need advice
 

Help! We'll be in Argentina for a total of 6 nights over July 4th holiday. I've reserved a room for the first 3 nights in B.A. and then thought we'd try to get in a couple days of early season skiing (perhaps in Bariloche) for the last three nights. I can't seem to pull it together and find information about the ski resorts- where to stay, how to get there, which is the best for early skiing... Should we consider going to Santiago for the second half and do day trips? I looked at Llao Llao but they're a ways from the mountain and undergoing renovations. Can anyone give me some advice? Time is running out.

A few years back where I had 3 days free, I found going to Santiago and over to Portillo (and staying there) was far easier (although getting a room was not) since the flights from EZE-SCL go early (and relatively frequently). Even the return SCL-BUE flights worked well for the return too as I could catch the evening flights out of Argentina and back to the US. [It was also a year where the snow conditions were not good at the ski places I wanted to go to in Argentina that time. Keep that in mind too.]

That said, I find the apres-ski more "entertaining" in Argentina; that, however, could have been a function of other things.

I agree that apres-ski and overall activities available are better and more diverse in places like Bariloche and Las Leñas, also in Chapelco (San Martin de los Andes). The season seems to have gotten off to a good start, lets hope the snow keeps coming.

Is it possible to do skiing day trips from Santiago? Am I venturing into areas for another thread? :confused:

Portillo is possible, but it makes the day much, much longer and I would not do it.

Since I'm a fan of Argentina more than Chile :D , I'll just supply a link about Santiago-"vicinity" ski options:

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...&feature=30003

First trip to BA.Which area to stay in?
 

Hello. Now I have read the whole thread once and I'm 26 pages into my second read but I have to ask this question to people who have been and to those that live there

Is staying in the Recoleta/Barrio-Norte area really going to make the trip (9 days ^ ) better than staying in the Retiro/Centro area?

It's really hard to pick an area of a city that you've never even been to!

I have a fold out "Berndtson City Streets" street map of Buenos Aires and there looks like there are loads more hotels, museums ,points of interest ,etc. in the Retiro/Centro area as apposed to the Recoleta area. Infact the map in that area looks like a ghost town!

So if anyone has any thoughts to help me decide I would love to hear them.

thanks for any help ^

I suggest, in order, first timers generally do: Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Retiro/Centro. Barrio Norte I would put down the list. If your comfortable in new surroundings and speak Spanish well, then I would add parts of Palermo to the list of neighborhoods to be on the list before Barrio Norte and probably even before Retiro/Centro (because Retiro/Centro doesn't strike my personal fancy).

If you could tell me, for example, if you were visiting NYC for the first time, which part of NYC you would have liked to been told to stay for 9 days the first time, then some of us could try point you to something comparable in Buenos Aires.

Hello and thank you GUWonder for your reply.

I'll have to come clean and say I've only been to NYC once and all I can really remember about it was Some big museums,Central park and the Twin towers. Not really that helpful!
However I an leaning towards Recoleta and the hotel Etoile (if available)

I'm sure we'll have a great first time no matter where we stay.

... of that, you are assured. :)

I cannot comment about Hotel Etoile since I have never stayed there, but Recoleta is a very good choice.

If you're staying for 9 days, why not consider staying in two different places? It only costs a cheap cab ride to check out of one hotel and move to another.

On my first trip last fall, we did two hotels (the trip was broken up by a side run to Peninsula Valdes), both more central in the city and we did it slightly differently on our second trip a few months ago. We did two hotels again, but this time one was in Centro and the other was in Palermo Viejo. Two very contrasting neighborhoods, and we were very happy with our choices.

We stayed at the L'Etoile. Had a small suite overlooking a park and the cemetery. The hotel is on a pedestrian area with lots of restaurants, it can be noisy. The Hotel is O.K., but not first class (like the Alvear Palace nearby).
We also stayed at the Kempinski Park Château, also in Recoleta ... same class, same price range.

Recoleta is a nice area: many cafés, restaurants, shops, museums ...

BA in July?????
 

want to spend 2 weeks in ba from july 15 on. looks like it is the nice winter season there......

how is the weather in july, what can I expect ithere, what can I do there except for good dining??????

is BA closed for the winter season or is BA still alive in July????

I am not interested in any tourist attractions, I just want to see BA as the residents there see it. so a little hotel in a nice and emerging neighbourhood, artists & galleries, small shops, old buildings, like soho in ny?????

any ideas and advise from locals would be great!!!!

Given what you said about looking for something like SoHo in New York, go with the Hotel Bo Bo in part of the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires is as alive in July as it is most of the rest of the year (save slower summer months down there and a few national holidays).

The weather in July is fine by me, but I prefer colder weather. You will need winter clothes but not of the polar bear variety.

For a first visit to EZE, I think the place to stay is either Recoleta or Puerto Madero.

As for the Buenos Aires winter, as GUWonder correctly states, bring winter garments but compared to the NYC and Chicago winter, EZE cold is a joke.

Please dont forget Caminito and La Boca as part of the first timers list. Some other optionals are:

1) Malba Museum
2) Museo de Arte Decorativo
3) Plaza de Mayo
4) Cafe Tortoni on Av. de Mayo
5) Teatro Colon (guided tour)