Buenos Aires Hotel Tips: Where to Stay in Buenos Aires

The Best Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires

With around 15 million inhabitants, Buenos Aires is one of the largest cities in South America — which makes figuring out where to stay in Buenos Aires a real challenge.

What matters most is that your accommodation is centrally located and that the neighborhood is safe. Like any major South American city, Buenos Aires has both safe and unsafe areas.

These are the neighborhoods where you can safely stay in Buenos Aires

• Microcentro: Perfect for a short stay and sightseeing.
• Recoleta: Our top pick for first-time visitors! A safe, upscale area in a central location.
• Palermo: The nightlife and trendy district — perfect for younger travelers.
• San Telmo: Ideal for discovering the authentic side of Buenos Aires.
• Puerto Madero: For luxury lovers — it’s almost exclusively 5-star hotels here.

These neighborhoods are very unsafe at night, so avoid staying in them:

• La Boca
• Retiro
• Constitución

We cover the safety situation in Argentina in more detail in a separate article.

Buenos Aires neighborhoods on a map

We’ve marked our favorite neighborhoods for staying in Buenos Aires on a map so you can get a quick overview.

Staying in Microcentro

Microcentro is the perfect place to stay in Buenos Aires if you’re only in the city for a short time and want to tick off the most important sights.

Microcentro is the center of Buenos Aires — officially called San Nicolás, though everyone calls it Microcentro. This is where you’ll find many of the top attractions in Buenos Aires, like the Obelisk, the Teatro Colón, and the Plaza de Mayo.

Beyond the sights, though, Microcentro is very commercial, touristy, and hectic. It’s mostly busy streets and office buildings — locals mainly come here to work, so the neighborhood has very little authentic atmosphere.

At night, there’s really only something going on along the main drag, Avenida Corrientes, where you’ll find plenty of theaters and great restaurants with lively evening programs. Away from the Avenida, the area goes pretty quiet after dark, so stick to the main streets once the sun goes down.

For a short stay, Microcentro is great — you can reach all the major sights quickly. If you’re spending more than a couple of days in Buenos Aires, though, we’d suggest choosing a different neighborhood.

Advantages of a hotel in Microcentro

• The most important sights are right on your doorstep
• Excellent connections to all neighborhoods

Disadvantages of a hotel in Microcentro

• Very crowded and hectic
• You won’t experience the real atmosphere of Buenos Aires

Our hotel recommendations for Microcentro

We recommend the Huinid Obelisco Hotel. The location is seriously central, the rooms are modern, and the beds are super comfortable.

Staying in Recoleta

Recoleta is our top pick for first-time visitors who want a safe, central base and plan to explore many different parts of Buenos Aires.

Recoleta is one of the safest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires and is brilliantly located, sitting right between the city center and the nightlife district of Palermo. The area is characterized by upscale shopping, charming cafés, and several monuments.

Overall, Recoleta is a fairly upscale neighborhood, which means most Buenos Aires accommodation here runs a little pricier. But honestly, it’s worth spending a bit more to stay somewhere safe and well-connected.

Some highlights — like the Cementerio de Recoleta — are right in the neighborhood. For most of the major sights, you’ll need to hop on public transit, which Recoleta is very well connected to.

In the evenings, Recoleta has a relaxed vibe. There are some really excellent restaurants, but if you’re after a big night out, you’ll want to head to Palermo.

Advantages of a hotel in Recoleta

• Safe, affluent neighborhood
• Great strategic location between the city center and Palermo

Disadvantages of a hotel in Recoleta

• Some sights aren’t within walking distance
• The nightlife happens elsewhere

Our hotel recommendations for Recoleta

For a truly luxurious experience, check out the Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires. The rooms are spacious, beautifully appointed, and the breakfast is absolutely top-notch.

Staying in Palermo

We recommend Palermo if you want to enjoy the nightlife and are looking for a safe neighborhood packed with cool bars and restaurants.

Palermo sits outside the city center, farther from most of the main sights — it’s something like the city’s second hub, one that really comes alive after dark. Buenos Aires’s nightlife is largely centered here.

Even if you’re not into the party scene, Palermo is a great place to stay. You’ll find some of the best restaurants and cafés in the city, great shops, and plenty of quiet residential streets well away from the nightlife buzz.

One thing to know: Palermo is huge. The neighborhood is divided into three distinct areas — Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, and the area around the Bosques de Palermo (the green spaces).

Palermo Soho is the most central and best positioned for tourists. Palermo Hollywood is more residential and very safe. Around the green spaces, there are very few places to stay.

Our tip: Make sure your hotel isn’t right next to a nightclub. Most clubs are clustered around Plaza Serrano and along Av. Juan Bautista Justo.
Advantages of a hotel in Palermo

• Very safe and trendy neighborhood
• Great restaurants and plenty of nightlife options

Disadvantages of a hotel in Palermo

• A long way from most of the main sights
• Some streets can get quite noisy at night

Our hotel recommendations for Palermo

A standout option is the Miravida Soho Hotel & Wine Bar. Fantastic location in Palermo Soho, still nice and quiet, with stylish décor and an excellent breakfast buffet.

Staying in San Telmo

Staying in San Telmo puts you in the most beautiful, historic part of Buenos Aires, close to many of the city’s top sights.

San Telmo is the historic heart of Buenos Aires and one of the most authentic neighborhoods in the city. It’s located just south of Microcentro, full of old buildings, cobblestone alleyways, and a deeply rooted tango culture.

Many of Buenos Aires’s highlights are clustered around San Telmo. The Obelisk and Puerto Madero are within walking distance, and La Boca and the Caminito aren’t far either.

During the day and early evening, San Telmo is a wonderful area. Late at night and in the early morning, however, the alleyways can feel deserted, so it’s worth being a bit more careful at those hours.

Advantages of a hotel in San Telmo

• Authentic and really beautiful neighborhood
• Good central location with easy access to the sights

Disadvantages of a hotel in San Telmo

• A long way from Palermo
• Not the safest area late at night

Our hotel recommendations for San Telmo

We love the Anselmo Hotel Buenos Aires. Exceptional design, really stylish rooms, and a lovely location right in the heart of the old quarter.

Puerto Madero

Puerto Madero is perfect if you’re after the ultimate in luxury.

Puerto Madero is the neighborhood surrounding Buenos Aires’s port — including the island in front of Microcentro and San Telmo. It’s home to the famous bridge Puente de la Mujer and a beautiful green park.

It’s also one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. Outside of 5-star hotels, there’s very little accommodation to be found here.

Advantages of a hotel in Puerto Madero

• Many sights nearby
• Luxurious, safe neighborhood

Disadvantages of a hotel in Puerto Madero

• Very expensive area
• Little authentic atmosphere

Our hotel recommendations for Puerto Madero

The views from the Alvear Icon Hotel are seriously unbeatable — luxurious rooms, a beautiful outdoor pool, and a cool rooftop bar. Another fantastic 5-star option is the SLS Puerto Madero, where you can expect stunning harbor views and gorgeous suites.

Hotel prices in Buenos Aires

Hotels in Buenos Aires are currently quite expensive — a result of Argentina’s high inflation. Be sure to also read our article on paying and the cost of living in Argentina.