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Archive for November, 2013

November 24th, 2013: 9:48 pm

When we go on vacation, we tend to look for an apartment rental instead of booking a hotel. This has several benefits:

  • A greater selection of locations. Usually we are able to find something in a residential area that is close to where we want to be most of the trip. This can be quieter than a place just off a major highway or street.
  • A wider price band (which for us means “more utility-per-dollar than a hotel”).
  • A kitchen!
  • If the host is available (either on check-in, or throughout the stay), you have direct access to local information. Local bus routes, good places to eat and shop, and other things that you’d either spend too much time figuring out, or even missing out on!
  • If applicable to the trip, it can offer more of a “live like a local” feeling than “I’m staying in temporary quarters”. Everyone has their own preference for what they want to get out of a trip of course, I think it is important to set yourself up for an experience that is right for you.
  • We spent some time in Buenos Aires this month. When I was looking at apartment rentals, there were some nice looking places, each with their own charm. It can be a little overwhelming trying to narrow down a search, but one place had caught my attention right from the first impression. It even has a name that draws you in: the Carlos Calvo Experience.

    Named after the street it is located on, this apartment is in the San Telmo neighbourhood, the older and more endearing area of the city. It is on a quiet street, and all of San Telmo’s interesting sights are within a couple blocks. This was a treat — had we stayed in Recoleta, we night have taken a bus or taxi into the area once or twice, and missed out on all of the colourful hand-painted signs, the eye-catching balconies and door-fronts, the markets, and the local eateries that served as our daily backdrop!

    The apartment was amazing. Equally as amazing was our apartment manager, Ruben, who was accessible the duration of our stay for local advice and information, as well as tour recommendations. On our first day, he gave us the low-down on places of interest near the apartment, explained the bus system as well as routes of interest, and gave us a right and proper tour around the Recoleta area, including the Floralis Genérica and the Recoleta Cemetery, providing interesting background details. He provided more information about Buenos Aires and its history than we got on some tours we went on during the trip!

    If you find yourself in Buenos Aires, definitely look into the Carlos Calvo Experience.