For more than ten years as a travel concierge, I’ve been very fortunate to meet lots of wonderful people from all around the world, with clients from all of these countries: Aruba, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vietnam. These are some of their comments and feedback about their experiences in Argentina: February 9, 2020 Hello Sandra, We are back home, me in Canada & Jenny in Scotland. Thank you so very much for your personal help with our short visit to Buenos Aires. The airport transfers alone were tremendously helpful, especially since we came in at different times. I was happy to know that Jenny was not stuck in the airport all day! She went to the hotel & then met a friend! She was able to show me a great coffee place & the best ice cream place by the time I arrived! We loved ALL the dinner choices you made & were thankful to have the bookings looked after! I think my favourite was Argentine Experience although we did love the Tango evening, especially the lesson!, and the Fogon Asado was fun. It also got us into Palermo where we had a nice walk around & a pre dinner drink in a local pub. We had a wonderful day with our private tour! You were right - we were very glad of the air conditioned car as we had no idea the city was so big. You provide a special service Sandra. Many thanks, Sincerely, Evelyn USA December 23, 2019 Sandra - thank you for all your help in planning our Argentina trip. The trip to Iguazu falls was fabulous. The falls themselves are amazing. The trip was just about perfect - the flights, our transport to and from airport and our guide, Elizabeth, were all great. When you are in a foreign country with a language barrier, you need all the help you can get and you provided that. Our convention was upbuilding and our interaction with the local people left us with a great love for Buenos Aires and it's citizens. Jim & Gayle, USA October 30, 2019 Hi Sandra, Thanks for your help in planning a great trip! We loved it! It ranks in the top 3 of all foreign trips we've taken, and we are already thinking of our next South America trip. We loved Buenos Aires. Thanks, Cheryl & Nelson, Hawaii, USA May 22, 2019 Hi Sandra, thanks for your enquire. Yes ,it’s been a brilliant trip. thanks for your input along the way. the countryside, the food and especially the people have been wonderful. The itinerary went well, our pickups and transfers were very smooth. one thing for your information though. it’s minor but I think you should be aware of. on the trip to Victoria Island in Bariloche, initially the guide had very poor English, so we missed out on a lot of information. later on that day they had another guide who did her best to make it up to us. however, we just think for future clients you should make the agent down there aware of it. Its minor as a point , because 99.5% of the Itinerary was well planned and the people involved as guides , hotels and transfers were first class. thanks again and please know that when we think of Argentina it will be with smiles and great stories. I think some time in the future you may have some of our friends contacting you for advise on their intended trip to your beautiful country. Muchas gratsias. Jack and Bernadette O Regan. Australia April 9, 2019 Hi Sandra I want to thank you so much for helping to make our holiday such an enjoyable one. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of your beautiful country and with your excellent planning and organization all we had to think about was soaking in all the wonderful sights and landscapes and nature of Argentina. I think prob my favourite was El calafate and the trip on lake Argentina with the snow capped Andes on one side and sailing among the ice bergs and seeing the glaciers it was just so amazing and will always be in my memory and my heart. Our trip to maipu was very special and our guide Geraldo was just such a gem and told us so much about life in Argentina. The people in maipu were so friendly and made us so welcome. It was such an amazing trip and have told my family and friends so much about it. If any of them take a trip there in the future I will definitely recommend your agency. Bye bye Sandra and thanks again. Regards. Bernie, Ireland March 31, 2019 Hi Sandra, It was a great trip and thanks to you for all the organisation from arrival at Buenos Aires airport more than two weeks ago until our departure a few days ago. The trip to Maipu was special and we had a great time with Gustavo and his family and with Oscar Fantini and Vanina, the other experts. As I said earlier,we were very lucky to have Gerardo with us and he went beyond what was expected, particularly when we had to visit the hospitals in Maipu and Dolores. The trips to El Calafate and Ushuaia were really interesting and your recommendations on hotels and excursions were very accurate. I was frustrated initially with the delay in getting access to our rooms at Los Yamanas hotel but we quickly got past that and enjoyed ourselves there. I even got to play golf in Ushuaia Golf Club, the most southerly golf course in the world. In fact all your recommendations including the Carles Hotel, the Museums we visited with you, the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, the El Mirasol de la Recova steakhouse and the Hospital Alaman manifested your expert knowledge of Buenos Aires. We enjoyed your company and hope that some day we’ll see you in Ireland. In the meantime we’ll sing the praises of you and your business. Regards John, Ireland March 20, 2019 Hi Sandra! I just wanted to reach out to thank you. I found you to be very helpful and I look forward to contacting you again in the future when I next visit Argentina. I’m also very happy to recommend your services to friends and family. Till next time! Kind regards, Winnie January 11, 2019 Sandra - Thank you so much for all your help! We loved all our tours! Thanks so much! The Estancia day was incredible - Jose is a treasure. I wanted to complement again Martina the chef. We were all so happy with her wonderful meals – very pleasing to both the meat eaters and vegetarians. She was so perfect for us. I posted on a TripAdvisor forum to complement you. Thanks! Jody, USA December 22, 2018 We were very happy with you and your recommendations. The hotel was perfectly fine, though the massage Walter got was sub-par. The half-day guided tour was excellent. In terms of the tango performance, the food was only fair. In terms of the performance, we are a bit of a tough audience. Karen is a former professional ballet dance, and I am a music aficionado (I have a brother who was once a professional pianist). The musicians for the dancers were a bit off at the beginning.Then they took a break and a trio came on that was outstanding. Seemingly in response, the musicians were much better for the next tango performance. The dancers were very good throughout. If we had to do it again, we might have tried to find a performance that did not include dinner. For what it is worth, we loved the Graffiti tour. Once again, thank you for all of your help. Karen and Walter, USA May 1, 2018 I had a wonderful trip to Argentina! It was even better than I expected! I really enjoyed all the places and activities that I did. Thank you for all your help setting them up. You did a great job! I will definately be planning another trip back in the future! All the best, Marina, USA April 3, 2018 Dear Sandra, We are back into our routine after our wonderful trip to Argentina. Sincere thanks for planning such an amazing trip for us. It went perfectly from beginning to end. From the moment Cindy met us at the airport, we felt well taken care of. She handed us a detailed agenda along with lots of tips for food, etc. The pacing of the itinerary was excellent. It was nice mix of tours and free time. The guides were all extremely professional and knowledgeable. We learned so much about the country, people, history, etc. We especially enjoyed Mirta's Jewish tour as she had many fascinating stories regarding Jewish life in Argentina. All the guides were accommodating especially since I had a back issue that sometimes made walking a bit difficult. The Tango Show was terrific and the meal at the show was excellent. The hotels were excellent and well located. Julio - our guide at Iguaza Falls - was helpful with the logistics of getting our luggage stored and arranging for airport transportation. He was always cheerful and a great problem solver! We certainly appreciate the fact that the drivers were always prompt and professional. The trip was memorable and we owe you much gratitude for making our holiday a special one! Robin and Bob, USA April 2, 2018 I would like to thank you for all your kindness and the recommendations. The tango show was marvelous, everything went as planned and I had a wonderful time. I enjoyed Buenos Aires very much. I am so happy everything turned out as well as it did because I have very happy memories of Argentina. Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to visit your country. Pamela January 10, 2018 I have to tell you that we have not had ever so well prepared trip before! Thank you so much! I was nervous at the beginning of the travel, but after sometimes I started to feel so relaxed and sure that everything is going to be great! All places we visited were beautiful! Great quality of hotels, restaurants, transportation! And people!!! Wonderful people of Argentina let us have the best time ever! All excursions were prepared very well, guides were fantastic and professional. We are going to write a full review about all and everyone. The day of going back to Buenos Aires from Iguazu the Guide help us to spend the time before the flight and we went to San Ignacio Jesuits Missionary to see the ruins of the missionary. So every hour was busy, exited and fantastic. Also, I have to admit that Argentinian Airlines are very good! With our 6 flights and schedules, we did not miss anything. Always on time, and they never lost our luggage....and believe me we had many bad experiences with other lines and our luggage missing. The last night with the local family was a very special experience. Luciana and her parents Clara and Marcus are very nice and they let us feel like good friends. We have already missed Argentina! Now I know that without your help I would not be able to have such a great vacation. Thank you so much, Sandra! Your professionalism, wonderful communication are very precious. Love Joanna, USA December 5, 2017 Hi Sandra, everything was amazing and all of the credit goes to you. Thank you VERY much for assisting us especially since the request was so last minute and over a holiday weekend. You were so responsive, helpful, gracious and planned an amazing trip for us. We loved EVERY minute. I hope you don't mind but i have posted a glowing review on trip advisor and can post additional positive reviews to any other sites you suggest as it would be a pity for me not to share our 5 star experience made possible by you and you alone! Thank you again Sandra! Kristen, USA November 21, 2017 Hi Sandra, I just wanted to thank you for arranging such a wonderful few days in Buenos Aries. We had a great time and enjoyed all our guides. I hope that we are able to come back to your beautiful city in the near future!! Kind regards, Cate, Australia November 13, 2017 Hi Sandra, It was lovely to meet you all and we enjoyed the day very much and Barbara is an absolute delight. Please thank her. Our day at the Estancia was wonderful. Katharine even had a little ride on a horse which made her day. A very successful two days thanks to you. We appreciate the help and advice you have given us. Sincere thanks, Katharine and Ian, USA August 1, 2017 Thank you so much for all your help… Absolutely everything you arranged went off without a hitch. We really enjoyed the boat trip in Rosario. It was a lovely trip. I would highly recommend it. Each of the two private drivers were on time (in fact the driver from the Jorge Newberry airport to the hotel had to wait for us as the bus from Rosario was late in), very polite and the cars were clean and comfortable. The tour pick ups were great, and the tours well run. We had a fantastic time and I am so glad that we used your services. It was well worth it. Thanks again, Kind regards,
