Where to Stay In Buenos Aires: Discover the Best Areas to Stay

Known as the ‘Paris of South America', this iconic city in the Southern cone punches well above its weight when it comes to everything from culture to shopping to food.

At once European in architecture and lifestyle as well as unapologetically Latino in culture, Buenos Aires is a city that will keep you up until the early hours of the morning, drinking wine, dancing tango, and chatting with the friendly locals.

Famous for its grilled meats, tango, and unparalleled nightlife, Buenos Aires gives New York a run for its money as the city that never sleeps. Dinner starts at 9 pm and you go to the club, not come home from it at 2 am. This late-night culture is only possible thanks to the locals' dedication to always having a good time, whenever, wherever.

While it's a pretty safe city overall, where you stay still matters, so finding the best neighborhood for your trip is a must. I've put together the ultimate guide to where to stay in Buenos Aires, from luxury neighborhoods with high-end hotels to bohemian spots with dive bars and cheap cafes. I've also collated the best hotels for your stay, with accommodation options for every budget.

Best Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires

Palermo Soho – This upmarket neighborhood is home to some of Buenos Aires' best clubs, with a late-night atmosphere that will keep you out partying until the early hours of the morning. By day, it's the best place to shop in the Argentinian capital.

Palermo Hollywood – Boasting the best places to eat and drink in the city as well as plenty of accommodation to choose from, this affluent neighborhood is as popular with residents as it is with tourists, for all the right reasons.

Recoleta – Walking the streets of Recoleta feels like you're walking the streets of Paris or Madrid. Sprawling boulevards housing designer brands are lined with lavish hotels and boutique stores as well as one of Buenos Aires' most iconic sights, the Recoleta Cemetery.

Microcentro – Home to Buenos Aires' most iconic landmarks, this neighborhood puts you in the heart of the action, with plenty of connections to Buenos Aires' more hip neighborhoods, too.

San Telmo – This gritty, bohemian neighborhood is where the cool kids and locals live. With a hipster population and quirky coffee shops to match, San Telmo shows off a more authentic side to Buenos Aires.

Puerto Madero – Buenos Aires' newest neighborhood, Puerto Madero, lies just across the river and is home to some of the city's best hotels and eateries.

1. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for Nightlife & Shopping: Palermo Soho

If eating, drinking, or retail therapy appeals to you, look no further than the Palermo district's most bustling neighborhood – Palermo Soho.

With hundreds of bars, clubs, and eateries on your doorstep as well as easy transportation to the city's biggest sights, Palermo Soho is the place to be seen. But do be warned, it's a night owl's paradise – the early bird does not catch the worm here.

If you want to stay somewhere quiet where getting an early night is commonplace, this isn't the neighborhood for you. If you're willing to adopt the Argentinian approach to time, you'll find yourself right at home in this vibrant barrio.

As well as enough nightlife to keep you occupied until the early hours of the morning, you'll find plenty of unique boutique stores to explore by day, with something for every budget. It's hip, too, with plenty of health food stores, vegan cafes, and speakeasy-style bars.

Palermo is one of the neighborhoods that does the best job of proving just why Buenos Aires is so high in the international city rankings.

Best Area to Stay for:

• Night owls

• Shoppers

• First-time visitors to Buenos Aires

• Groups of friends

• Nightlife and bars

Things to Do in Palermo Soho

Without a doubt, the best things to do in Palermo Soho are shop, eat, and drink – all in one day if you plan it right! Some of my favorite bars to visit here include Backroom Bar, Behind Bar, and Victoria Brown Bar, and it's well worth visiting all three in one night on a bar crawl if you can.

If you're into culture, catch a performance at the Microteatro or hop over to the nearby Recoleta to see some more central sights. Plaza Inmigrantes de Armenia is a lively square for those who want to get outside, with a playground for kids. While Palermo Soho isn't the most family-friendly neighborhood, the Plaza provides a good place to enjoy with little ones if you do visit the barrio during your stay.

The nearby Plaza Italia is also a buzzing square, complete with a monument and Roman column to explore.

Best Hotels to Stay in Palermo Soho

($$$) Nuss Buenos Aires Soho

($$) Duque Hotel & Spa

($) Krista Boutique Buenos Aires

2. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for First-time Visitors: Palermo Hollywood

I stayed in Palermo Hollywood during my visit to Buenos Aires and couldn't have loved it more. Granted, it's not the best-placed neighborhood for visiting sights. So why have I listed it as my go-to for first-time visitors? Put simply, it's got everything a traveler could want to a neighborhood, including transport links to the aforementioned sights so you're never too far from the heart of the action.

