Buenos Aires Travel Forum

Family of three (Mom, Dad & Teenager) planning to rent apartment (via bytargentina?) for X-Mas week. Have reviewed this board but can't decide between Palermo (Viejo?) and San Telmo. Looking for local neighborhood "feel," restaurants etc. vs shopping & night life but also concerned about safety. Minimal Spanish but very comfortable in urban environment. Would appreciate any general tips on one area relative to the other. Thanks.

Personally I liked San Telmo better. Seemed to be closer to more sights, a lot going on. And Palermo didn't have the 'old world' feel like San Telmo does, just my opinion...

First of all I would recommend looking for another rental agent. I list a couple of agents on my travel page that enjoy a much better reputation than ByT. As for the choice of areas, Palermo Viejo is just one part of Palermo. There are several parts to the barrio of Palermo. For what you list, restaurants, feel, safety etc... Palermo SoHo would win hands down compared to San Telmo. You really can't beat the variety of places to dine in Palermo SoHo. And the shopping is great fun too.

The more upscale areas of the Recoleta would certainly be considered the "safest" area to be in. Not that Buenos Aires is dangerous, far from it. The Recoleta has more of a Parisian neighbourhood feel. Palermo also has similar areas. Palermo Chico hosts many of the embassies and residences, also some fantastic parks such as the Palermo Woods.

You might want to check my travel pages as well as other VT'ers pages for tips and recommendations. I have a link posted for an interactive city map where you can type in the address and see exactly where it is located and how it relates to the city.

suerte
SAM

My vote is for San Telmo.

Try vrbo.com for a rental.

well i would definitely recommend RECOLETTA when it comes to safety instead of any of the places. San Telmo is good but safety wise can be dangerous at night depending on where you are staying. there isn't as much lights outside as in Recoletta(the safest barrio in BA) although Recoletta is a little more expensive better be safe than sorry.the taxi ride from recoletta to San Telmo or Palermo is about 10pesos(20mins walk).. as for the agency you chose, renting in Argentina is a hit and miss...most reviews on the many website and forums orientated towards tourist are made by rental agencies.......just beware, biggest doesn't always mean best.

We were very happy in San Telmo ( You may see our tips) , anyway you will like any area in BA
Buen viaje !!!

Hi There! I had a flawless experience with Buenos Aires Stay... this is their link. http://www.buenosairesstay.com/

I stayed in Recoleta but they have properties everywhere...all safe places and 24hr help from their consierge.

goodluck!