Janet, Australia July 5, 2017 I would like to thank you again, Sandra, for your professionalism and fast turnaround helping us to put this trip together. Like I mentioned before, I had contacted another agency, but their service and responsiveness was not even at par with your level of service. Mil Gracias! Arlene, USA July 4, 2017 Sandra Everything was great. Carol and Emmanuel were awesome. The hotel was very nice and the staff wonderful. The polo excursion was fantastic and the weather all week was perfect! Thanks again for organizing everything last minute for us. We had a great time and now getting ready to head back home. Thanks Sri April 25, 2017 Good Morning Sandra I confess, I was hesitant to sign up with your services, when Alan found your details - it's a little scary just paying over large sums of money to someone you don't know in a country so very far away, and there was a little devil at the back of my brain that worried we would turn up at the airport and they wouldn't have a ticket for us. But, of course that didn't happen, and everything ran like clockwork, and that is directly due to you and your superb planning. I don't doubt you arrange these trips all the time, and to you it's "old hat", well, I can tell you, from the traveller's point of view it was awesome! The trip to Iguazu was for me the highlight of our whole trip - it was just amazing, and again, the transport and guides and the whole thing was seamless. Our guide for the Argentinian side of the Park deserves a special mention - he was called Manuel, and was just great, patient and understanding, and his English was perfect - I particularly liked that he referred to our group as "family" and called us together shouting " come along family, it's time to move onto the next part..." I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to you for being so thorough, and so very patient, I know we made things more complicated for you due to us hesitating, but you delivered. I will be telling all I know that should they want to follow our trail to Buenos Aires and beyond, you're the lady to help them. Very Best Regards Sharon & Alan, Scotland March 27, 2017 Sandra Overall, the trip well exceeded my expectations. I want to thank you again for all of your help in planning and all of the time you spent with answering all of my questions. We had a great time in BA, we really enjoyed the Argentine Experience, biking tour and walk through San Telmo on Sunday. Within our 3.5 days in BA, we covered all neighborhoods and got a lot of miles in walking. The Poetry Building was a perfect location and accommodations surely met our expectations, the service from the staff was excellent, very helpful throughout our stay. Our trip to Patagonia, was memorable….. the highlight of the entire trip was probably trekking on the glacier. We also took a second tour to the glacier that included a boat ride and walking tour. We really enjoyed the small town of El Calafate, the hotel was perfect and great location. Mendoza was nice, we took a day bus trip up to the Andes Mts, which was nice to see and then did a wine tasting on our second day. We also really enjoyed Santiago. Getting to see four different areas within two weeks was a lot of ground to cover, but we truly enjoyed each of the areas we visited and will highly recommend a similar itinerary to others. It was the perfect trip for us, seeing many areas with a combination of bigger cities, as well as the beautiful outdoors. If and when, we have any friends planning a trip to BA, we will surely get you connected with them. Again, thank you for helping make our trip to South America a truly memorable experience. Mike, USA February 18, 2017 We've had a great weekend in BA! We had an absolutely wonderful time with Alex on our bike tour. He was great and we really enjoyed ourselves. Saw so much of the city. Great time. We caught the polo game - a lot of fun cheering along with everyone and a pretty view of the skyline. The dinner was great! Great atmosphere, great food & wonderful wine. Fun chatting with the other guests as well. The (Cacheuta) hot springs were gorgeous! Very relaxing. We were able to fit in a massage no problem and the lunch was good. We dis feel like it was a bit of a long day there but overall very relaxing. We had a wonderful trip and really enjoyed ourselves and discovering a few parts of Argentina. Thank you so much for all of your help and direction! We truly had a wonderful time and appreciate all of your help and organization. Anne Marie, USA November 9, 2016 Hi Sandra, We really enjoyed our touring with your guide and absolutely love Buenos Aires. We want to thank you again for all of your help. I really appreciated your quick responses. I don’t know if we will ever be back in Buenos Aires but, if indeed that should happen, we certainly will give you a call. Best Regards, Norm and Phyllis Peterson November 8, 2016 Excellent service in BA. Thank you! Sonia was terrific; she and the drivers (Salvadore and Diego) were great, too, but Sonia was truly special. She was fun, spirited, and delightful. Then, attending the Tango show at Ventana was amazing. We were seated at the table closest to the stage, so it was even more incredible. Having the folkloric mixture with the Tango suited us perfectly, and we’ve been raving about it ever since. Thanks for making our stay in BA special. We are grateful. Debbie Batjer November 3, 2016 Overall we had a wonderful time in Argentina. We did a lot of research (with your help) before we left and were very well prepared. We did everything we planned to do and more and yet some of the highlights were the unplanned events or minor incidents in your day that just add an extra sparkle to the overall experience. We bought back a number of Argentine music CDs and so every time we play one we are transported back. As well we bought a number of gems and semi precious stones from Gruta in BA and these are a lovely memento of our time. Probably the best overseas trip we have had together in 20 years. Thanks for your input. Ross, Australia June 27, 2016 It has been a great trip. We have seen so many amazing places. Your help has made it all go so smoothly. The trip up to the high country and the archeology museum in Salta have been the highlights so far. Not to mention the food and wine.... Thanks again for organising a great trip. Thank you Gracias! Anne and John, Canada June 2016 Having Sandra Gutrejde's expert assistance to figure out some key aspects of our 10-day visit in June was invaluable. Particularly when it came to booking domestic flights and tours for our visit to Iguazu Falls, steering us to some optimal lodging options out of the overwhelming number of places to choose from, booking transfers from airports to our destinations, and helping us to weigh our options for other side trips. As non-Spanish speakers with no previous experience traveling in South America, we found it very helpful knowing that we didn't have to muddle through certain aspects of making arrangements on our own in unfamiliar terrain. We had a LOT of questions leading up to our trip and Sandra was responsive and patient with answering them. She's deferential to the client (with an overly analytical client like me, sometimes perhaps too much so). She was reachable days and even weekends to my pleasant surprise. And it was greatly reassuring to get news from her about the status of an airport workers strike in BA that I learned about the day before I was scheduled to fly into EZE. As a result of all her assistance, we were able to fully enjoy our first visit to Buenos Aires and Argentina and we look forward to going back. Christine May 17, 2016 Hi Sandra, I am now home safely after a truly wonderful trip to Buenos Aires! It was lovely to meet you, even if too briefly. The estancia trip was a great experience and Santiago was a great driver, and guide/interpreter. It feels as if we did a great deal in a short time including the Teatro Colon concert (we toured the building in the morning, which I would highly recommend), going to Iguazu, Tigre, Porto Madero (we went over the Sarmiento ship, which was fascinating) and saw the Casa Rosada and much more. So, thank you for ALL your help and good advice - I will definitely tell any friends who might be visiting BA to contact you! Best wishes - Jennifer April 21, 2016 Hi Sandra, As usual, your service was absolutely wonderful. The group had such a great time in Buenos Aires and everything seems to have gone perfectly. Thank you again for your wonderful itinerary and assistance throughout the planning process and while the group was in Argentina. I look forward to working with you again in the future! Best, Erin K. Hamill Director of Global Learning and Upper School Community Service Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School Saint Louis, Missouri February 22, 2016 Our (architecture) tour this morning with Eduardo was excellent! We saw so many interesting buildings and heard fascinating history that we never knew despite previous visits and time spent in Buenos Aires. We enjoyed Eduardo very much and appreciate his sharing some insider knowledge of the city with us. Should we be lucky enough to return to Buenos Aires some day, perhaps we could tour other parts of the city with Eduardo. He is an excellent interpreter of architecture and we feel much better acquainted with Buenos Aires and its people now. Sincerely, Cecilia January 1, 2016 Sandra, We had a wonderful time in Buenos Aires and all the tours went well. My husband and I had a great tour with our guide in Buenos Aires and he gave us a lot of insight of the city and other things to do while there. The Rojo Tango show was wonderful (dinner was delicious), we had a great time, even meeting people from around our home area! Thank you for the wonderful seats at the Teatro Colon, the show was amazing and our seats were perfect! The building is so beautiful. Your timing was excellent on when to get there as we arrived just as they were letting people in. And, thank you for suggesting the Estancia trip as that was a wonderful day. It was so nice to see outside the city and see how beautiful the Argentina landscape is. Our guide was absolutely wonderful and the meal superb! All of our drivers were on time, cheerful and excellent. Driving is a bit different in Buenos Aires but it actually was sort of fun once you got used to it! All in all we had a great time the only thing that made the visit a little uncomfortable for us was the humidity, we are used to hot heat but dry and I think the high humidity just made it a little hard to want to walk around. No worries I am sure we will be back to visit more as we did not get to see a lot of BA and would like to see and know more. Thank you for all your hard work and putting everything together for us, it is very much appreciated. Thanks again and Happy New Year! Anne December 4, 2015 We had a wonderful trip thank you. The rain at Iguazu was and had been very heavy so the falls were even more spectacular. Staying