Palermo is safe, upmarket, home to an excellent range of accommodation, and slightly quieter than the Soho district of Palermo, making it more suitable for those who are seeking a laid-back vacation with less of a focus on nightlife (such as families and couples).

But this doesn't mean Palermo Hollywood is boring – far from it. It's home to some of the best food and drink spots in the city, as well as plenty of boutique clothing and artisan food stores. I saw more health food stores in Palermo Hollywood than any other neighborhood anywhere, which was ideal for fuelling my kombucha addiction.

If the name sounds like a certain somewhere in LA, that's because this part of Palermo gets its name from being the home of Argentina's TV and movie production studios, making it the Hollywood of Buenos Aires.

Palermo Soho is always talked about as the nightlife hub of Buenos Aires, and while it is more lively than Hollywood on the whole, don't overlook the nighttime offerings in Hollywood.

It's home to what's probably my favorite bar in the city, Uptown, a speakeasy that's hidden down some steps behind a recreation of a New York subway entrance and cart. It's just one of the many hidden bars that make Buenos Aires' nightlife so interesting.

Best Area to Stay for:

• Foodies

• Nightlife lovers

• Couples

• First-time visitors to Buenos Aires

Things to Do in Palermo Hollywood

There are endless places to eat and drink in Hollywood, from Uptown (as mentioned above) the quirky NYC subway speakeasy to Frank's, another popular speakeasy-style bar (see, I told you there were tons of hidden bars!).

If you're looking for something healthy to soothe your gut after a few nights out, I like the health food cafe Artemisia, located on a street with tons of cafes and shops around.

There aren't a ton of sights in Palermo Hollywood so it's not the place to stay for that, but there are plenty of independent businesses to check out, such as quirky bookshop, Eterna Cadencia. Just strolling around the neighborhood is the perfect afternoon plan with so many beautiful buildings and vibrant spots to explore.

Best Hotels to Stay in Palermo Hollywood

($$$) Palo Santo Hotel

($$) Hotel Clasico

($) Boutique Suites Palermo

3. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for Upmarket Vibes & Parisian Architecture: Recoleta

If there's one word to sum up Recoleta, it's elegant. Conveniently located near some of the city's most important sights, Recoleta is grand, sweeping, and classy, with no apologies for being so.

Walking around this affluent neighborhood is akin to walking around Madrid, Paris, or other European heavy-hitters, and there are plenty of luxury accommodation options for travelers with a generous budget.

But despite its upmarket vibe, Recoleta isn't snobby. You're still just as likely to encounter laid-back local Argentinian joints, serving asado to be gulped down alongside a US$2 glass of red. You'll find the same friendly Argentinians and late-night culture here, so staying in Recoleta doesn't mean missing out on authenticity.

This area is ideal for culture vultures, too, with The National Museum of Fine Arts boasting Argentine masterpieces and the Recoleta Cultural Center putting on contemporary performances. It's also a great area for families thanks to its low crime rates, and the romantic Parisian boulevards make it the perfect spot for a romantic getaway.

Best Area to Stay for:

• Parisian architecture

• Mansions

• Luxury accommodation

• Being near to the sights without the hustle and bustle

Things to Do in Recoleta

The most popular thing to do here is to visit the Recoleta Cemetery, which isn't as bleak as it sounds, I promise! Here you'll also find Teatro Colón, an incredible performing arts theater built in the early 20th century known for hosting operas, plays, and ballets.

While you're in the area, stroll over to El Ateneo Gran Splendid, a grand bookshop that was once an elegant theater and retains the original decor. There's even a section with novels in English.

We didn't stay in the Four Seasons Hotel (not in our budget!), but we did visit the iconic hotel for a drink in the on-site bar, and prices were surprisingly reasonable! We got a couple of cocktails for around US $20 with two portions of potato chips included for free.

Best Hotels to Stay in Recoleta

($$$) Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires

($$) Mio Buenos Aires

($) CasaSur Recoleta

4. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for Sightseeing: Microcentro

Buenos Aires is a city with plenty to see and do, so if you only have a few days to spend in the dazzling Argentinian capital, spend them in the Microcentro. While Buenos Aires doesn't have a traditional ‘downtown' like Rome's historic center or Madrid's Sol, it has a ‘micro center', a small spot where all the main sights are concentrated.

Here you'll find the Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires' main square where the President's home (Casa Rosada) and other landmarks are located. Inside the square, you'll spot the Pirámide de Mayo, the city's first monument to ever be built.

The Microcentro is also a main shopping hub, the perfect spot for a day of retail therapy to suit all budgets, with high-street brands and household names. If you're in the market for luxury shopping, however, Recoleta is a better spot.

