thanks guys. a few more questions:

1. if casa cruz is not that good, what is? where would you take your girlfriend or wife on her birthday in buenos aires?
2. is it safe to get a cab from the airport or should i try and arrange a car service?
3. where in Bs As can i get good cuban cigars? are cigar places common? are they legit or do they have lots of fake cuban cigars

thanks for all the help guys!!!

Hi JKB76,
I am a native from Mar del Plata, although I have left the country many years ago (but I still go there every now and then...)
Yes, Mar del Plata is a nice place to go, but also is Pinamar as someone else has said. Carilo is a really cute beach town (probably the best one in the province), right south of Pinamar. It's all depending on how are you planning to get to those places, but if taking common transportation you'll find it easier to go to Mardel (first option, bigger city in the area, more transport links). Best area for you to stay there, I would say Playa Grande. Costa Galana and Sheraton are the best hotels, but quite pricey too. The downtown area has many more options, cheaper budget ones, but the whole area has turned a bit too trashy in the last few years. Shame...
As for Playa Grande, you'll find there (all walking distance) an easy going, but posh, beautiful neighborohood, beach, loads of bars, restaurants, shops, golf... and it'll be easier to get to the now super-trendy beach resorts in the south (that is, any one once you pass the famos Faro (lighthouse).
It's also all depending on what time of the year you're planning on going. Forget anything before say mid-December, as many places will not be open yet, weather and sea temperature still on the cold side, etc. From January 1st until mid-March, best time to go, but it gets really really packed (pick of the season). But beaches will be fun. Weather there also tends to change very quickly. One day it'll be a roasting 95F, the following a mere 60F, windy, chilly... So, those are the days to go around and explore!
Have fun, you might see me there if going around Xmas....!

Buenos Aires for New Year's Eve
 

Hi everyone,
I am planning on spending a couple of days in BA right for the New Year. I'll be staying in the Sheraton Libertador with my family (which includes 2 kids) and was wondering if someone can suggest a good place, preferably sort of walking distance from hotel, to have a good dinner/party on the 31st. Looking obviously for a child-friendly place, maybe a bit fab, not uber-expensive but we're there to enjoy so we can strech our budget if is worth it. Please, any suggestion will be greatly appreciated!!! ;)

Wirelessly posted (Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x448)

I suggest getting a car from Manuel Tienda Leon at the airport.

Re. restaurants, I would suggest these options:

- Pura Tierra
- L'Atelier
- Chila
- Oviedo

Fredaroma,

Regarding places for New Year's Eve near the Sheraton Libertador:

While Gaucho100K and others can give more up-to-date recommendations than I can, I'll start the ball rolling by suggesting the Plaza Grill in the Marriott Plaza on Plaza San Martin (Florida 1005). It should be a popular place on New Year's Eve, and, as a grand old hotel, it may be more child-friendly than some stand-alone restaurants.

For me, the best hotel NYE gig in town is the Alvear Palace... although its almost always the most expensive option together with the Faena Hotel & Universe. Having said this... tickets can be purchased at an intersting discount for those that purchase early.... its not a bad idea to email or call the hotels starting now, you may get early bird specials. Other hotels that have good reputation for these kind of events are the Four Seasons, and also the recently opened Park Hyatt Palacion Duhau.

In closing, please allow me to say that going to a 5 star hotel for NYE, while certainly a nice program, is not something that is very popular with locals.... yes they will of course be locals at these events, but mostly its the expats, diplomatic core, visitors/tourists, etc. This is not a bad thing, I just want to make sure folks dont book these events with another idea in mind.

One exception to the rule is the NYE bash that is put on by the Sheraton Hotel in Pilar... I understand that is a 100% local crowd, but then their program is a lot less luxurious and expensive than most of the parties that happen at the high-end hotels inside the city.

Hope this helps....

Cheers
Alex (Gaucho100K)

RE: Buenos Aires for New Year's Eve
 

Thanks Gaucho and SacFlyer!
All the options sound really good. I have sent e-mails to the hotels, let's see what they propose for that evening. Cheers again!

Glad we could help.... do let us know what you decide!!

alex and others,

what do you think about palermo soho area? safe to stay? wiki had this to say:

Palermo Soho is a small area of Palermo Viejo around Plaza Serrano (officially Plazoleta Cortázar), and it is a newly fashionable area for fashion, design, restaurants, bars and street culture. The atmosphere in many cafés and restaurants strives to be alternative, which makes this area of the city especially popular with young, upper-middle class Argentines as well as foreign tourists. The traditional low houses have been adapted into boutiques and bars, creating a bohemian feel. The square has a crafts fair.

we been looking for an apartment in recoleta, but we found this apartment which we really like and thinking of renting it:

http://www.apartmentsba.com/system/PS9-p535/

some others we liked are (in recoleta):

http://www.apartmentsba.com/system/AP7-p332/
http://www.apartmentsba.com/system/A26-p361/
http://www.apartmentsba.com/system/AP20-p384/
http://www.apartmentsba.com/system/AP22-p427/

any tips on these? palermo soho should be pretty safe right?

thanks again for all your help, cant wait to land in EZE.

I think you are on the right track... ApartmentsBA is a great company and I have many clients that are regular customers with them. All the places you are considering are good choices... which one will ultimatetly depend on your preference for this or that detail... but you cant go wrong with any of the candidates you are proposing.

Why is Dior so cheap in BA ? I am here for a couple of days and can't understand why Dior is so cheap in BA $75 for a shirt seems to cheap. Is there anything else that is such a bargain?

thanks alex. also, is it safe for me to wear a watch in Bs As? i have a tag which cost about $1,500 USD which i am used to wearing 24x7 but i dont want to be a target for thiefs.. should i just leave the watch home?

how bad is the small crime (pickpocketing, etc.) in recoleta and palermo neighborhoods?

would you recommend i get something like this for keys, camera, documents, wallet, etc.:

http://www.tumi.com/alpha/organizer-travel-tote/

Wirelessly posted (Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x448)

Dior has a licensee company that makes some clothes in Argentina, hence no import duty and prices can be kept low. The licensee also imports European stuff that can sometimes be had at discounts, you need to shop around.

Theft is a real possibility in BA. Especially in crowds (Subte, buses, etc). When I got shirts tailored for me the last time, I had them put an extra pocket on the inside of the shirt, so I can put a wallet, passport, or higher sums of cash in, while still having reasonable access to it.

In the last two years, I've had attempted theft in three cities: BA, Quito and Bucharest. I caught two with their hands in my pocket, the other had snuck up behind me in Quito, and was just starting to put his hand in my pocket. So far, Jaimito 3, Pick Pockets 0.

Of course, I've had money stolen in a hotel room in Lima ($600), and my wallet stolen at BOS (1.3k). I guess when you fly enough, it's bound to happen. I am pretty careful though, and always try to keep my money divided up, and so far it's worked out well. Even when I got hit in Lima, they only got 1/2 my cash.

Wirelessly posted (Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x320)

jkb76-- Use big city street smarts and common sense and you will be OK. I would not be too worried about your TAG unless its those thick solid gold bracelet types.