sudamerica 2008/09: argentina accommodation and transport review
30th-jan-2009 - posted by dtra
here's the boring summary of my accommodation and transport review, you've probably heard about most of my successes and gripes already, but i wanted to post a more formal article to help others. anyway, i'll go chronologically with transport and accommodation mixed for each place (transport for a few of the places is not an option if wanting to travel in coche cama service (== business class)). i stayed for a month with a family in buenos aires which was very comfortable, so i won't count that. i was in recoleta hostel for three days before that, and also for two days just after new years. to be perfectly honest, it's a pretty shit hostel for a solo traveller. there doesn't seem to be any vibe there, and half of the stuff in the kitchen doesn't work. it's cheap and in a good location (albeit expensive for shopping), but every night i stayed there, my dorm had at least one disgustingly loud snorer.
- next was hostel inn at puerto iguazu, looking back it was probably pretty good, but it was out of the way, too much hassle to get to the atm, bus terminal, etc. also, the outside dorms are shit, there were mangy dogs sleeping outside my dorm, and when you open the door the next morning, it stunk like shit, and the bathroom didn't have hot water, and there was a crazy number of mosquitoes, the asado was good, but don't get dragged up for the show. also, the staff aren't particularly friendly there either. as for transport i took crucero del norte there, really good, lots of leg room, and decent enough food.
- into rio de janeiro, stayed in ipanema at the wave hostel first, nice chilled place, with a cool manager (alex) that gives good advice. my dorm was pretty warm though, no real ventilation, but good location near the beach and other amenities.
- because i didn't book a few days that i stayed longer in rio, i had to move next door, to the girl from ipanema hostel, it was again, chilled, and cleaner, but only had reception from 7am to 10.30pm, and no breakfast, both of these hostels are in an alley way with a bunch of other hostels, cool place to stay and meet people definitely. i took crucero del norte to and from rio to iguazu, expensive but i didn't want to take any risks, the international routes don't serve food though (nor are there blankets), so you have to buy stuff along the way, also terrible films, anyone ever heard of alien agent?
- back to argentina, and corrientes, the worst place to stay in argentina possibly, no hostels, and the hotels are very expensive, the lonely planet is right, i paid $120 pesos a night for a matrimonial and din't have anyone to share with. bus company rio uruguay from iguazu to corrientes, comfortable enough, but less leg room than crucero del norte.
- in puerto madryn, i stayed at el gualicho (an hi hostel), i wanted to stay at hi patagonia, but this place was cool too, nice people, and very clean, another chilled hostel. from buenos aires, i took don otto, it was a pretty comfortable bus, but the bus that i got and the one that i booked were different, i should've had a single seat, but had to sit next to someone.
- stayed at two places in bariloche, tango inn and marco polo, both chains, both with similar characteristics, very nice kitchens, and very clean, maybe lacking a bit of character though, i didn't think either had great chill out areas. i took mar y valle, which was great, the waiter spoke english, and there was plenty of leg room.
- my favourite hostel so far had to be in mendoza, so good that i barely left it despite the magnificent scenery about. a swimming pool, awesome german shepherd (astor, bambina was cool too), clean and great chill out areas, i really liked the light blue hammock (i'll definitely go back if i go to mendoza again (good possibility), and again, a great asado. from bariloche, i got tramat to mendoza, it was ok-ish, but i think it is the budget andesmar option, not as much leg room, and stopped so many times.
- baluch backpackers in cordoba, cool place with a couple crosses, the staff don't know too much about the tours they recommend, one half of the rooms have windows to the street keeping them relatively cool but noisy, while the other half are hot but quiet. the computers are really good, and the terrace on the roof is great for the asado (very good again). from mendoza, i got andesmar, leather seats, good service, and they didn't turn the volume right up on the movie, forcing you to watch/listen to the crummy film.
- stayed at inti huasi in salta, very nice place again, so relaxed, breakfast any time, and the best computers of the hostels i had used so far. they threw a great asado, and everyone just wanted to have fun. for tours though, they call someone in, so it tends to take a bit of time to organise (maybe better just to go into town), and my one gripe, smoking is allowed in the lounge area and kitchen, but not in dorms. my last unique bus was from cordoba to salta, eleven hours on mercobus plus ultra, my favourite i think, so much leg room, and just really comfortable.
that's it for argentina reviews, maybe i will do another one for the next hostel i stay in when i get back to buenos aires, but that's a long way away. long and boring, but hopefully helpful. i took coche cama (basically business class, the wide seats recline, but not to 180 degrees) everywhere in argentina, it doesn't cost that much more, and i never really had much trouble sleeping on them, except the one from bariloche to mendoza when there was this disgraceful snorer sitting a couple seats behind me. picture taken from some site that also liked the andesmar service.
#33 dtra (david tran)
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