dry was not an option! The trip to the Estancia was very good and Gonazalo was the perfect host. We were both enchanted by the Paaradores Draghi and we were very reluctant to leave for BA. The Gala Tango show was really good, first class show, first class service and first class food a magnificent finale to our last night in Buenos Aries. Thank you for all your exceptional organisation and for setting up such a memorable trip. Thanks also to Santiago, Flávio and the driver who collected us from Iguazu all were very courteous, punctual and safe. We may seriously consider returning to Argentina next year so may well be in touch. With many thanks and kind regards Sandra & Alan, Scotland August 10, 2015 Hello Sandra Urmi and I are back in the United States, home and work. The driver you arranged arrived at 5 yesterday, we made it to the airport with no trouble. It took us about an hour to get through immigration, and we were able to relax in the United Air lounge for an hour or so before boarding. Thank you for being available to us on short notice. You have been very helpful throughout the trip. We enjoyed our time in Buenos Aires. Urmi and I enjoyed our walking tour with Carlos. Carlos was very informative, pleasant, and engaging. Urmi and I love his passion for all things Argentina. We walked up to Saint Telmo, took a cab to LaBoca, and a cab back to the hotel. It was an enjoyable walking trip. Thank you for arranging the walking tour with Carlos. Rojo Tango was spectacular. We loved the intimate setting, the energy, the high calibre of the performers, and the show. A memorable night. You made it possible for us. Much appreciated. Our night at Teatro Colon was magical. Gorgeous venue, especially once the lights dim. Daniel Barenboim, and the orchestra played sweet music. Between the venue, and the music one could not help but be transported to a calm and peaceful world. Citizens of Buenos Aires must love the arts, and music. Neither Urmi, nor I recall seeing a single empty seat. It is a delight to see the support for the arts. We went to I Latina after the concert for dinner. The meal was a culinary delight. Beautiful presentation, lovely combination of texture and flavor. We had the opportunity to speak with the chef, and a few of the team members after our dinner, while waiting for our cab. Passion for food and service is very evident by their enthusiasm. Urmi and I wish you, and your family, the best of life. Take care. Do keep in touch. Raj & Urmi, USA June 11, 2015 If, like me, you believe that you can’t truly know a country until you see where people shop, contact Sandra Gutrejde. Owner of the consummate concierge and travel planning service, My Buenos Aires Travel Guide, Sandra can take you on the ultimate insider’s shopping tour: from the workrooms of jewelry-makers to an unnamed store that sells genuinely good copies of Birkin and Chanel bags. Sandra can also plan all of your tours and trips not only within the city, but around the country. Lynn Schnurnberger, NY For Yahoo Travel April 8, 2015 Hello Sandra, Thanks for your email. I'm back in Portugal and yes everything went well. Really liked the trip to Iguazu and Buenos Aires. Everything went great with Cuenca and the Hotel was lovely. Thanks for all your help. You had great references and they check out. If I know someone is going to Argentina, I'll make sure they talk to you. Best regards, Rodrigo, Portugal April 7, 2015 Hi Sandra! Everything went great and we just loved Argentina, it's a wonderful place and we can't wait to come back! Thanks for everything and adios! hoping it is an au revoir!! Cheers, Suzanna, Dubai January 5, 2015 We have been very, very happy with all of our activities. Dinner at Fervor and The Argentine experience were great, and we loved Natalia and the Art Tour. She had great choices for us to see. The Estancia Dos Lunas is really terrific - very remote but beautiful area, super gourmet food, lovely authentic rooms, and great horse rides even for beginners. And of course the Iguazu Falls were great fun and all enjoyed the boat ride. Loi Suites is gorgeous, and the food very good, but just FYI, the service at the front desk and in the bars and restaurants is super slow. Doesn't bother us, but maybe it would others. I would really recommend L'Hotel Palermo. Beautiful place, really helpful guys at the desk with good suggestions for restaurants and shops, etc. The rooms for the kids with twin beds were a little plain but they liked them and the big suites were terrific. Loved the location. And price. We enjoyed the Anuva wine tasting and we LOVED Leo and the Palo Alto Polo Day. Perfect for our group. Leo was our favorite and was great about our beginner level. We can barely ride horses and we had such fun trying to ride bareback and after a delicious asado (plus sharing a mate and Leo playing guitar for us) we did actually play polo. He did have us play walking the horses, which was hard enough for us. The kids thought it was one of the highlights of the trip. So did the grown ups. Certainly he is geared more to people who already know how to play but he made it work for total beginners too. The estancia was beautiful. The trip was great - - thanks for everything. Linda, California, USA January 5, 2015 Dear Sandra, We want to thank you for organising our trip to Argentina this spring. When visiting a new country it is very important to find a trusted person who can help to plan and organise your trip customise it according to your needs and provide ongoing support during the trip. We were lucky to find you. All our experience in Argentina was positive and memorable. With some little exceptions we followed all your recommendations, all choices that you suggested were very reasonably priced and everything happened in time and according to itinerary. We always knew that we can call you if something happens during the trip. All this contributed to the nice and memorable vacation in your beautiful city and beautiful country.
Thank you again for all your help.
Always your Andrei and Elena Korsountsev, Canada. December 20, 2014 I want to thank you for planning a wonderful trip for us. We can not believe how much we saw and enjoyed in so little time! The hotels were perfect. Their locations were each unique and perfect for the place. We wish you a very happy and merry Christmas and a healthy New Year!
Thank you again, Diana December 17, 2014 Hi Sandra, I wanted to tell you and Lucas that our time in Salta couldn't have been better. I enjoyed the challenge of using my poor Spanish as not many people speak English there. The guide, Julio, and driver, Fabian, that Tastil provided, however, spoke English well, gave us great information and were top-notch all around. Always on time and smiling. We loved them and wished we could have had them for the whole week. Casa de Piedras was amazing. It rained the night we were there but we were at the restaurant (forgot the name, Diablo something?) where a local folk singer was performing. Walked back to the hotel in the mud and took off shoes as soon as we came in so as not to leave muddy footprints all over. The car was delivered right on time for the drive to Cafayate. Robert hadn't driven a standard shift car in more than 20 years (we have automatic at home) but he did very well. It was an easy drive once out of Salta. The Cafayate Wine Resort has to be my favorite of the three hotels we stayed in. The food and wine were superb! Patios de Lerma was fine. A little far from town center but we got a lot of walking in. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Thanks for checking in. We have had a nice visit. Leaving tomorrow night at 23:05. I know George and Kathy loved their excursions, too. It was great to see you again. Until next time ... Feliz Navidad and many thanks, as always, Karen December 12, 2014 Dear Sandra, We just wanted to thank you for all your work on our recent trip to Buenos Aires. Everything went off perfectly and it was because of you that our trip was even more special---not to mention stress free!!! Should anyone we know plan to visit Buenos Aires in the future, please be assured that we will highly recommend you. Merry Christmas and Happy Happy New Year, Vic and Jean December 8, 2014 I would like to point out that Sandra was so very helpful and it was a pleasure to correspond with her - timely email responses, fantastic English, and when there was a little "hiccup" when we arrived, she was able to solve it immediately so Plan B was easily instituted. Thank you for a great time in BA! We took 2 tours, which I can highly recommend. Our 6 hour walking tour was given by Sabrina, who was an incredible source of historical and cultural information! Her English was great and she was gracious as she escorted us through the many areas of Buenos Aires by foot, bus and underground. We got such a well-rounded overview of the city, we would not have been able to accomplish so much in 1 day if it wasn't for her direction. Our next tour was to Tigre, an area an hour's drive away, where homes (lavish and poor) are on the deltas of the main river…interesting boat ride to see a different part of this area. Fanny & Barry, Portland, USA December 1, 2015 We had a wonderful time in Buenos Aires and Iguazu. The apartment was beautiful and clean and perfectly located for us (just 5 blocks from our son's host family's apartment, and we loved Palermo Soho). Cristina was a terrific guide and the trip to Iguazu went mostly smoothly (long lines at the airport but we managed to get on the plane!). We wandered all over and ate very well. Best of all, we spent time with Daniel, our son, who clearly loves Buenos Aires and feels very much at home. Thank you for all your help. I will be posting my praise online in a few days. Warmly, Amy November 25, 2014 Dear Sandra Thanks so much for everything! Our trip to Buenos Aires has been just wonderful so far and we´ve enjoyed it very much. We are LOVING Buenos Aires! A beautiful city with warm and welcoming people. Love love the Poetry Building and the city tour you arranged. We are looking forward to Mendoza as well. We cannot thank you enough for all your spot-on recommendations and help along the way. The peace of mind we had working with you was invaluable. You are a true professional and have been a pleasure to work with. We look forward to returning... With kind regards, Daphne & Tom November 16, 2014 Hello Sandra, sorry for the late reply, but coming back from a fantastic holiday we were hi jacked from daily business . First of all we (all 4 ) are the same opinion when we say that our holiday in Argentina were one of the best we ever had . What makes it so fantastic: Argentina has so many miracles of nature it sometimes takes our breath away. Simply "imponente"! Also we found very friendly and if neccessary helpful people . Who makes all this possible? It was you and the complete team from Designer-Trips who do a professinal job that makes our holidays perfect. You help us planning the tour. The hotels you suggest were exactly what we want. The transports and tours work perfect. I have to mention that all the guides were very good (big praise to the companies you are working with).
I like to make a tip. If you are organize a rental car for germans try to get a full insurance, they are used to it :-))
Thanks to the Team and special thanks dear Sandra and Lukas for the help at the airport. As we have to left some white spots on the argentine landscape you can be sure that we will come back for another visit and we will make demands on your help. In the meantime if any one ask (and even if not) we can recommend Designer-Trips without any qualification.