The Microcentro is the best base for spending a few days in Buenos Aires and it's close enough to other neighborhoods that you can still enjoy the culinary delights of Palermo or the arts scene of Recoleta.

As you'd expect from a city center, it's not exactly quiet, and it's very tourist-heavy, so if you're looking for somewhere to escape the crowds, look elsewhere. But if being in the heart of where the action happens is a must for you, there's simply nowhere better.

Best Area to Stay for:

• Sightseeing

• Visitors with only a few days in Buenos Aires

• Politics lovers

Things to do in Microcentro

There's no shortage of things to see in Buenos Aires' center, from historical monuments to examples of incredible European-style architecture. Here you'll find Palacio Barolo, a distinctive landmark tower block with design features inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy.

Just a short walk away lies the capital's most important square, Plaza de Mayo. Here you can see Casa Rosada (the President's pink house!), as well as the iconic Pirámide de Mayo in the center of the plaza.

Take a 2-minute stroll and you'll find yourself by the Museo Nacional del Cabildo de Buenos Aires y de la Revolución de Mayo, a must-visit if you're interested in Argentinian history and keen to see some heritage pieces.

To get a better view of the city from above, head to the RoofTop Plaza de Mayo and soak up the sights of one of Latin America's most impressive cities. As well as key sights, there are plenty of places to eat, drink, and shop in the area, which is home to well-known brands.

Best Hotels to Stay in Microcentro

($$$) NH Buenos Aires Tango

($$) Up Viamonte Hotel

($) ibis Styles Buenos Aires

5. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires on a Budget: San Telmo

If Recoleta is plush mansions and Parisian boulevards, San Telmo is the opposite. San Telmo is Buenos Aires at its grungiest and most bohemian – gone are the facades of a 19th-century European city, San Telmo is unapologetically gritty, and that's what makes it so charming.

Street art, pop-up art galleries, and chic local eateries give this area its personality, as well as the iconic San Telmo Market, where you can pick up one-of-a-kind trinkets. In this popular market, you'll find everything from antiques to Argentinian food, making it the perfect place to wander on a sunny morning.

It's worth pointing out that San Telmo isn't as safe as Recoleta or Palermo so it does require extra caution, especially at night, but it's certainly a lot safer than it was 40+ years ago.

I'd recommend it more for groups of friends and couples than for families. But if you want to see the true, unpolished Buenos Aires with a hipster edge, this should be your go-to neighborhood.

Best Area to Stay for:

• Hipster vibes

• Artists

• Backpackers

• Groups of friends

• Bohemian architecture

• Travelers on a budget

Things to do in San Telmo

San Telmo doesn't offer much in the way of sights, but luckily, it's a short stroll to the center to see the likes of Plaza de Mayo. San Telmo's most famous sight is the San Telmo Market, a large market home to a range of local vendors where you can pick up everything from souvenirs to spices.

Here you'll also find the beautiful Lezama Park, the ideal spot for a stroll in the sunshine, complete with a playground for young children. Eatery Parrilla La Brigada is a local favorite, where families gather on weekend evenings to devour some of Buenos Aires' finest grilled meats.

Thanks to its gritty reputation, there's plenty of street art to admire here, too, so simply strolling the streets by day is as good a plan as any.

Best Hotels to Stay in San Telmo

($$$) Lemon Suites

($$) Ribera Sur Hotel

($) Viajero Buenos Aires Hostel

6. Where to Stay in Buenos Aires for Luxury Hotels: Puerto Madero

If luxury accommodations and hip modern eateries are your thing, the Puerto Madero neighborhood should be your go-to destination for your next trip to Buenos Aires. Puerto Madero is luxurious in a different way to Recoleta or Palermo – instead of old-school charm, Puerto Madero is modern and flashy, reminiscent of New York's Financial District.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in this area and it shows, with impressive skyscrapers and glitzy office blocks. It's not the spot for budget travelers, but it's certainly ideal for those looking to splash out.

There aren't many sights to see there (although luckily it's just across the river from the capital's center) but its array of luxury accommodations, river views, and innovative places to eat and drink are what make Puerto Madero attractive to visitors to Buenos Aires. This might not be the most authentic side of Buenos Aires, but it's definitely the swankiest.

Best Area for:

• Luxury accommodation

• Upmarket eateries

• Views of the river

Things to do in Puerto Madero

Puerto Madero isn't the sightseeing center of Buenos Aires so you probably won't end up spending much time here, but it's certainly a great spot to stay in. While you're there, check out the Woman's Bridge, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.

One of my favorite breakfast spots is located here too – Ol'Days Coffee & Kitchen – home to some of the tastiest breakfast options in Buenos Aires with plenty of gluten-free and vegan choices.

