Just done 10 days or so in argentina and used 7 different hotels. For overseas visitors, do not pre-pay hotels. We made that mistake on a few nights.

In the last 6 months, Visa & Mastercard now process overseas transactions at an exchange rate much closer to the 'blue' rate. This means you should pay locally as it will be almost 40% cheaper than what you can get if you pre-pay in USD/GBP etc using expedia or something.

• Visa - its real time exchange as you would normally expect travelling.
• Mastercard, it exchanges at the office rate and you get a refund to the near-blue rate a few days later.

You will still get the 21% tax saving as an overseas tourist, as long as paying by card and presenting passport. Just pay in local ARS using Visa or mastercard. Simple!

Perhaps this group can help me ensure that I understand how things work with respect to hotels in Argentina.

Suppose I see a hotel that advertises a rate of US$100 (on the hotel site, or Booking.com, or whatnot). If I make reservation with the hotel at the US$100 advertised rate and choose to pay at the hotel, I think the following things happen:
- First, at check out, the hotel will convert that US$100 rate to AR$ at the official rate (today that seems to be 1US$ = 240AR$), which would come to AR$ 24,000.
- Second, if I am a foreigner paying with foreign credit card, I won't be subject to the 21 percent VAT, which would make the rate charged at check out AR$ 18,960.
- Third, once I pay at the hotel in AR$ with a Visa or Mastercard, the AR$18,960 charge in AR$ will be converted to US$ at the tourist MEP rate (today that seems to be 1US$ = 473AR$), resulting in a net charge on my statement of US$40.

Is that right? Am I missing something along the way (for instance, are hotel rates quoted exclusive of VAT)?

The 100 USD rate is probably net of VAT but it will depend on what site you booked it on.

In the one case I am considering the quoted amount can be paid in ARS but does exclude the VAT.

I’m confused by the previous poster of needing to pay in country. If the website (Hyatt in tis case) allow to pay by credit card in ARS why wouldn’t Visa convert it to USD using the blue rate rather than the official rate?

local meaning at the hotel or on the internet in the country?

At the hotel

How would one do that if some hotels require to prepay to get the lowest rate?

Are you able to insist that they charge your card in pesos? Or can you only insist on Peso rate if paying in cash.

Trying to book Hilton. Circa 360 USD, which is ridiculous, but not bad if you can get the Visa rate or the WU/Blue rate.

I'm not sure that you need to insist. I've always had hotels automatically charge in ARS. That said, I don't generally stay in independent hotels, most just large chains.
Was just in BA a few weeks ago and the Hilton charged in ARS. Used my Hilton Amex and the difference in the rate was refunded about 10 days after the charge.
Way easier than messing with carrying a giant wad of cash and better than paying 21% VAT.
That said, the Hilton did recommend a good cambio in Puerto Madero, just a block away.

Have you tried? is this true?

I'm thinking of cancel all my points booking and change to cash booking

the 1 thing I think is wrong is that poster said the rate included the 21% tax, with us it did not we were locked into a USD amount but the actual ARS amount was determined at check-in once we said we are paying in Ca$h they added on the 21%

Not sure how an OTA does things but from some we dealt with over the years it seems they charge our CC in USD the rate we saw and then use c their CC for the actual booking, so they will get a cheaper rate after getting the refund and its not past onto us.

Yup - that's exactly how it works.
You pay with your US credit card and they convert the 35,000ARS at the non-official rate, saving you quite a bit.