Buenos Aires, Argentina

We were lucky enough to visit Buenos Aires recently and really enjoyed the complex, energetic port city that stretches along the Rio de la Plata. It has been the gateway to Argentina for centuries and porteños, as the people of Buenos Aires are known, possess a rich cultural life and identity. They value their European heritage highly--Italian and German names outnumber Spanish. It’s a fantastic city.

The city's neighborhoods are small, each with its own characteristic colors and forms. In the San Telmo district, the city's multinational heritage is embodied in a varied and cosmopolitan architecture - Spanish Colonial design with Italian detailing and graceful French Classics. La Boca's pressed tin houses are painted a many colors, and muralists have turned the district's side streets into avenues of color.

The spirit of Argentina as a country is present everywhere in Buenos Aires. The Tango, The national dance, is the best expression of that spirit--performed in dance halls, parks, open plazas, and ballrooms; it’s a dance of intimate separation and rhythm, combining both an elegant reserve and passion.

Four Seasons Pool

We stayed in the Recoleta area at the Four Seasons and it was quite nice with excellent service and a very convenient location. Close to downtown but not extremely far from areas like Palermo. The food, both at the restaurants and for room service is really good. If you go for business reasons, stay on the Executive Floor. They have a nice living room with a very handy Nespresso machine; tea and cold beverages are also available. The bed was very comfortable and the wifi worked well. All in all, the Four Seasons was a great choice.

We also had a chance to have dinner and see a Tango show at The Faena + Universe hotel in the Puerto Madera area on the La Plata River. Philippe Stark designed the hotel in old historic mills that add a unique porteño ambiance to the place. Have heard both good and bad about staying in the hotel itself, but the dinner and tango show were great.

We had an excellent time in Buenos Aires and had a lot to see and do. Wonderful experience. Highly recommended!