Discussion
The football season runs up to 19th June, so if you're there before then I'd recommend trying to go to a match. Even if you're not hugely into football, the atmosphere is something else.
Boca is an interesting bit of the city, although it's recommended that you don't go down there on your own.
San Telmo a bit to the north of there is good to see, but not much going on of an evening. There's a Sunday market and you sometimes get them out parading, playing music etc too.
You probably want to get a hotel somewhere around Avienda de 5 Mayo and Avienda de 9 Julio.
Nice and central and you can hit most of the architectural sites from there like the Congresso, Casa Rosada, Obelisko etc.
Palermo/Recolata side of 5 Mayo is a bit more upmarket, and if you can squeeze time in to wander round Recoleta it's worth doing.
La Cabrera Norte is probably the best steak I've had in the city, but worth booking ahead. You can rock up and wait for a table, but it's pretty popular and therefore busy and the booking system is a bit chaotic if you don't speak spanish.
Milion is a spectacular venue, but imo the food wasn't up to too much. Somewhere to go for some post dinner cocktails at the weekend.
Nightclub wise (they do have some of the best in the world!), my experience was somewhat curtailed as after the second one we went to my mate got knocked out for talking to the wrong girl at the wrong time and subsequently spent a week in hospital.
Dancing as the sun rose over the River Plate is still a fond memory, despite the events that followed!
This did mean that I got to know the sights pretty well, effectively living in the city on my own for the best part of a fortnight, but going to restaurants on your tod isn't really for me, plus I had lots to sort out with hospital visits, sorting insurance, speaking to his parents, the police, the embassy etc.
Don't be worried about that btw, it's something that could have happened in any city in the world, although the Portena's are known for flirting when they're taken, so if a pretty girl is talking to you and one bloke in particular gives you the evil eye then back off!
What those two weeks did show me though, is what a genuinely nice set of people the Argentinians are. Everyone went out of their way to be helpful, with booking a hotel at short notice being sorted, and one of the lads from the hotel taking me out for beer with his mates on the Friday night!
Cafe Tortoni on 5 Mayo is a wee bit of a tourist trap, but imo still worth a visit.
BA to me is really about the food, wine and nightlife, but you are worth tagging on with some locals if you can manage it.
Presumably if it's for business then you'll be meeting some of them!
If you can tag some holidays along with the trip and make it a longer stay, then do it.
Argentina is a fantastic country, and has so much variety to offer.
Friendly people, amazing scenery, and superb food and wine.
I've been twice now, and very much doubt my most recent trip will be my last.
Here's some photos from the first trip, feel free to bang me a PM if you've got specific q's.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigalinembra/sets/721...
Oh aye, the hotels I've stayed at are:
Don Telmo in San Telmo, small and cheap and probs around 3 stars. Staff were epically friendly when I was there, but maybe not the place for a business trip.
They were not surprised when my mate and I rolled in at 7am and asked for an alarm call at 10.30 to check out for a flight to Patagonia!
Castelar - awesome location, pretty business orientated, but we had a crap room where the "window" was onto an internal shaft. We were on the 5th floor and it's 13 storeys high. Natural light did not permeate. Staff weren't particularly friendly, and the room was quite small as well.
Esplendor - very nice boutique hotel. Staff are spot on, even when we rolled up hungover after a naughty night out in Mendoza and having a hellish day rearranging a cancelled flight.
Europe (of The Final Countdown fame) were staying here at the same time.
Disappointed to find out the groupies outside weren't for me, but if it's good enough for a supergroup, then good enough for me.
Boca is an interesting bit of the city, although it's recommended that you don't go down there on your own.
San Telmo a bit to the north of there is good to see, but not much going on of an evening. There's a Sunday market and you sometimes get them out parading, playing music etc too.
You probably want to get a hotel somewhere around Avienda de 5 Mayo and Avienda de 9 Julio.
Nice and central and you can hit most of the architectural sites from there like the Congresso, Casa Rosada, Obelisko etc.
Palermo/Recolata side of 5 Mayo is a bit more upmarket, and if you can squeeze time in to wander round Recoleta it's worth doing.
La Cabrera Norte is probably the best steak I've had in the city, but worth booking ahead. You can rock up and wait for a table, but it's pretty popular and therefore busy and the booking system is a bit chaotic if you don't speak spanish.
Milion is a spectacular venue, but imo the food wasn't up to too much. Somewhere to go for some post dinner cocktails at the weekend.
Nightclub wise (they do have some of the best in the world!), my experience was somewhat curtailed as after the second one we went to my mate got knocked out for talking to the wrong girl at the wrong time and subsequently spent a week in hospital.
Dancing as the sun rose over the River Plate is still a fond memory, despite the events that followed!
This did mean that I got to know the sights pretty well, effectively living in the city on my own for the best part of a fortnight, but going to restaurants on your tod isn't really for me, plus I had lots to sort out with hospital visits, sorting insurance, speaking to his parents, the police, the embassy etc.
Don't be worried about that btw, it's something that could have happened in any city in the world, although the Portena's are known for flirting when they're taken, so if a pretty girl is talking to you and one bloke in particular gives you the evil eye then back off!
What those two weeks did show me though, is what a genuinely nice set of people the Argentinians are. Everyone went out of their way to be helpful, with booking a hotel at short notice being sorted, and one of the lads from the hotel taking me out for beer with his mates on the Friday night!
Cafe Tortoni on 5 Mayo is a wee bit of a tourist trap, but imo still worth a visit.
BA to me is really about the food, wine and nightlife, but you are worth tagging on with some locals if you can manage it.
Presumably if it's for business then you'll be meeting some of them!
If you can tag some holidays along with the trip and make it a longer stay, then do it.
Argentina is a fantastic country, and has so much variety to offer.
Friendly people, amazing scenery, and superb food and wine.
I've been twice now, and very much doubt my most recent trip will be my last.
Here's some photos from the first trip, feel free to bang me a PM if you've got specific q's.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigalinembra/sets/721...
Oh aye, the hotels I've stayed at are:
Don Telmo in San Telmo, small and cheap and probs around 3 stars. Staff were epically friendly when I was there, but maybe not the place for a business trip.
They were not surprised when my mate and I rolled in at 7am and asked for an alarm call at 10.30 to check out for a flight to Patagonia!
Castelar - awesome location, pretty business orientated, but we had a crap room where the "window" was onto an internal shaft. We were on the 5th floor and it's 13 storeys high. Natural light did not permeate. Staff weren't particularly friendly, and the room was quite small as well.
Esplendor - very nice boutique hotel. Staff are spot on, even when we rolled up hungover after a naughty night out in Mendoza and having a hellish day rearranging a cancelled flight.
Europe (of The Final Countdown fame) were staying here at the same time.
Disappointed to find out the groupies outside weren't for me, but if it's good enough for a supergroup, then good enough for me.
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