Since tango is the country's national dance, it's only fitting that you can find a monument to it right here in Puerto Madero, the Monumento al Tango. And naturally, since you're staying by the river, a riverfront walk is always a good idea in this super sophisticated neighborhood.

Best Hotels to Stay in Puerto Madero

($$$) Faena Hotel Buenos Aires

($$) SLS Buenos Aires Puerto Madero

($) Alvear Icon Hotel

Where to Stay in Buenos Aires – Frequently Asked Questions

✅ What are the safest areas in Buenos Aires for tourists?

The safest areas in Buenos Aires for tourists are Palermo (which encompasses both Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood), Puerto Madero, and Recoleta. These upmarket areas have low rates of crime, but it's still worth being cautious with your belongings to avoid thieves and pickpockets. In general, the majority of Buenos Aires is safe, but areas like San Telmo and Microcentro require a more streetwise approach. La Boca is a popular spot to visit during the day thanks to its colorful buildings and tango culture, but I wouldn't recommend walking around here at night or staying here. Overall, the North of the city is safer than the South.

📅 How many days should you spend in Buenos Aires?

While there's plenty to keep you busy in Buenos Aires, it doesn't have as many sights as say, London or New York. I think four days in the city is enough, but there's plenty to do if you decide to stay longer, especially for digital nomads. If you get the chance, it's worth visiting other popular spots in Argentina, such as Bariloche, El Calafate, Mendoza, Salta, and Córdoba.

📍 Which area of Buenos Aires is best to stay?

My personal favorite spot is Palermo – both Soho and Hollywood – but every neighborhood listed has great reasons to stay there. If you like elegant boulevards and Parisian-style buildings with wrought-iron balconies, you'll love the upmarket Recoleta. If hipster and bohemian vibes are more your thing, head to San Telmo. People wanting to fit all the Buenos Aires sights into a short trip should stay in the Microcentro to make it easier, while Puerto Madero is a modern part of the city, perfect for those seeking luxury accommodation options and hip eateries.

⭐ What are the main sights in Buenos Aires?

There's plenty to do in Buenos Aires, but let's explore some of the main sights. One of my favorites was Recoleta Cemetery – now I know it sounds a little morbid to visit a cemetery but this isn't any old cemetery. Housing the ornate graves of famous Argentinians, including Eva Perón, this grand cemetery is well worth spending an afternoon strolling through, exploring the life stories of those buried there. If you visit Buenos Aires, I'd add this to your list as a must-see.

There are plenty of popular tango shows in the city – a favorite is Tango Porteño, but we opted for El Querandi instead and absolutely loved it. The incredible Teatro Colon is one of Buenos Aires' best sights, as in El Ateneo Gran Splendid, an old theater that's now been converted into an awe-inspiring book shop.

Plaza de Mayo is the city's main square, home to the president's (bright pink) residence, while the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes provides the perfect spot for art lovers to spend an afternoon. Speaking of art, there's plenty of street art here, too, so it's worth signing up for a street art tour to explore the work of local graffiti artists.

Once you've done your sightseeing, it's worth spending your time just exploring Buenos Aires neighborhoods. With each one boasting its own vibe, moving from Puerto Madero to Recoleta, for example, feels like you're visiting two distinct cities.

🚶 Is Buenos Aires a walkable city?

Buenos Aires is a big city, so it's not very easy to walk from neighborhood to neighborhood – we got around mostly by metro or Uber. That being said, you can easily walk around the neighborhoods themselves – there are pavements everywhere and plenty of pedestrian crossings making it a straightforward city to navigate on foot.

❓ Do people speak English in Buenos Aires?

There's no one clear-cut answer to this – some do and some don't. I would say while plenty of service workers speak at least some English, you'll also find plenty who don't, so it's well worth learning some basic Spanish phrases before you go, as well as food items to help you read menus. Bear in mind that Argentinian Spanish is fairly different from European Spanish, with lots of different vocab, too. I learned Spanish in Spain and I did struggle sometimes with the accent and different vocabulary, but with the help of some patience and the friendly locals, you should be able to make yourself understood.

Where to Stay in Buenos Aires – Final Words

Wherever you decide to stay in Buenos Aires, you'll fall in love with the friendly people, the late-night atmosphere, and the incredible food and drink (asado, anyone?).

All of the neighborhoods listed have their own charm – you can choose the right one for you by establishing your priorities and needs during the trip.

Whether you head to a luxury hotel with spacious rooms in the charming Recoleta or for a cool backpacker spot in the bohemian San Telmo, you'll be charmed by the truly unique Argentinian capital.

Don't forget to try some of the city's famous cuisine, sample the nightlife, and enjoy a breathtaking tango show for the best experience.