stimpy

$3.25 for a big Chorizo steak, $5 for a classic Argentinian Cabernet, $2.50 for a Havana Cohiba, all in a very, very nice restaurant in Puerto Madero. It seems criminal, yet they really need our business now.

BA is one of the nicest cities in the world and I've always loved visiting here, but my gosh it is so cheap now with the currency crisis! I feel so bad for the people, but I recommend to anyone who wants a first-class vacation for a third-class price to visit here. My God! How can a classic Argentinian steak in a fabulous restaurant cost less than a Big Mac at McDonalds?

Sweet Willie

Sounds great, I'm just waiting for a good cheap fare from UA to get there.

0524

Is BA safe for Americans?

richard

any cheap fares from North America?

GUWonder

Buenos Aires is safe for Americans but don't go waving the flag down there telling the neighborhood criminals than an American loaded with dollars is only a few feet away.

Fares from NYC are cheap in April at 385 still or 397 on AA and they get you miles.

fallinasleep

What about hotels though? I noticed that the international hotels are still pricing their rooms in the USD100+ range (big scam if you ask me -- if Argentina weren't so used to thinking about prices in US dollars, I would think it would be THE place to pick up dirt cheap RTW fares right now). Also, what exchange rate did your credit card company convert your peso bills into USD at? Any major delay between transaction and posting dates? Or, did you change your money at the cambios and pay in pesos?

As for meals, steak dinners have always been good value in Argentina (even during Convertibility). Now, it is simply cheap.

If anybody wants to join me, I'm headed down to BA next Sunday and will spend a few days there before going to the interior.

[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 04-05-2002).]

CDG1

I LOVE Argentine Tango!!!

clacko

0524... i made it thru ba a couple of weeks ago. no problems. stayed at the alavear palace, walked around, had no problems.

hfly

A word of warning. I was in Argentina for three weeks around New Years 1989-1990 when the economy melted down (even worse than now). It was super cheap, prices halved in dollar terms by the day and it was a cheap cheap holiday, prices were even lower than those quoted above.

I did however get particularly stung by a Credit Card transaction that I made for a rental car. They held the slip an extra week or two. In that time the banks were closed by the government and Menem made some big promises, the Austral which had devalued from 1500 to the dollar at the beginning of my stay to 40,000 at the end, very briefly reverted back to 2500 or so for a day or two. That is when my slip hit Amex. In short my $200 charge came in the next month at something stupid like $2000. I fought Amex for a year about it, and eventually made a settlement. Try to pay everything in cash to avoid this possibility. (I must say that over the years I have been the beneficiary of the exact opposite many many times so at the end of the day I am still ahead).

stimpy

The hotels list as expensive, but if you call them up and ask for a cheaper rate, they will do so to get some business. I think the Hilton first quoted $250 per night, but when we said that was too much, they lowered it to $125 and the charge went through in dollars rather than pesos. No one is going to take charges in pesos now since it is moving down. Maybe when it starts moving up they will.

richard

found a $582 fare (W fare web-only) from UA IAD-MIA-EZE, min 3 day stay, Thursday to Sunday, for about 10,200 miles. There is a routing through ORD for a few dollars more.

fallinasleep

Everyone should read those fare rules very closely. The reason I am flying AA is because UA didn't offer miles on the lowest fare (booked in T class). However, I haven't heard of W fares not qualifying for miles (yet). If you want to go on a crazy mileage run for only a few bucks more, you could probably route through ORD and DFW before getting to MIA for the EZE flight.

According to Expedia, the last day to purchase these W fares is April 10.

stimpy, any good restaurant recommendations in BA?

Also, regarding the Hilton in BA, the Hilton Web site has a rate of $125 if you want to book it online and get the bonus points. However, I would caution that in a situation like this, it is very risky to charge anything that is denominated first in U.S. dollars given the volatility in the exchange rate (especially if there is a sharp one-day appreciation in the peso between your check-out date and transaction posting date) as the dollar rate is usually first converted to the local currency when you checkin/out and then it is converted back again to USD (minus the 1%-3% credit card handling fee!) at the then prevailing exchange rate. I would try to pay in cash if at all possible to avoid the problem hfly described.


[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 04-07-2002).]

Gaucho100K

EZE is perfectly safe, just use common sense and you will be fine. The only thing I would recommend is not to hail down a taxi on the street unless its a " Radio Taxi ". Its easy to tell which ones are, these are pre-screened and will give you no problems, some of the other stand alone taxis have been known to rip off tourists.

Now is the time to go, as has been stated here, prices are just incredible. Leather goods, and also silver items are great buys. For leather, stay away from calle Florida, go to the shopping malls and buy there, style is better and so is quality, you will pay more, but at 3 to 1 thats a non issue.

The new Buenos Aires Hilton at Puerto Madero, at below US$ 150 is a steal, brand new hotel, service is quite nice, try to get upgrade to Executive floor.

stimpy

There are a strip of restaurants on the Puerto Madero waterfront near the Hilton. The one I ate at this time was Sorrento, but there are plenty of other good ones. The Hilton actually has a program where you can put the restaurant tab on your hotel bill for several of the restaurants.

Other neighborhoods also have great restaurants and I always recommend visiting the Recoleto and the nearby cafe's.

GUWonder

If you don't eat at Cabana Las Lilas, the best steakhouse in Buenos Aires arguably, you will be missing out. It is in Puerto Madero, walkind distant from the Hilton Hotel which is where I always stay. I have stayed at the Park Hyatt/now Four Seasons and Palace Alvear, but prefer the Hilton for the nearby steakhouse and the fact that a friend of a friend owns a big night club in Puerto Madero and the people from Asia de Cuba know me fairly well too.