Prediction for Punta this year
Dec 24, 2012 | 6:35 am
#16
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Main holiday season here is Jan/Feb so I'm not surprised it was quiet....also cheaper after the masses have departed.
Dec 24, 2012 | 8:19 am
#17
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I didn't get much of a deal because I like to book early and have very specific requirements - but there area lot of vacancies (Argentine arrivals are down by a lot) and last minute prices are getting slashed. It's not going be nearly as good a season as last year.
Dec 27, 2012 | 7:50 am
#18
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HNY !!!
Gaucho100K
Jan 24, 2013 | 7:25 am
#21
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Percentages vary by very large margins... However, these seems to be a consensus that this year's Season has been one of the less successful of the last decade.
Jan 24, 2013 | 12:54 pm
#22
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Not a good season as far as I know.
Papers were reporting tourism down by 30% or more in early January. I am also quite sure that the average length of stay is down. Rental vacancies were way up and last minute rentals (short term and otherwise) could be had easily. Hotel vacancy rate were also only at 90% or so which is very unusual.
Poolside, all people talk about where we stayed (a high end building) is the high, ever increasing cost, and the increasing rates in their monthly maintenance charges.
There is also a new phenomena of auto-rentals - in which Argentine's rent their own apartment using a credit card (paying the 20% and brokers commission) to get US$. Also, there will be no Setai in Jose Ignacio (the sign has finally been taken down after many years).
The only bright spot is increased non-Argentine arrivals (e.g. Brazilians).
---
Feedback from my trip in late December (sorry for the delay, but but better late then never). A plus might also be that it will be easier to get a short term rental (which is still very difficult - especially in the top luxury buildings).
Restaurants:
Bungalow Suizo (near Punta Shopping) - Has been in Punta since the 50s but I never visited before thinking why do fondue in Summer. In fact, it was great, excellent food, great service and good wine list - fun for kids. The place is packed every night.
I'marangatu (Playa Mansa) - An old favorite of mine. Has been around for decades (with same staff). Good food/service and old fashioned atmosphere.
Mat Bistro (opposite Aqua - Playa Brava) - Great beach spot, more trendy, and very good menu.
Fasano - Brazilian run hotel with great restaurant/view.
Baby Gouda (La Barra) - Fun, good music, nice non-typical menu (vegetarian/curry, etc)
Nona - (La Barra) - Peruvian - Inventive menu.
La Huella - Good as always and on one of the great beaches in the world- easy to get a table before xmas - much more difficult after. See if you can score a ticket to the La Coste season's opening party.
Marismo - Fun location, good crowd, good local food.
Pueblo Garzon - A number of restaurants here (Malman) try Lucifer - all good but several places that opened last year have already closed - so think the buzz is coming to an end.
Manantiales is a good place to visit for stores, restaurants, and beaches. Careful, some restaurants refused to take credit cards before 31 December (and some even after). Even so ask beforehand. I can recommend Fish Market (fun, casual, no credit card when I went despite a huge CITI logo on the roof). Negroni (new/Italian), Pizzeria (very casual but cheap/fun). There's also a Peruvian place which seems good but very expensive (even for here).
I highly recommend checking out the museum/garden at Fundacion Achuggary - there are many free events that are well organized. http://www.fundacionpabloatchugarry.org/en/
Casa Pueblo is a must. Lapataia is good with kids (they have a zipline, etc. after xmas). And I also have a fondness for Arboretum Lussich - a dilapidated botanical garden with home from the 1890s - it's falling apart but it does give you a sense of what Punta might have been like 100 years ago.
For kids I'd recommend the newly opened Aqua Park on Playa Mansa (parada 11 I think). A huge blow-up play area floating on the sea.
As always - we had a great time - but you can see the signs of the downturn fast approaching.
That's it for now.
Papers were reporting tourism down by 30% or more in early January. I am also quite sure that the average length of stay is down. Rental vacancies were way up and last minute rentals (short term and otherwise) could be had easily. Hotel vacancy rate were also only at 90% or so which is very unusual.
Poolside, all people talk about where we stayed (a high end building) is the high, ever increasing cost, and the increasing rates in their monthly maintenance charges.
There is also a new phenomena of auto-rentals - in which Argentine's rent their own apartment using a credit card (paying the 20% and brokers commission) to get US$. Also, there will be no Setai in Jose Ignacio (the sign has finally been taken down after many years).
The only bright spot is increased non-Argentine arrivals (e.g. Brazilians).
---
Feedback from my trip in late December (sorry for the delay, but but better late then never). A plus might also be that it will be easier to get a short term rental (which is still very difficult - especially in the top luxury buildings).
Restaurants:
Bungalow Suizo (near Punta Shopping) - Has been in Punta since the 50s but I never visited before thinking why do fondue in Summer. In fact, it was great, excellent food, great service and good wine list - fun for kids. The place is packed every night.
I'marangatu (Playa Mansa) - An old favorite of mine. Has been around for decades (with same staff). Good food/service and old fashioned atmosphere.
Mat Bistro (opposite Aqua - Playa Brava) - Great beach spot, more trendy, and very good menu.
Fasano - Brazilian run hotel with great restaurant/view.
Baby Gouda (La Barra) - Fun, good music, nice non-typical menu (vegetarian/curry, etc)
Nona - (La Barra) - Peruvian - Inventive menu.
La Huella - Good as always and on one of the great beaches in the world- easy to get a table before xmas - much more difficult after. See if you can score a ticket to the La Coste season's opening party.
Marismo - Fun location, good crowd, good local food.
Pueblo Garzon - A number of restaurants here (Malman) try Lucifer - all good but several places that opened last year have already closed - so think the buzz is coming to an end.
Manantiales is a good place to visit for stores, restaurants, and beaches. Careful, some restaurants refused to take credit cards before 31 December (and some even after). Even so ask beforehand. I can recommend Fish Market (fun, casual, no credit card when I went despite a huge CITI logo on the roof). Negroni (new/Italian), Pizzeria (very casual but cheap/fun). There's also a Peruvian place which seems good but very expensive (even for here).
I highly recommend checking out the museum/garden at Fundacion Achuggary - there are many free events that are well organized. http://www.fundacionpabloatchugarry.org/en/
Casa Pueblo is a must. Lapataia is good with kids (they have a zipline, etc. after xmas). And I also have a fondness for Arboretum Lussich - a dilapidated botanical garden with home from the 1890s - it's falling apart but it does give you a sense of what Punta might have been like 100 years ago.
For kids I'd recommend the newly opened Aqua Park on Playa Mansa (parada 11 I think). A huge blow-up play area floating on the sea.
As always - we had a great time - but you can see the signs of the downturn fast approaching.
That's it for now.
Last edited by erik123; Jan 26, 2013 at 7:57 pm