Thanks (to all) and with kind regards Hans, Birgit, Ursula & Ralf Germany November 16, 2014 Hi Sandra, Thanks for your follow-up note. I had a great trip and appreciated your help both in planning my trip and in getting good accommodation in Buenos Aires. Your replies were always prompt and your recommendations thoughtful. While the tourist activities are interesting and fun, what I enjoyed most of all was the people I met, and, although we did not meet in person, I count you among them. Take care. Cheers, Louise Vancouver, Canada November 15, 2014 Good evening Sandra, I just wanted to let you know that I had the most wonderful time this afternoon with Emily and Leo and the rest of the gang at the polo games. They are truly the nicest and loveliest people! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would do it hands down again. They explained everything about the game so enthusiastically and with genuine passion for the horses and the sport. I can without a doubt highly recommend Emily and Leo and their Palo Alto Polo Club for future clients of yours :-) Thank you for arranging it! Sincerely, Joann October 15, 2014 Good Morning Sandra, I just wanted to thank you so very, very much!! I totally enjoyed the polo game and was thrilled I could see the final match. There is no way I could have seen it without your constant attention in this matter. I simply had an amazing afternoon. It made my trip!! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Sincerely, Linda Bergman August 22, 2014 Hello Sandra, Thank you for setting up the tour, Tango show and Argentine Experience. We had a fantastic time. We really appreciate your flexibility with our schedule. Thank you! We look forward to our next visit to Buenos Aires. Such a wonderful city! Warm Regards, Julie July 14, 2014 Hi Sandra, We just wanted to thank you again for your personalized help with booking tickets to the opera at Teatro Colon and on the Buquebus ferry. As well, your many helpful suggestions for concerts and architecture in BA were spot on. It was a pleasure to meet you and we will definitely be in touch the next time we are lucky enough to come to Argentina! Yours truly, Glen and Heather Canada June 12, 2014 Sandra, We had a wonderful time in Argentina and Chile. It was a very memorable trip which we truly enjoyed. Thanks again for your assistance in planning the trip. Everything was planned perfectly. Our guides in both BA (Rosa) and in Santiago (Robert) were fantastic and very personable. Our dinner at I Latina in BA was phenomenal and one of the highlights of our trip. I would highly recommend this restaurant to all your future clients. Our hotels in both BA (Casa Sur Art) and Santiago were in great locations with very helpful staff, and I would highly recommend them both. Although CAVAS wine lodge was nice, it was in a very remote location and quite a drive from the city center. Also, dinner there was less than average. It wasn't quite what I had expected. We should have went with your original recommendation (Entre Cielos). Once again, thanks again for all of your help and quick responses. I'm sure our trip would not have been as memorable without your assistance. Samir Florida, USA June 8, 2014 The walking tour was great. Adriana was a fantastic guide, she has a huge amount of knowledge it was a great day out. We are also glad we get to have her again for the Tigre trip and La Boca & Riverplate tour. Colonia was beautiful even with the rain. The rain didn't start till later so we had a great walk around the city before the rain got bad so that was good. We have enjoyed all our tours so far. Just can't believe how bIg a city buenos aires is. Thanks very much and again thank you for organising everything for our trip. We had a wonderful time and we will definitely be recommending you to our friends and family. Gracias Anita Australia May 25, 2014 Dear Sandra We are now at home after a wonderful holiday in Argentina. Thank you so much for the itinerary that you set for us and for making all of the arrangements for our stays in Buenos Aires, Bariloche and El Calafate. Everything went perfectly; the hotels and excursions were all excellent, as were your restaurant suggestions. It was also very helpful that you were able to coordinate and book our internal flights. It seems quite a long time ago now that we were planning our trip but throughout this process we were very grateful for the time and trouble that you took to make suggestions and especially for the way in which you always responded so quickly to our various questions and requests. We also wanted to mention that the staff we met from the other travel organisations were all very friendly, polite and helpful. We were always met on time and made to feel very welcome at each of our destinations. Please could you pass on our thanks in particular to Lucas and the people at Designer Trips. Thank you once again for helping to make this a very special and memorable holiday and we were glad that we had the opportunity to meet you, if only briefly. If we know of anyone who is planning to visit Argentina, which is quite likely, we will certainly have no hesitation in pointing them in your direction. With kind regards Keith & Lynn Taylor May 5, 2014 Everything went to perfection on our trip. Transfers went smoothly, accommodation and activities were great. Sandra in Mendoza was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable, pleasant to be with, good sense of humour , excellent english and well organized. We enjoyed our time with her. Cavas was great. Very relaxing and good service. The highlight of our trip was our time at Rancho e Cuero. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Ricardo, Analicia, Juan, Carola, their darling little daughters Franca and Carmela, Pedro and Roxanna. They were all very warm and welcoming and made us feel so relaxed and at home. Service, food etc was terrific. This was an excellent choice for us. Many thanks for all your hard work. You did an amazing job. Nick and Anne Canada April 1, 2014 I have nothing but high praise for Sandra. I found her on tripadvisor and I contacted her prior to our trip to Argentina to visit our daughter who is doing a semester abroad there. She helped us plan our two week trip to Buenos Aires, El Calafate and Iguazu Falls. She was very patient and replied promptly to my numerous emails with wonderful suggestions and itineraries. She booked us a tour of the city with a private English speaking guide, a day trip to an Estancia, Gala tango show and also gave us many restaurant suggestions. She met us on our arrival in Buenos Aires and helped with exchanging money and also took the time out to take us to a leather factory! Also, she booked our El Calafate trip with 2 really great glacier tours. I was hesitant to do 2 day long trips to the glaciers, but in the end I am glad I listened to her as that was the highlight of our trip! She gave us a rough idea of how much time we should spend at each place also. While in Argentina I was constantly sending her emails with questions and suggestions and she was always prompt and never tired of replying to my incessant inquiries. She really felt like a friend that I could turn to for anything and everything while I was there and in the end I do feel like I have a friend there that I can count on if and when I return. After getting back home, I even called her to help out with some arrangements for my daughter and she did not hesitate and tried to help as best and quickly as she could. She is a wonderful person and I highly recommend her for anyone who is planning a trip to that part of the world. I am already thinking of my next trip there and working with her again. Sandra, I want to thank you once again for all your help and patience in planning and booking this trip. Everything went smoothly and it is definitely one of our more memorable trip. We loved the country and the people and were sad to leave! It was a real pleasure meeting you in person and knowing now that I have a friend there in Buenos Aires and I am already thinking about when I can visit again! Please stay in touch. Regards, Vandana Rhode Island March 22, 2014 Dear Sandra, The walking tour was very comprehensive and enjoyable but very tiring. The day at Colonia went well although if there is an option to go without the lunch included I would have preferred that as the the food served was not very good. The day at La Portena was fantastic, Santiago is such a good guide and when I come back to Argentina I will spend a few days in San Antonio de Areco a really nice town. The rest of the day was very relaxing and the surroundings were very very pleasant. Thank you also for the recommendation to the Gala Tango show, what a splendid way to celebrate my birthday, the food was good as was the service and the show was stunning. All that remains now is to start packing both clothes and good memories of a fantastic trip. Some of those memories would not have been possible without your help guidance and diligence. If you ever come to Scotland let me know and I will be delighted to return the favours. With kind regards Alan February 26, 2014 I found Sandra on Trip Advisor and she was a dream to work with. She helped me create the perfect BA visit for six of us before our Antarctica cruise. There was no question that she was unable to answer. Every one of her tour recommendations was very enjoyable and we never felt part of a group tour. We had a wine/tapas tour, a six hour city tour, a parrilla tour and a tango show as well as a visit to a terrific leather factory. She gave us guidance on restaurants and provided transportation from airport to hotel to cruise etc. She also gave us help in understanding the fluid Argentinian currency situation. I would recommend Sandra to anyone new to BA as well as visitors returning to this very interesting city
Leslie February 23, 2014 Hola Sandra First of all we would like to thank you for putting together such a wonderful vacation. Also thank you for the bottle of wine. Most of the tour was perfect. The transfers were very much appreciated. It was nice to arrive and have someone waiting to take us to our hotels or to the airport. The accommodations were very good, especially the boutique hotels. The only one that did not quite live up to our expectations was La Fonda Cruz at La Cumbra. Our hosts were fabulous, some of the most beautiful people you would ever want to meet. The rooms were okay but there were no screens on the windows and we had to contend with a few mosquitos at night. Also the rooms on the upper level with a spiral stair case were a challenge especially with the large suit cases and especially when we are all over sixty years old. We loved the grounds at Villa Victoria. The car worked out well although we were fully loaded without an inch to spare. Over all the vacation was great, Iguazu Falls were amazing, the boutique hotel Azur Real in Cordoba was lovely, the wine tour at Mendoza was fantastic. Being an amateur wine make, I really appreciated the wine tour especially the winery owned by the Cassone family. You live in a very beautiful country. We hope to visit again some day. Thank you again Sincerely Ernie and Shirley Canada February 5, 2014 Dear Sandra, We really appreciate all of your excellent ideas, efforts and planning on our behalf. From initial contact through the end of the trip you were very accommodating and responsive. All of the destinations, hotels and excursions were most enjoyable and we felt extremely well taken care of. We would be happy to serve as a reference for you and Designer Trips and plan to go on TripAdvisor (where we first read about you) and recommend you highly! Thanks again, David and Tamara January 12, 2014 Dear Sandra, Well, we are back from sunny Buenos Aires and at home in rainy and wet Vancouver! Although it’s always good to return home, our wonderful memories and experiences from our trip to Argentina will be with us for a long time to come! I wanted to send you a quick note to let you know how much we enjoyed our visit to your city/country. All of your helpful hints and suggestions through both your email communications with me as well as through your website were good ones and they really helped us to be prepared and organized while in BA. All of your arrangements from the airport transfers to our trip to Iguazu (amazing!!) to your suggestion for spending New Year’s Eve at Gala Tango were much appreciated and well-planned! Thank you! I will not hesitate in passing on your name and information to anyone who mentions that they have a trip to Buenos Aires in the works, as I am sure that you will truly “take care of them” as you did with me!! All of the very best and a happy 2014 to you and yours!! Gina Canada January 7, 2014 Hola Sandra!!! I just wanted to take the time to say MUCHAS GRACIAS!!! Thank you so much for your help, everything went so smoothly. We loved our Iguazu trip and we are so thankful for your help. We will be giving our friends your contact information so that they can plan with you too! Thank you so much. Jenny January 7, 2014 Dear Sandra; I must say that I feel you are the "go to" person for Argentina. You seem to know an awful lot about your wonderful country. Thank you for setting up the Tango show and the transfer at the last minute. I only wish I had spoken with you before we had booked any part of our trip so that you would have helped us plan it out from start to finish. If we ever come back to South America we will certainly e-mail or call you. I will also give your name to my friends who are contemplating a South American Journey. Thank you again. Michele and Mark NY December 28, 2013 Agree completely with everyone else's comments regarding Sandra Gutrejde. The list is long regarding the variety of ways she advised, arranged and facilitated a lovely week in Buenos Aires for my wife and I. Normally I do my own research in advance of our trips, find apartments on my own, restaurants, etc. Being that this is South American and not Europe, I made the decision to get some help. What a great idea! :) Besides the terrific suggestions and then doing the work to make it happen, Sandra is outstanding at accessing what exactly you want to accomplish and creating a very individualized itinerary. Do yourself a favor, sign up for her service and take advantage of her recommendations and assistance. Invaluable Sandra, Just wanted to say, "thank you" again for your invaluable service in making this last week in Buenos Aires so delightful for my wife and I. Everything worked out perfect. Thanks again and you will definitely be hearing from us the next time we come to Argentina (and from any friends of ours who come to visit as well.)
