Shop: Argentina is cheap even for those bearing U.S. dollars. The elegant Recoleta neighborhood boasts the best boutiques, like Humawaca for leather laptop bags and cute totes (Calle Posadas 1380) and La Dolfina for polo-stylegear (Avenida Alvear 1315).
Eat: Insist your concierge squeeze you into the industrial-style Sucre restaurant, with its open kitchen, sleek bar and excellent wine cellar planted in the middle of the room (Calle Sucre 676; tel. 011-54-4782-9082).
Dance: Stroll through the district of San Telmo, where there are impromptu tango sessions on Sundays in Plaza Dorrego. Rummage the surrounding antique shops like Gabriel del Campo (Calle Bethlem 427). Don’t miss the Artepampa gallery, with its textured paintings and sculptures (Calle Defensa 917).
Stroll: Join locals for an evening in Puerto Madero, the recently revived docklands area. Walk along the waterfront before slipping into one of the bustling bars or restaurants in the former 19th-century warehouses.
Sleep: In the heart of the city, the contemporary Esplendor has expansive rooms, oversize portraits of Argentine luminaries and a gorgeous, multilingual staff. Doubles from $155 (esplendor buenosaires.com).
