyone--men, women, birds, horses. So when my friend arrived, Indie welcomed him and they too became friends.

But then Indie realized he'd lost his place in the bed and my attention was now divided. He stopped eating and stopped drinking water. He even gave me ringworm (on the back of my neck, on my cheek, and on one arm). Was he sabotaging my plans for a romantic start to 2008?

Stubborn. He's so stubborn we spent the first day of the year in the hospital as Indie got an I.V. and really expensive food no cat would refuse. He ended up hospitalized for three days. But he gained a whole kilo while there and I got the start to 2008 I wanted.

Now that it's just the two of us again, Indie seems a little sad. I think he liked the competition. This morning, as if to tell me he can leave whenever he wants, he jumped up on the balcony table. I came out with some food and he said...

Huff and Puff

Here's a great paragraph from Ariana Huffington's latest post on Hillary's strategy for criticizing Obama. Number five on the list of attacks against Obama is that he is a dreamer. To that, Ariana writes:

Oh, yeah, that's the last thing we need, someone who actually seeks to inspire Americans to allow their reach to exceed their grasp. That's the problem with leaders like Lincoln, Kennedy, and Martin Luther King -- they just weren't realistic enough. King shouldn't have said, "I have a dream!," he should have said, "I have a realistic view of what we should settle for! We probably won't be able to pass the Civil Rights Act, but we might be able to pass a bill condemning segregated water fountains. You probably won't be able to sit at the front of the bus, but I might be able to get you to the middle."

Way to put things into perspective. While I'd vote for Hillary if she got the nomination, I wouldn't be excited about voting for her. Let's hope the Democrats find their courage and give us a candidate who can inspire.