Where to Stay in Buenos Aires – Best Neighbourhoods + Hotels

Choosing where to stay in Buenos Aires can be quite overwhelming. First of all, the Argentine capital is massive. In fact, it’s made up of 48 neighbourhoods, or barrios. Thankfully, you’re only really going to visit a handful of them during your stay. However, even deciding between those remaining barrios can give you a headache, which is why our guide is here to help you pick the right neighbourhood for your needs.

We stayed in Buenos Aires for two weeks, which was more than enough time to get to know the city and its barrios a little better. You’ll want to stay in a safe area, ideally close to attractions and amenities, such as restaurants and cafes. Picking your accommodation will also depend on other factors such as your budget, your length of stay in BA, your general travel style and your interests.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in the Argentine capital, make sure to watch our dedicated Buenos Aires video, which we shared on our YouTube channel Kitti and Jon. For more videos from the country, check out our Argentina playlist.

Best Neighbourhoods to Stay in Buenos Aires

What we loved most about Buenos Aires was that we were never too far from popular landmarks and amenities. Getting around the Argentine capital is also very easy thanks to its extensive network of public transport and taxis, which we’ve detailed how to use in our dedicated Buenos Aires Transport Guide.

Where NOT to stay in Buenos Aires? Whilst La Boca is a popular barrio to visit in Buenos Aires, for safety reasons we don’t recommend staying in this neighbourhood. We also wouldn’t stay in Retiro, even though you may walk through this part of BA on your way to the main bus terminal for long haul buses, or to the train station for a day trip to Tigre and the Parana Delta.

Recoleta in Buenos Aires

Sandwiched between Palermo and Retiro, Recoleta is one of the most elegant neighbourhoods in the Argentine capital. The streets here are filled with trendy cafes, luxury apartments, parks, museums and art galleries, as well as Belle Époque architecture that’ll make you feel like you’ve accidentally boarded the wrong plane and ended up in Paris.

Although it’s a more affluent neighbourhood, you can still find plenty of budget friendly accommodations here. Recoleta is also considered a safe barrio and is close to other popular neighbourhoods such as Palermo, Montserrat and San Telmo. We ended up staying in Recoleta during our two weeks in Buenos Aires.

Best Hotels in Recoleta for Every Budget:

• Hotel Impala is a great budget friendly accommodation option in Recoleta. It’s close to a subway station, the Recoleta Cemetery, and many restaurants and cafes.
• Sileo Hotel is in a great location right next to Recoleta Cemetery. The best part is that the rooms have private balconies overlooking the city and you also get breakfast included.
• Cyan Recoleta Hotel is also right next to Recoleta Cemetery, and has rooms with city views and breakfast included.
• Departamento Monoambiente is a great option if you want to book an entire apartment. They are one bedroom apartments with a living room and kitchenette.
• Mio Buenos Aires is perfect for a more luxurious stay in BA. Apart from their lovely rooms, they also have spa facilities, including a sauna, an indoor pool and a massage room. They offer a buffet breakfast and shuttles to Ezeiza Airport.

Palermo in Buenos Aires

Palermo is the largest neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. In fact, it’s divided into multiple sub-barrios such as Palermo Soho, Palermo Viejo, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Nuevo, Palermo Chico, Palermo Norte, Las Canitas, Pacifico, Alto Palermo and Palermo Botanico. Each area has its own distinct character, from bohemian vibes to cultural and economic centres. Palermo is also packed with many places to see and things to do, including some of the best public parks, museums and street art. You also won’t need to go far to find a good bar, café or restaurant.

Palermo is a great neighbourhood for both shorter and longer stays. Many expats choose this area because there is a good variety of green spaces where they can escape the hectic city, as well as many shopping, dining and nightlife opportunities.

In addition, the domestic airport (Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, or just Aeroparque) is also located in Palermo. Most flights to other parts of the country, such as to Iguazu Falls, Patagonia, or Ushuaia, would depart from there.

Best Hotels in Palermo for Every Budget:

• Meridiano Hostel Boutique is a good budget option in Palermo, located between Palermo Soho and the parks. It has a lively bar if you want to socialise with fellow travellers.
• Estudio en lo mejor de Palermo is a great apartment only a short walk from the museums and parks. It has a fully equipped kitchen and even a balcony, so is perfect for a slightly longer stay.
• Casa Joseph is close to the Eco-park and the Botanic Garden. It’s a stylish apartment with a rooftop swimming pool, sun terrace and bar.
• Mine Hotel is located in Palermo Soho and has stylish rooms, as well as a lovely courtyard, garden and pool. Breakfast is included.

