Recommended Hotels
Most Antarctic travellers must transfer between the city’s two airports, located 30 miles (40km) apart. In a city where language barriers and impromptu protests can add unexpected "twists" to your logistics, your hotel’s location is the key to a stress-free stay.
Our shortlist is based on a decade of guest feedback. We have prioritised safety, value, and practicality so you can navigate the city effortlessly before heading south.
Accommodation in the City
Superior – Loi Suites Recoleta
Tucked away in this sleek district of Buenos Aires, this hotel is in a prime location, just steps away from the iconic Recoleta Cemetery and pleasant tree-lined boulevards of Avenida Alvear.
Loi Suites’ standout feature is its winter garden, where an elegant glass dome surrounds a palm-filled restaurant and pool. You can also use the compact fitness centre, spa and dry sauna before retiring to your spacious room with its stylish, minimal decor.
Superior Boutique – Legado Mitico
This boutique hotel is an intimate oasis in the heart of energetic Palermo. Attentively decorated to immerse visitors in the city's culture and history, it effortlessly blends modern comforts with Argentinian heritage. The spacious outside terrace on the ground level and rooftop sun deck are relaxing retreats from the sounds of the city.
A wide selection of international restaurants surround the property, and the popular weekend craft markets at Plaza Serrano are just a five-minute walk away.
Premium – Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires MGallery
Set on the bustling Callao Avenue and opposite the leafy Plaza Rodríguez Peña Park, Palladio has a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere with a strong focus on art and design. This accommodation is within walking distance of the upscale Recoleta district’s most renowned sights and just two minutes on foot from the spectacular El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookshop.
The 11th-floor Terazza Bar is a convivial spot for an evening cocktail, and the hotel restaurant offers a wide selection of international and local cuisine. Rooms are spacious and elegantly decorated. After a day of sightseeing, you can relax beside the outdoor pool or enjoy a treatment at the sleek spa.
Swoop says
When in Buenos Aires en route to Antarctica, I loved the Palermo neighbourhood. Its Soho style and laidback feel were perfect. I spent my days getting to know its steakhouses and enjoying its fantastic cafes... I’ll definitely return.
Otto Lock Antarctica Specialist
Accommodation Outside the City
Premium – La Bamba de Areco
Retreat to one of Argentina’s oldest estancias, a 19th-century ranch turned Relais & Châteaux boutique hotel just 2½ hours from Buenos Aires. Embracing its equestrian heritage, La Bamba de Areco features rooms named after horses, each intentionally free of WIFI and TVs to ensure total relaxation. Inside, contemporary South American art meets antique furnishings, darkwood floors, and fine Egyptian linens.
The sprawling estate offers a pool shaded by century-old plane trees, a guard-tower library, and extensive grounds for horseback riding.
Note: This property welcomes guests aged 12 and over.
Room view at La Bamba
Superior Boutique – La Bandada
Just 75 minutes from Buenos Aires’ international airport, this estancia feels a world away from the city’s bustle. Thoughtfully restored, the rooms exude old-world charm. Relax in cosy lounges or on long verandas—ideal for reading before dinner. The cuisine celebrates Argentine classics like dulce de leche and melt-in-the-mouth empanadas, crafted with fresh ingredients from the estate’s gardens.
With a maximum of 14 guests, you can cycle or ride horses through the grounds in total peace. The property is encircled by a wooded park that opens into vast pastures and lagoons teeming with birdlife, capybaras, and coypus.
The pool at Bandada
Swoop says
Please be aware that hotels do get booked in advance during Patagonia's peak season, so we would absolutely recommend that you book anywhere you're definitely keen to stay ahead of travelling, or risk disappointment!
Buenos Aires Accommodation: FAQs
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Where should I stay in Buenos Aires?
The city has 48 barrios, or neighbourhoods, each with a distinct character. Our favourites are elegant Recoleta, reminiscent of beautiful Paris, and bohemian Palermo, which has impressive street art and is easily explored on foot.
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Is it easy to get around the city?
Yes it is. There is an efficient and easy-to-use metro system, offering a sustainable way to get around the city. If you’d prefer to travel by taxi, ride-hailing services such as Uber are available and widely used. Alternatively, you can have your hotel or restaurant call one for you. Buenos Aires is also a very walkable city, and full of varied architecture to admire as you wander.
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What is the best area for bars and restaurants?
As a large city home to a melting pot of cultures, Buenos Aires has a huge variety of drinking and dining options. Many of our favourites are in Palermo, where renowned steak restaurants sit a short stroll from boutique cafes, microbreweries and international eateries. Tables are spread across the pavements, offering a wonderful alfresco atmosphere.
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What is the standard of hotels in Buenos Aires?
You can expect most hotels to be of the standard you’d expect in a comparable city back home, with one notable exception: the hotel's rating. A superior or 4* accommodation in Argentina is likely to be slightly more ‘basic’ than its American or European equivalent. We have selected hotels where this mismatch is not significant.
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Will the staff speak English?
Most customer-facing staff speak conversational English, though not everyone will be fluent. In premium hotels, many staff will have strong language skills, and English is fairly common in Buenos Aires. Still, learning a few basic Spanish phrases beforehand can help you connect with locals and boost your experience.
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Will I need to pay a tourist tax?
A tourist tax is now in effect for all visitors staying one night or more in Buenos Aires. The tax is charged per person, per night, at a rate of $0.50-$1.50 (converted from pesos), based on the hotel's official star rating. It must be paid at check-out by card or cash. Children under 12 are exempt. Foreign tourists remain exempt from the 21% VAT sales tax as long as passport copies are provided.
What our customers think of Buenos Aires Accommodation
We stayed at Casa Sur hotel and really liked it. Good location, helpful staff and good breakfast choice. We used their free bikes and navigated the cycle ways around the city.
Travelled: February 2017
Mike & Edwina - UK