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Hotels

Buenos Aires has abundant hotel choices across the city and, no matter what level of accommodation you choose, you're bound to get better value here than you would in comparable hotels in the United States, Canada, or Europe. We've listed a cross-section of ten standout hotels below; you can also sample living like a local by renting a furnished apartment or arranging a homestay, both of which are doable via website; check Apartments BA (www.apartmentsba.com); Stay in Buenos Aires (www.stayinbuenosaires.com); LivinginBAires (www.livinginbaires.com); and Friendly Apartments (www.friendlyapartments.com).

For the utmost in luxury, you can't do better than Recoleta's 210-room grand-dame, Alvear Palace (Avenida Alvear 1891; www.alvearpalace.com), which remains the gold standard when it comes to old-style opulence, with soaring ceilings, columns and gilt, and impeccable, discreet service. Amenities are very much up-to-date; there's a good gym, an inviting indoor pool, and some of the best dining in town. A bit less pricey but certainly along the same history-rich lines (and in fact predating the Alvear by 23 years) is the elegant 320-room Marriott Plaza (Calle Florida 1005; www.marriott.com), which is more convenient to downtown sights and shopping; we especially love the heated outdoor pool that overlooks a handsome plaza. Also central and luxurious, but less traditional, is the 17-story InterContinental (Calle Moreno 809; www.buenos-aires.interconti.com), which opened in 1994 (and was completely renovated in 2005) – its 309 rooms boast a classy decor meant to evoke the Perón-era deco of the 1930s; it's a short stroll to Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, and the Calle Florida shopping area. For something a tad more cutting-edge, both in terms of look and location, consider the glass-and-steel Hilton (Calle Machaca Güemes 351; www.hilton.com); this crown jewel of the gentrified Puerto Madero area has all the amenities you'd expect of the brand, plus access to dozens of great restaurants at its doorstep.

There are far more mid-range options in Buenos Aires, and some of the values are especially impressive. Starting again in Recoleta, near the famous cemetery, you can get big-luxury-hotel treatment at moderate rates at the Hotel Emperador (Avenida del Libertador 420; www.hotel-emperador.com.ar), which manages to be both simultaneously modern and imperial in flavor. If you want to stay closer to the Plaza de Mayo, book a room at the boutique 303-room NH City (Calle Bolívar 160; www.nh-hotels.com), a restored Art Deco landmark complete with outdoor heated pool and various other trimmings; if you can't get into this hotel, try the four other NH hotels found in central Buenos Aires.

On the budget end, you may be greatly impressed by what you can get for $100 or less per night. For instance, a narrow century-old Recoleta townhouse now houses the 36-room Art Hotel (Calle Ascuenaga 1268; www.arthotel.com.ar), an intimate jewel with great, fully-equipped rooms and its own on-site art gallery. Tango aficionados would do well to consider San Telmo's 15-room Mansión Dandi Royal (Calle Piedras 922/936; www.dandiroyal.com.ar), quite possibly the city's best budget lodging; occupying an atmospheric four-story, century-old mansion with period details accented by elegant murals depicting the tango and the olden days; guests here also have access to a rooftop pool and jacuzzi – and two tango salons where lessons are available daily. Happening Palermo Soho, where the city's cutting-edge dining and nightlife is centered, also offers a good homebase at Bo Bo (Calle Guatemala 4882; www.bobohotel.com), short for "bourgeois-bohemian"; this early 20th-century mansion has just seven individually decorated rooms and a hugely popular Argentine/Italian eatery downstairs. Finally, Buenos Aires also offers good-quality hostels; one of our favorites, Portal del Sur (Calle Hipólito Yrigoyen 855; www.portaldelsurba.com.ar), occupies a handsome four-story downtown building with fab touches like a soaring central atrium, elegant brick barrel-vaulted ceilings, Art-Deco wrought ironwork, and some of the best bargain-basement rooms we've seen.