David and Lorna, Seattle, USA December 23, 2013 Dear Sandra, Our guide on Dec. 8 was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed a quick tour of Buenos Aires and were really glad that we could plan this with you. Our trip to Ushuaia and Antarctica was absolutely amazing and something we'll always remember. Thanks so much for the tour. Bill and Luann December 2, 2013 I have nothing but the highest praise for Sandra. She helped me extensively with my family's 10-day stay in Buenos Aires. We are experienced, independent travelers and I usually handle all apartment rentals, hotels, transport etc myself. But when I started looking at BA apartment rentals, I became a bit overwhelmed. I found Sandra's name on Tripadvisor and decided to contact her. Sandra responded to my email within 20 minutes and prior to our trip she spent hours helping me.... *rent 2 different apartments from different agencies *reserve hotel room *organize 3 separate transfers to/from EZE *arrange a private city tour (that was fantastic!) *schedule two day trips (estancia and El Tigre) In addition, Sandra organizes tango, polo, special shopping excursions, and more activities. The prices for everything were straightforward and quite reasonable, in my opinion. And her blog offers a wealth of free information. Sandra is a true gem and I recommend her services without hesitation. Joan Chicago November 27, 2013 If you are travelling to Buenos Aires be sure to contact Sandra, first class travel advisor and agent. She organised everything from our home during e mail sessions prior to our holiday. She never tired of my incessant inquiry into everthing even changing currency. We took Sandra's advice on everything, riding Caballos A La Par, incredible, tango show, Gala, simply the best in BA, Mataderos feria Gaucho fair, absolutely incredible, airport pick up and drop off to hotel both ways, spot on, Overnight stay in Colonia Del Sacramento Uruguay brilliant. Sandra is a very nice person my wife and I met her in BA, went to a leather outlet factory in San Telmo great. If you are going to BA do yourself a big favour and contact Sandra, she will sort it for you! We would not hesitate to use Sandra again. Bob England October 31, 2013 Hi Sandra We had a wonderful time, and again, I thank you for all that you did to make it so good. The walking tour was great and Silvana, the guide, was wonderful. I thought the tango show was great, especially the gaucho with the ropes. everybody seemed to love that. i'm glad that you suggested that we go to that show. The trip to colonia was nice and the restaurant you had the voucher for was good. I love coffee ice cream and this place had the best I've ever had in my life. I wish we had that brand of ice cream here. it was a little disorganized when we got off the boat . I don't know if we would have found the bus if George hadn't been able to do a lot of talking and asking in Spanish. I think the highlight of the trip was the concert at the teatro colon. thank you for getting the tickets. what a beautiful place! If you ever decide to come here and see Arizona and the grand canyon, it would be great to have you get together with us. Judy October 26, 2013 The polo match was amazing to watch. I had read about it but never seen it, so it was great to see. It was one of my top desires of things to do and therefore getting that arranged at the deadline was wonderful. The driver out there worked out great. Also your speedy replies made the day easy. I will be sure to recommend to anyone coming down to visit Buenos Aires check out your site and contact you if they want help. You provide great information, so I wish I had found it sooner, in the last few months I have done endless internet search to figure out the best way to do things. Thanks again, Ashley October 22, 2013 Thank you for organising the Tango show last night! It was good fun and we learnt a few moves! :) they were fabulous! Tango is certainly an art form! Thank you for all your assistance. You have been fabulous! The polo was fun! Ellerstina won! It was good out there with the bars and wine tastings! Just wanted to say thank you very much again for everything! It's greatly appreciated! We will certainly pass your details on to any of our friends who decide to travel to Argentina.
Take care and best wishes,
Geoff & Nadia June 24, 2013 Sandra Thank you again for all of your help while we have been in Buenos Aires. It made our holiday much more enjoyable. We will recommend you to anyone we know who is going to visit Buenos Aires. Thanks again. Colleen and Allan Edmonton, AB May 18, 2013 THANK YOU SO MUCH for your all help during my stay.
I was completely lost in the beginning in BsAs. without your help I might go back earlier than my plan.
Just thank you so much. Time runs so fast, 10days went so quickly. I enjoyed a lot your city, wish to come back again soon.
All the best,
Un grande saludo! Yun Ji Switzerland May 13, 2013 Hi Sandra, Thank you so much for arranging everything for me yesterday. It was absolutely perfect! Santiago was a great guide, and the estancia [La Porteña] was exactly what we were looking for. I really really really appreciate your help!
Brooke April 29, 2013 Hi Sandra We had the most wonderful time in Argentina, and so much of that was due to your fantastic suggestions and help. I wish we had been able to stay longer and would love to go back one day! Buenos Aires is a very interesting city - full of variety and life. Cabrera Garden was the perfect place to stay while in Buenos Aires - the suite was lovely, the location was very good and close to restaurants and transport, and the generous breakfasts gave us fuel for the day's activities. Robert gave us a bottle of wine on the last night of Edward's stay which was a very nice touch. Loi Suites at Iguazu was also lovely accommodation. Unfortunately the pool was too cold for us to swim but we didn't really have time for that anyway. Our guides in Buenos Aires – Eliana for the walking tour and Gerardo for the estancia visit, were both excellent and provided us with a lot of interesting information. We enjoyed their company and appreciated the patience they had with us during lots of points of the tours when we took longer than expected, they did not complain at all. Our tours at Iguazu were very good and we had a lot of fun. The guides were a bit different in that they were managing a larger group and there was not the attention and information we received with the private guides but they were helpful with the questions we had. We also went to Brazil for dinner on the night before we came back to Buenos Aires. Such a fun thing to do! Opera night was fantastic - both of us were thrilled to be there and were amazed by the performers. They all had amazing voices and especially Carmen was just fantastic. Teatro Colon is a wonderful place and we were lucky that Carmen was on during our stay. Even though we would have loved to see a Boca Junior match (mostly Edward) without a doubt if we had to choose between both of them Opera night would have won again and again. We wish you best of luck Sandra and hope to visit Buenos Aires again. Surely enough we will contact you for your expertise. You played a big part in making our holiday as wonderful as it was. Best wishes Michelle & Edward Australia April 12, 2013 We had a wonderful time in B.A. The hotel was great, the trip to Igauzu Falls was amazing, and the tours that Lucas arranged were excellent. We also managed to take the B.A. bus tour. Aside from some audio problems with the narration, it was a great overview of the city. You have an incredible city and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
Thank you for everything you did.
Lee & Barb April 10, 2013 Hello Sandra. We have been back in Portugal for over a week now so I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you once again for all the help you gave us in finding an apartment and suggesting trips which were excellent.
We absolutely loved Buenos Aires and Argentina. Everyone we met was very nice and courteous and very helpful. We wish BA was in Europe so we could visit often! The studio in Palermo was ideal - the area was wonderful and we felt really at home. The building staff also were very nice and helpful. It was definitely our favourite place. On our return from Chile, we spent a couple of nights in a restored colonial house in the Boedo district which was also very interesting for a short stay. The staff at the little hotel were wonderful. So I thought I would tell you what good experiences we had in Argentina.