Downtown Buenos Aires – Monserrat, San Nicolas and Retiro

Mostly referred to as “El Centro” or “Microcentro”, the capital’s downtown area is made up of three neighbourhoods: Monserrat, San Nicolas and Retiro. In this part of Buenos Aires you’ll find many important government buildings, historical sites, religious buildings, fantastic architecture and many eateries. Staying in downtown Buenos Aires is essentially basing yourself in the centre of all you can do in the capital.

Note. We suggest booking your stay in either Monserrat or San Nicolas, but avoid Retiro.

From Microcentro, you can easily reach the popular northern barrios, such as Recoleta and Palermo. You’re also going to be very close to barrio San Telmo and barrio La Boca, one of the most colourful neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires. If you only have a short amount of time in Buenos Aires, then we suggest staying in the Downtown area.

Best Hotels in Downtown Buenos Aires for Every Budget:

• Franca City Hostel is perfect if you’re on a lower budget and want to socialise with fellow backpackers. It’s also right next to Palacio Barolo along Avenida de Mayo, so you’ll be close to many of the main attractions in downtown BA.
• Tango de Mayo Hotel is also located next to Palacio Barolo along Avenida de Mayo. The hotel is set in a refurbished historical building from the 1910’s, and breakfast is included in your stay.
• Studio Congreso is perfect for a slightly longer stay in the city. It’s also located next to Palacio Barolo, but is an entire studio apartment with a small kitchen and high speed internet.
• NH Collection Buenos Aires Centro Histórico is for those who don’t mind splashing the cash. The hotel sits next to Plaza de Mayo and has an outdoor pool with a sun terrace.

San Telmo in Buenos Aires

San Telmo is one of the oldest and most traditional neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires. In the past, it’s been home to dockworkers, slaves, immigrants, artists and writers. Today, visitors can learn about its history, watch tango shows, browse handicraft markets and shop for antiques. 

San Telmo is generally a more affordable area to stay in Buenos Aires compared to the other barrios, such as Recoleta. For this reason it’s ideal for backpackers or those on a tighter budget. Whilst nowadays it’s much safer, we still recommend being careful in this area, especially at night.

Best Hotels in San Telmo for Every Budget:

• America Del Sur Hostel is a popular hostel in San Telmo offering free breakfast for its guests and plenty of communal areas to socialise or cook your dinner in.
• Hostel Carlos Gardel is located close to Plaza Dorrego and also offers fully-equipped kitchen facilities to their guests.
• This townhouse loft in San Telmo is a great place if you’re staying in BA for a few extra nights. It’s been recently renovated and has a fully equipped kitchen and a terrace with some city views.
• L’Adresse Hotel Boutique is one of the best luxury hotels in San Telmo. It’s housed in a historic building and is also close to La Boca. The hotel’s interior is really beautiful and your stay will also include breakfast.

Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires

Puerto Madero is the trendy port area of Buenos Aires, with few attractions but plenty of cafes and restaurants. The barrio is known for its modern architecture, offering upscale and safe experiences for those who decide to stay here.

Similar to Palermo, Puerto Madero also has some lovely green parks to get away from the city noise, which is great if you’re planning a longer stay in the capital. It’s also close to Downtown BA, so you won’t be too far from all the main tourist attractions either.

Best Hotels in Puerto Madero:

• SLS Buenos Aires Puerto Madero offers a 5-star experience with spa facilities, a wellness center, a swimming pool with a view, sauna, fitness center, sun terrace, garden, restaurant and bar.
• Hotel Madero Buenos Aires, WorldHotels Elite is another 5-star hotel offering spacious rooms with private balconies and breakfast included. Airport shuttles can also be arranged.
• Trendy Apartment in Puerto Madero is a more affordable option in this area that offers a recently renovated apartment with amenities such as a kitchenette, balcony, a sauna and an outdoor swimming pool.
• Luxury Apartments in Puerto Madero is great if you want to book an entire apartment with a fully equipped kitchen and a balcony.

Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Buenos Aires

We hope that this guide helped you to narrow down your search for the best areas to stay in Buenos Aires. We really enjoyed staying in Recoleta and would definitely book our stay there again if we return in the future, with Palermo as our second option for a longer stay.

Let us know in the comments which area you would want to stay in on your future trip to the Argentine capital. If you found this blog post useful and want to show your support you can buy us a coffee here.