Staying in Buenos Aires – Hotels, Hostels & Vacation Apartment Rentals – Which Is Best For You?

Sep 11, 2010

By Dominick Dal Santo
Staff Writer
American Expat in Buenos Aires since 2008

For many people, when they begin thinking about traveling to Buenos Aires, they imagine that one of the core experiences involved is staying in a Hotel. Indeed where you stay during your visit to Argentina can be a source of joy, or of great anger. But an increasing number of travelers are choosing to go a different path when it comes to their travel accommodations. More and more people are looking to renting dwellings (Apartments, Rooms, Houses, Etc) from locals during their stay in Argentina as Vacation Rentals . For the more adventurous traveler, who is also traveling on a budget, Hostels are still the preferred accommodations.

But what about for you, what kind of accommodations do you prefer when you travel? What are Hotels, Hostels, and Vacation Rentals in Buenos Aires really like? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each one?

The answers to each of those questions depend a lot upon what kind of traveler you are. For the Casual Traveler, perhaps one even that has never left their native country before, staying at a Hotel will prove to be more inline with your tastes and needs. For those who are Seasoned Travelers(like myself) and who are not to attached to the luxuries of a full service Hotel staff, Vacation Rentals allow you to save some money, while still having a quite comfortable place to stay. Now if you are an Adventurous Traveler, then you maybe prefer to get your hands dirty and live the life of the constant wanderer by staying at a Hostel.

Hotels

If your idea of the perfect vacation includes, breakfast in bed, room service, a nice pool and hot tub, and short but meaningful trips outside your comfortable “Safe zone” where you are staying, or anything else of this nature, then a Hotel is the perfect, and really only choice for you. The Casual Traveler will find that exploring their strange new surroundings will be a lot easier if they can come home to a nice clean, and safe Hotel. A good hotel will also have a friendly staff that will be able to recommend and assist you in finding the best places in town to visit during your stay.

Buenos Aires (like anywhere else) has many a seedy Hotel that is more than willing to try and pass it self off as a modern, safe, and clean place to stay. Be wary and only go to places that you have found through trusted sources. Reliable, trustworthy reviews (if possible that have been posted by other travelers), are the best way to determine the if you should stay at a certain hotel. This is in most cases going to be the most expensive option, but if you do you research (Such as checking reviews here at www.buenosairesenglish.com) you can find that this city has many great Hotels for you to enjoy.

Vacation Rentals

So you’re not to into staying by the pool, and having a stranger bring you breakfast in bed while you’re on your trip. But you still would like to have a nice private place to stay, with all of the comforts of home. Well the best way to do that while visiting Buenos Aires to stay in someone else’s home, that is to say in a Vacation Renal* Many times the owners of these places use an agent or agency to help with the process. These often times have people that speak English, and will help you making the process quite simple. Vacation Rentals are a wise choice for several reasons. For one you can save yourself a good bit of money by giving up a few luxuries that a hotel gives you (some of which as mentioned you might not even care for). Vacation Rentals are in general cheaper than staying in a hotel for the same amount of time. You also in many cases can get a place with a kitchen enabling you to make some simple meals at your own home saving you more money. Many of these apartments come with many of the same comforts that you might have in your own home, such as AC, Cable TV, Internet, Security, a Cleaning Service, and much more.

There are many Web Sites where you can find good quality VR listings. These sites are easy to use, and great for comparing and getting a good price for you VR.

Click here to view a list of the ones we here at Buenos Aires In English recommend.

This type of lodging is highly recommended for Seasoned Travelers who know what they want to do, and would rather spend more time out and about during their stay.

*These are homes such as Apartments, Condos, Houses, etc, that are locally owned whose owners rent out to visiting travelers for short periods of time.

Hostels

If you are adventurous, light on cash, and looking for a bare bones adventure that brings you right up and close to other travelers from around the world, then Hostels are going to be where you are right at home. Many think of Hostels as a dank, dirty, hole in the wall places where you get nothing more than a bed in a room with several complete strangers. To be honest this is not completely unwarranted, as there are plenty of sleazy Hostels out there (With Buenos Aires having plenty as well). But there are also plenty of good Hostels in Buenos Aires for you to stay at. Hosteling is a great option for those who want to experience the city, its culture, and the “Backpacking” culture all the while doing so on only a modest budget. In a Hostel it is possible to share a bedroom with several other guests, or even get your own private room. Deciding which is right for you is your own personal choice. This type of travel is usually best for those who are young, in good health, and don’t mind figuring things out completing on their own. However Hosteling can be a great way to see the world, (or in this case Argentina) up close and personal and do so on limited resources.

Click here for a list of recommended Hostels by Buenos Aires In English.

Conclusion

So to summarize: you have many different options when it comes to accommodations in Buenos Aires. Hotels for the Casual Traveler who wants to experience the luxuries of a trained and accommodating staff and hotel facilities. Vacation Rentals for the Seasoned Traveler that wants a leaner, more activities focused trip, while still desiring some of the creature comforts of home. And lastly for those Adventurous Travelers who want an up close and personal travel experience but for a very modest price, Hostels are a perfect choice.