We didn't get to a working estancia, which was a pity. It was a budgetary thing. We did go with a group to one of the tourist farms which was great fun and we did at least get to do a little riding. One of the great things about travelling independently was that we met people from lots of other South and Central American countries which was also a great experience.
Thank you again. Anne Portugal April 3, 2013 Hi Sandra I appreciated your service and appreciated the services of Lucas. I would not hesitate to recommend you or Lucas to anyone that is travelling to Argentina. I met with Lucas in his office and had such a great conversation with him … it was one of the best experiences of my trip. Lucas’s commitment to customer service was outstanding.
BA has too many adjectives to describe it. I could say fun, easy on the eyes, friendly, busy, bustling, and it wouldn’t be near enough. I found that within days, I had my bearings, and went everywhere via the subte and on foot. I felt safe but at times rushed … just the normal pace of a big city. If I needed a rest, I could always stop in a church of which there were many. Usually, they were not crowded and peaceful, sometimes a welcome respite. The food was amazing, so delicious, so well displayed (much like in Rome), and so available. Overall, BA is a very seductive city. By the way, the tango show you recommended was excellent … however perhaps it should be billed as more like a Broadway play … it was much more extensive than what I thought it would be.
Salta was considerably different. In BA people hug their purses and backpacks very tightly but in Salta, people are much more relaxed. It was only fair to see another part of Argentina and experience the differences. The terrain is unusual and interesting and I didn’t realize how high we would be travelling in the mountains. I was impressed with the agricultural diversity of Argentina in the Salta area in that they grow tobacco, soybeans, bananas, grapes, and other fruits. Thanks again. Alan Calgary, AB March 27, 2013 La pasamos super! Te cuento:
Jueves: Puerta Cerrada en Casa Salt Shaker- estuvo bueno, pero creo que $65 por persona es demasiado considerando lo bueno que se puede comer en BA por mucho menos. Fue una experiencia diference. Viernes: AM: fabrica de cuero- compre zapatos, botas y un jacket. Nos encanto y nos dieron muy buen cambio (7.5 por dolar) y 10% si comprabamos cash. Muy buen servicio. PM: futbol- super bien organizado y tremenda experiencia. Nos buscaron a la hora acordada, sin problemas. Siempre nos sentimos seguros...y Argentina gano, asi que no se puede pedir mas! Sabado: hicimos el 'buenos aires bus'. Perfecto para conocer la ciudad. Por la tarde fuimos a Palermo. Domingo: Estancia. Gerardo fue la experiencia favorita de mi marido junto con el dia de campo. Muy conversador y muy informativo. Nos llevo a una casa de plata y a la chocolateria en SA de Areco. La Portena fue exactamente lo que estabamos buscando. Nos encanto que la mayoria de las personas eran Argentinas! Pasamos un dia muy relajado. Mi marido hacia siglos que no montaba a caballo asi que aprovecho y hasta se fue de paseo solo con uno de los gauchos. Gerardo queda altamente recomendado!
Gracias por los arreglos que hicistes. Quedamos muy contentos!!! Suzette March 20, 2013 Hi Sandra, We just got back to Vancouver yesterday and I am back at work today. Larry bought a lovely suede sportsjacket at the leather factory but I got nothing. Although I loved some of the purses I already have too many and had purchased a silk leather jacket in Turkey in 2009 that is of far superior quality of anything we say in Argentina or Chile.
Our drivers were prompt and polite, even if they didn't speak English and their cars were spotless and they both drove very safely.
Our tour was WONDERFUL, Carol was a true professional with tons of excellent, interesting knowledge that made BA's history come alive to us. Once again, the driver was excellent, careful and the car spotless.
Thanks again so much for what you did for us. Best regards and THANKS!! Shannon and Larry, Vancouver, BC March 15, 2013 Hi Sandra,
I am back in Australia after a long plane flight. I just wanted to thank you very much for all of your help you gave me in Buenos Aires and you were so professional in your conduct. I have recommended your company to other people so hopefully you can get some additional business.
Yours sincerely
Michael Wendt March 19, 2013 Hi Sandra, I just wanted to say that Carla did a fantastic job on the Buenos Aires tour. We will be sure to let anybody else who is going to Argentina know about your services. Thanks, Jeff February 23, 2013 Just packing up the bags and wanted to drop you a quick note to say THANKS AGAIN for all your help! The Falls were simply AMAZING, as was the hotel--everything! Your advice all the way around proved invaluable. Already starting to think about my next trip. Will certainly be in touch again once I get plans into place. My best, Bill February 14, 2013 I contacted Sandra with very little idea of what Buenos Aires would be like, how it works, and wondering if I could ever possibly enjoy it. I also speak precious little in the way of Spanish. Sandra was amazing. She sorted me out a lovely hotel in Palermo Soho (the area to stay in btw) and a perfect airport transfer. But even better than that, I have always wanted to stay in Estancia and ride horses on the Pampas. She recommended the perfect place and organised a transfer with an English speaking guide who took me on a tour of the beautiful town of San Antonio De Arecos and recommended loads of other places to go before dropping me off at La Portena (the most beautiful place I have ever visited). If ever I had a question (and I had many), she answered them straight away. When I asked if she could find me a little b and b for my last few days in the capital, she came up with the perfect place within an hour. It really was perfect as well. She also took a huge interest in the trip and wanted to hear how it was going. It was like having a good friend in a strange land, and thanks to her, she made Argentina, not strange, but accessible, and I totally blame her for the fact that I have fallen completely and utterly in love with Argentina. I can't recommend Sandra enough. She was fantastic. Emma London February 14, 2013 The walking tour was very good, and Tango show was great. The football game was amazing even if they lost. It was so much fun to watch and listen to the fans and learn a little about the history of the team, their fans and how the tickets are controled We made it to the leather factory and I purchased a great jacket and Bill got a man bag for work. Taxi driver was right on time and did a great job. The fellow at the factory was a great help and their exchange rate was excellent The apartment has been wonderful, very easy to get to everything you need. Thanks for all your help, we have enjoyed B.A. very much and are now looking forward to the Falls. Sue February 2, 2013 The tango show was great, a little long but very well done. Dinner too. Our tour with Mirta was awesome. Very informative, the weather was very hot but not so sunny so we were able to walk around some. While the holiday caused some things to be closed it allowed us to cover a lot of ground. The driver was great and our trip back was very good if not long. Thanks for all your help I will keep you in my contacts in case we get back your way Mary and mike February 1, 2013 Thanks for everything Sandra. It was a very special [shopping] day for us and you made the experience painless and it was a joy to have the transport included and handled seamlessly. It was worth every penny and believe me we'll be singing your praises to anyone who wants to visit here and have a personal touch. All the best to you. Cheers, Terry Calgary, AB December 26, 2012 Hello Sandra, The activity at both places was fantastic. The instructions from La Ventana said we would be picked up at 7:30pm, the driver didn't arrive until 8:10pm, and then we sat in the van at the restaurant until 4 full-size buses ahead of us unloaded. We were nearly the last one's seated, but it did end up in an elevated rear corner with a little privacy and a good view of the stage. The food, drink, and entertainment were excellent. We were having such a good time, I think we became the entertainment after they passed out the party hats and champagne at midnight, and started playing rock 'n roll music. The food, drink, entertainment, activities, and setting at Estancia La Portena were excellent. We particularly liked the gauchos' music and dancing demonstration. I recall reading one of the reviews on your website that described the estancia as being "run down". However, I thought the level of maintenance and restoration was appropriate for the historical flavor of the experience; if something is too modernized, the experience isn't as good in my opinion. Also, thank you for your recommendation for Christmas brunch at the Fierro Hotel. The food and the presentation were excellent. This also ended up another case where fate really shined on us as often happens on our Christmas trip: We called and made a reservation, but when we got there they couldn't find a record of it but said they would set up a table on the patio for us. This was after the storms had passed, it was sunny, and the temperature was much cooler than Monday. Everyone soaked up the sun, enjoyed the food, talk, and the setting. I believe everyone agrees Buenos Aires has been our best Christmas trip yet. Thank you for all your help and for your contributions to our enjoyable trip. Edward December 12, 2012 Sandra Thanks for your assistance in arranging my tours in El Calafate & Buenos Aires, as well as my emergency messages due to the strike! You were so helpful to me when I was in need! You and Lucas are the heroes of my travel tales... Your #1 fan, Mary December 10, 2012 Sandra, This is to tell you how much I really appreciated you and your help in making my visit to Buenos Aires so wonderful. I really enjoyed the recommendations, and particularly the introduction to the polo vendors that were scattered around the city. I still can't believe that I bought a saddle and was able to fit it in my checked luggage to bring back to the US. When I opened the package I was exceptionally happy with the saddle. It was absolutley beautiful, and I can't wait to try it out. I had a little bit of a problem with the boots I ordered. When I went to pick the boots up, the nice young lady that worked in the shop let me know that the boots that they shipped to the shop were not the color that I'd ordered. We ended up working something out, and the woman was so appologetic and nice about it, (not the mention the fact that I had to catch my flight that evening) that I still bought the boots. Again, Thank you so much for all your help and recommendations. They were really appreciated! Dylan North Carolina December 1, 2012 Sandra, I'm happy to say we are doing great! The hotel is treating us very well and today was our day with Carol and Salvador, the driver. We saw and learned so much! She was wonderful. The driver from the airport was a delightful young man who connected quickly with us and gave us some dining suggestions in San Telmo as well! We tried one last night and enjoyed a terrific dinner. Thank you so much for your assistance. It has made our trip way better than I even expected. I'm very happy to sing your praises on TripAdvisor to steer others in your direction. I would want for them the added quality to their trip and the peace of mind it gave us. Best Regards, Sandra November 20, 2012 We initially found Sandra online through her informative blog that offered some of the most useful information for prospective visitors to Buenos Aires. Even before fully engaging her in assisting us in planning our trip, we found Sandra to be extraordinarily responsive to our multitude of information requests, and an invaluable resource. She always seemed to be available to answer our questions, and provide sage advice based upon her years of living in Buenos Aires. She also put us in contact with another excellent resource -- Lucas of Designed Experiences, to assist in planning and booking the portions of our trip outside of Buenos Aires. Throughout our 2+ week trip to Argentina, we felt that Sandra was always along with us… answering questions and providing advice as we were experiencing Argentina. One of the highlights of visiting Buenos Aires was doing a shopping tour with Sandra. It was so fun to finally meet her in person! I'm particularly fond of the leather jacket I purchased, and my wife loves her new leather purse and an assortment of hand-crafted jewelry. Sandra is a wonderful, highly responsive and trustworthy resource for any trip you are planning to Buenos Aires and greater Argentina!!! Ron and Susan San Francisco November 14, 2012 Hi Sandra! We had a great time on the bike tour! Our guide Barbara was fantastic! After talking with the guides, we ended up taking the south tour and I'm glad we did because we got to see parts of the city we would not have seen otherwise including La Boca and the ecological preserve. The ride isn't for the faint of heart though - the traffic in some places was pretty scary. We really enjoyed it though and would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the different neighborhoods in the city. It was one of our favorite things we've done on the trip. The apartment is great - we've really grown to love the neighborhood. There are plenty of shops and restaurants near by and it actually reminds me of where we live in Los Angeles. The apartment is small but clean and is stocked with anything we need (like a wine opener). Betty has also been really helpful. I'm going to be sad to leave tomorrow... Thanks! Jessica November 13, 2012 Sandra,
Once again thank you for the arrangements made for us in Buenos Aires. The polo was great, your weather predictions were spot on and the Tango night was perfect ( Tango, Andean pipes and Gauchos). We ended up with a perfect weather day in Colonia. I am sure that we will be back visiting again in the future and will take time to learn more about Argentina.
