March 10, 2004 -- Plagued by a bad economy, Argentina continues to be an economical place to visit for comparatively richer northerners like us. The nation's tourist industry wants you to sample their excellent (and somewhat free-range) beef, the music and theater of the capital city, and the appeal of the tango. Tour operators here and in Buenos Aeries have several offers, from which we put forth these samplings:
OffPeakTraveler.com has a neat deal for five nights in Buenos Aires, starting at $579 per person from New York, Miami or Washington, D.C., if you can depart by March 31, 2004. The promotion includes the airfare (Tuesday through Thursday departures), five nights at the Waldorf Hotel with private bath or shower, and continental or buffet breakfast daily. You can upgrade to a choice of three other hotels at a cost per person from $60 to $220, depending on the hotel. You need seven days advance notice for travel and maximum stay is 90 days. Taxes and service charges are an additional $139. Contact them at www.offpeaktraveler.com.
You have until April 22, 2004 to book the Buenos Aires Special from Go-Today.com, though departure dates run from March 9 through June 10, 2004. The basic price for six nights at the Embajador Hotel is $599 for the package, which also includes roundtrip airfare from New York's JFK or LaGuardia, Newark, or Miami. Add-ons range from $80 for Washington (Dulles) and Boston to $250 for Portland OR or Seattle. Also included in the package price are daily breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers and a half-day city tour. You can upgrade to more expensive hotels, if you wish. Contact them at www.gotoday.com or (for $20 extra) at 425/487-9632.
Gate1 Travel has a seven-day Buenos Aires package priced from $619 to $849, depending on hotel category selected. That's with airfare from New York, transfer to the hotel on arrival, and daily breakfast. Check out their offers at www.gate1travel.com or at 800/682-3333.
Your six-night stay in Buenos Aires from Analie Tours comes in a package that also includes roundtrip airfare from Miami, with a stop en route in Panama City. The price starts at just $620, and includes roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, six nights at the Gran Hotel Dora and a half-day city tour. Prices from other cities range from $810 out of New York on Aerolineas Argentinas to $890 out of Los Angeles on Lan Chile and $970 out of Chicago on United.
The same firm has a land-only package for just $495 that includes four nights at the Hotel dos Reyes at Mar del Plata beach resort, three nights at the Lafayette Hotel in Buenos Aires, and the domestic flights between the two cities, as well as hotel transfers. Contact Analie at www.analietours.com or at 800/811-6027 or 305/270-0098.
Marnella Tours, a specialist in South American travel, has an interesting Cultural Encounter trip of just four nights in Buenos Aires, costing $999 out of Miami, on TAM, with a stop in Sao Paulo en route. (At a price of $1,054, you could fly direct on Aerolineas Argentinas from Miami.) You stay at the swanky Kempinski Hotel in BA. From Los Angeles, the same tour is available on American Airlines at $1199. Out of New York, it's Aerolineas Argentinas for $1089. Contact them at www.marnellatours.com or by phoning 800/993-0033.
Note: All the above prices from each of the operators are based on double occupancy, and do not include airport taxes and fees. In addition, all are subject to availability. Most flights are overnight, so you have a seven-day trip for five nights, for example.
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