Regards
Rob Clark Australia November 11, 2012 Sandra Quisiera expresarle mi mas sincero agradecimiento por toda la ayuda prestada y contarle que hoy pasamos una gran tarde en el Hurlingham Club, en gran parte gracias a su extraordinaria asesoría. Quedo agradecido Juan Carlos October 7, 2012 Dear Sandra, I really enjoyed your city, although I didn't have much time. A great experience! Also very good to meet you and I hope that I will be able to come back one day. Best wishes and thanks for all your help, Barbara London July 23, 2012 Hi Sandra It was lovely meeting you! We had a great day and have some lovely purchases from our trip with you today. Thank you again. Warm regards Kathryn & Jake. June 18, 2012 Hi Sandra! I can’t tell you how wonderful our trip was! Many, many thanks for your wonderful help. We met many wonderful people and bring home a lifetime of terrific memories, and many new friends.
All the best! Lisa and Davin Washington April 17, 2012 Hey Sandra, All of the tours have been great! the tango show I felt was very authentic, the costumes beautiful as well as the dancers. The food was not great but we were kind of expecting that since we were going for the show not the food. and I also want to thank you for great seats, right up front and center! The walking tour with Ellie (I think that is her name) was also terrific my husband and I enjoyed learning about the different barrios (neighborhoods) riding the public transportation and I really liked visiting recoletta cemetary. we've never seen anything like it. I did my bike tour with Daniel, and he was wonderful. I loved going to the North an experiencing that side of BA. I loved riding thru the parks and neighborhoods. Mirta was very nice and we really enjoyed learning about the jewish community in BA. The el tigre delta was great! we loved taking a break from the city and traveling on boat and learning about that area. We really like Anna! The wine tasting was delightful! We are very pleased with all the arrangements you have made for us! muchos gracias... Laura April 14, 2012 Thx again for all your long distance help to Thailand the last couple months. Take care and if you ever have a chance to go to Thailand let me know! Regards, Brian Moodie VP Hotel Operations - SALA Resorts and Spas Thailand April 3, 2012 Bonjour Sandra
Nous sommes enfin rentrés de ce long voyage. Nous sommes enchantés de ce que nous avons vu. IGUAZU: sublime, ces chutes sont magnifiques et notre guide là-bas ( Eugenio) vraiment super. Les tranferts sans problème et ponctuels. Seul petit problème ; quand nous sommes arrivés à L' aéroport NEWBERY, on nous a annoncé que le vol était "overbooké" et que 3 personnes pouvaient partir à cette heure là et les autres en début d' après-midi !!!! Bien entendu, j' ai rouspéter vigoureusement et alors ils nous ont dit que nous pouvions partir 1/2 h plus tard mais de l' aéroport international. Ils nous y ont emmené dans3 voitures et nous avons eu les 8 place Business de l' avion. Donc "petit plus" finalement. Nous sommes donc arrivés à Puerto Iguazu avec 3/4 heure de retard mais Eugenio nous attendait ! A Puerto Madryn, aussi un guide (Luis) très agréable et très professionel, très belle excursion aussi. Le reste du voyage s' est aussi très bien passé et nous avons vu des choses magnifiques. Merci pour tout.
Danielle Belgium March 19, 2012 Hi Sandra! I am so glad Christine and Norka got to meet you. Christine is writing an amazing blog full of wonderful details of everything that they have done and seen in BA and it sounds like they truly are having the best time I could have ever imagined. Thank you so much to you and Lucas for putting this together for us. We really appreciate your suggestions and your quick answers to all of our questions! We will definitely contact you all again in the future for any trips down to Argentina. Thank you again! Erin Hamill Director of International Programs Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School Saint Louis, Missouri March 7, 2012 Hola Sandra, We are finally back after an incredible trip. It was a pleasure to meet you and we appreciate your efforts on our behalf! The show and dinner were fantastic. It turns out Holland America Line also books the same event so we know we were attending a quality performance. We also enjoyed touring the Teatro Colon. What a magnificent restoration. Again, muchas gracias for all your efforts on our behalf. Hopefully, I will be able to send some business your way. Please let me know if you ever get to San Diego. Regards, Peter Ward Legendary World Signature Travel Network California February 27, 2012 HI Sandra, We had a wonderful time at the Estancia Villa Maria - it was truly a memorable day ! Thank you for having found it for us and all your help. Unfortunately we're on the way to airport this morning but next time we plan to stay at least a week ! See you then ! Kind regards, Phoebe Schettini Associate Director The Table Club Australia February 19, 2012 Hi Sandra, just a short note now that I am back in Kuwait! Loved My holiday in Argentina... wanted to say the bike tour was fabulous and Romina was great, really enjoyed it. So thanks so much and please pass on the good comment to Romina by email if you can. Thanks so much for your help! perhaps see you in person next time as i would love to come again! Shelley February 5, 2012 Hola Sandra,
Solamente por agradecerle por toda su ayuda y por organizar todo eso. Logré la reserva para el Palacio Barolo y era justo lo que queria, logro unas buenas fotos de la cuidad desde la torre.
Y el partido, pues, como era amistoso los de Tangol nos llevaron justamente en el corazon de los hinchas de jugador 12, que era fenomenal. Mejor que las fotos seran los videos que he grabado aka. Una experiencia unica, todavia no me lo puedo creer.
Muchas gracias por todo!
Saludos, Andreas January 26, 2012 Hello, Sandra! We had one of our best holidays ever! We fell in love with Argentina and plan to return. Mirta and Lucho made all the difference in the world and we just loved them. I don't even have our pictures sorted out yet. We are just delighted with all the help you have given us. It is especially nice to be treated so personally, and with understanding. Please know that we had SO MUCH FUN! If I keep writing, I will bore you with my praise of the Poetry Building and all the things we did in BA. So I will stop for now and get back to you when things settle down a bit here. Ciao for now, Judy and Don January 12, 2012 Hi Sandra I loved the (shopping) tour. I wished that I hadn't been so tired and that I had longer with you. I have already shown off my shoes because I took a picture of them and sent them to my friends. The walking city tour today was wonderful as well. I will be sorry to leave BA tomorrow. You have a wonderful city! Thanks so much, Arlene Canada January 7, 2012 Hi Sandra
My family enjoyed the walking tour provided by Alexis immensely. Alexis was great. We had a much better appreciation of Buenos Aires and Argentina afterwards and would recommend this tour to our friends.
Regards Dianne Loney Sydney, Australia January 4, 2012 Sandra The day was perfect. Alexis was knowledgeable and competent. I am in the process of learning Spanish and he was willing to do the tour in Spanish with a little English here and there. The result was that I got both a tour and a language lesson at once. Thanks for your help. Craig January 1, 2012 Sandra, it was wonderful to meet you. We thought we would give you feedback on our trip. The apartment is in a great location. The people who run buenos aires habitation are prompt and helpful. The apartment is older and needs some repairs and maintenance but it is fine for our length of stay. The ballet and the Teatro Colon were fabulous. The seats were great; we could see the dancers so well. The restaurant Tomo 1 was very good. It was a memorable evening. The city tour the first day was very good. Our guide Juan was knowledgable, interesting and flexible. He answered our many questions. We were lucky to have only two of us. We have walked many areas. We went to Puerto Maderno as you suggested. The restaurant Bice was good. We have also tried Sorrento and Piegari but the best one is Tomo I. Estancia Calendelaria. The bus went to many hotels so it took one hour to leave BA. The bus stopped after 45 minutes for people to go to the washroom and we had to wait 20 minutes or more. The lunch was in a huge area that is for bus tours. The demonstration of one rider for polo was quite interesting. There was a dance demonstration with quite good dancers. The demonstration of gauchos doing horse skills was not so good. They did not do much and no one translated what they said. This Estancia is exceedingly run down. The people are nice but the place needs a lot of work. Dinner was quite good in a different room than the room for the bus tour. We do like BA. We walked around the Japanese garden, the rose garden and by the big flower. we like walking the streets and look forward to a few more days there. We are so grateful to have found you and thank you. We thought feedback might help you for future clients. Shauna and Jim Canada December 30, 2011 Sandra!! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday as well! Colonia was PERFECT! We spent a lovely day with the morning tour and then lounging like lizards on a rock by the ocean. Great pictures too :) Absolutely loved Unik! The food the service and the atmosphere were amazing. We made some new friends too. The wine tour day (in Mendoza) was fantastic! Loved our guide Santiago :) was a great day and dinner at 1884 was lovely and I would highly reco the restaurant. We got TWO massages each at the Terms Spa! One in the morning and one in the afternoon!! We also did the mud and mineral baths and now have some healthy sun color to take back :) Thanks again for your help planning! Helen and Lisa December 28, 2011 Sandra - Thank you so much for the time spent with us. I really enjoyed the shops you took us to. It was a pleasure meeting you. We made some purchases at the leather factory. It was a lot of fun. We enjoyed the polo day. It was relaxing and fun. We were the only four guests there that day. Thank you for setting this up for us. Warm Regards, Isabella December 12, 2011 We certainly enjoyed our time in Argentina and have already started planning our return visit next year!!! Laurance and I certainly want to thank you for all of your help and your recommendations...we tried to fit it all in!!! We will definitely be back in touch as we finalize plans for our next trip!!
Thanks so much for everything...you've been such a great help!!! Suzanne and Laurance Texas December 1, 2011 Dear Sandra The hotel you selected is excellent; I really felt taken care of by the staff. The location of the hotel was good, given that I could walk to the theatre. I was impressed by all the bookstores in that area, and especially, later in Recoletta, the Ateneo. Went to a jazz guitar concert at the Centro San Martin just up the street from the hotel, a delight, I am so impressed by the affection men show for each other, the young guitarists for the older, affectiion and respect, and the music was great, followers of the gypsy French Guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Since I was raised in an Italian family, I felt quite at home in the city. The flea market at San Telmo was very enjoyable and bought gifts there for my family. I followed one of your day recommendations religiously, the museum in La Boca (ancient Mayan art), and had one of the best meals in Buenos Aires in the museum cafeteria, a superb risotto. Also that same day I went to your recommendation of a concert at the old Jesuit Church, it was beautiful and the music by the Bolivian chorus lovely. I am gluten intolerant and had a hard time with breakfast at the hotel. However, a friend I met almost the last day there told me that it's a law in Argentina to provide for people who suffer from Siliac disease. You might mention that to clientele, siince so many people seem to be gluten intolerant. The city is beautiful and then disappointing (like all great cities). I am endelessly impressed by the architecture; Recoleta and the cemetery were lovely, I could have gone back easily; a better directory to the various tombs is a must. I tried to follow the map provided and finally gave up. I could go on, I really had a fine time, and would go back were it not for the distance and my impairment. Thank you again for all your help. Richard New York November 19, 2011 Hi Sandra
Thank you so much for all your great recommendations for my trip to Buenos Aires.
I had a very enjoyable stay at Cabrera Garden. Robert, the owner, was wonderful and so kind and helpful. Cabrera Garden is a really beautiful house, and I especially liked the design of the downstairs living room and the patio and outdoor garden. The breakfasts there were wonderful in the sunshine, sitting outside, and were beautifully presented. I have written a very complimentary review on Trip Advisor about Cabrera Garden, following Robert's request. It really is the most charming spot in Palermo Hollywood and perfect for enjoying the area and exploring the restaurants on the weekend.
Gonzalez and Catalina at Estancia la Portena were lovely also. I had a wonderful arrival at la Portena as I arrived in time for lunch where the table was all set up for a delicious Asado lunch outside undert the trees. It really was the most memorable meal. The dinners at la Portena were less good and quite basic - they did not live up to the good lunches. The accommodation was very authentic - just like living at the Estancia in the 1800s. This was ok for 2 days but the bathrooms had all original fittings - over 100 years old - so were not modern and I don't think I could stay without a modern bathroom for much longer. The Estancia was the perfect example of country life - with new born horses, puppies and chickens runnning round. I was able to do a lot of horse riding and also cycle into San Antonio one afternoon to see the town which was definitely worth a visit. Gonzalez and Catalina are lovely people and I hope they do well with the Estancia.
I loved my stay at the Poetry Building which was the perfect base to see all the sites of downtown. The apartment I took was absolutely gorgeous and I have shown my friends from Hong Kong the pictures - they all think it looks fabulous!
Thank you again for all your advice. I think visitors to Buenos Aires need to do quite a lot of careful planning before their arrival as it is not so easy to find out information about the city when you are there and it takes a bit of time to understand where things are. Because of the research we had done before I came, I was definitely able to do so much more during my trip to and really make the most of my time there.
I will definitely be in touch if I am down in BA again sometime soon. Very nice to meet you!
Best wishes Victoria Honk Kong October 24, 2011 Hello Sandra,
I just wanted to let you know we had a WONDERFUL time at the polo match. In fact, we have decided to see a few games here when the next season starts next Spring. It was cloudy at the match, but no rain. The driver picked us up exactly on time and took us back after the game - it was perfect. He was very professional. We had no problems at all getting tickets and figuring out what to do.
Again, thanks again for arranging it....we are so glad we found you on the web.
Katrina October 20, 2011 Hola Sandra, Todo ha estado excelente, el recorrido con Madi nos gustó mucho, fue muy amable y su perspectiva de extranjera conocedora de Buenos Aires fue altamente interesante e informativa. El recorrido del lunes también fue excepcionalmente bueno. En fin, todo bien y muy agradecido con todo tu apoyo. Sin duda, en la siguiente visita que haga a Argentina (yo o alguno de mis conocidos) serás la primera en mi lista. El hotel estuvo bien, muy buen servicio, limpio... Aunque en nuestra siguiente visita posiblemente prefiera algo en Recoleta. Gracias nuevamente. Armando September 26, 2011 Hi Sandra,
We had a great day. Elle was an excellent guide, we cannot speak highly enough of her and she reflected upon your company very well. Tango was good fun as well. Thank you for all your help. I will also put this feedback along with the tour information you sent me earlier on a website used by QANTAS pilots (over 2000) to provide and find information about what to see and do while away- that is how I found out about you and your company. Look forward to dealing with you again at some stage in the future. Please thank Elle our guide once again for a terrific day in BA, we enjoyed her company immensely.
Thanks and regards,
Peter Australia September 21, 2011 I have never before had difficulties buying tickets to foreign opera houses or at least determine availability or non-availability, but the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires was a different story. They do not speak English on the phone, their website is confusing and ticket sales start just a few days before the performance, when one might already be traveling. However, I found help through an extraordinary lady in Buenos Aires, Sandra Gutrejde of My Buenos Aires Travel Guide - http://www.batravelguide.com. She procured tickets for the opening night of Lohengrin on the first day of ticket sales, bought exactly the seats I asked for, sent me a scanned copy of the tickets, delivered the tickets to our hotel in Buenos Aires, advised us about the relatively relaxed dress code for this Gala Opening of the opera and followed up on our experience - all this for a modest fee. Sandra, I can only repeat what I said earlier: you are fantastic. Of course I received the tickets, we went to the opera and I was very happy with the Buenos Aires audience: they booed mercilessly and totally justifiedly the bad American tenor who sang Lohengrin. Otherwise it was a great evening, great orchestra, superb chorus and of course the magnificent opera house and its accustics.
Thanks again!
Gabriel Lawrenceville, NJ August 25, 2011 Dear Sandra,
Thank you for the wonderful opportunities you arranged for us and the excellent professional service you provided for our time in Buenos Aires. We have fond memories of so many places we were fortunate to visit and we think back on the highlights which include our days in Buenos Aries:- experiences of traversing riot police to join the throng at a Coppa America game of football in Argentina at la Plata while Brasil played Venezuela; the beautiful image of the Floralis Generica in the middle of the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas; the wonderful relaxed tour to Tigre, the interesting colourful tour of the city and suburbs ~ Buenos Aires certainly deserves it’s reputation of being the “Paris of South America”; the crypts of Recoleta; the dog walkers’; the rhythm of “Vive Evita” the tango show and dinner we enjoyed one evening and the delicious long lunches and dinners we indulged in are all etched forever in our minds – we would love to return.
I felt enormous confidence when I found you on the internet and started corresponding with you. Thank you for looking after our arrangements with such personal and professional attention. We very much appreciated that you took the time to meet us for lunch. Elizabeth and Lim Sen send their best wishes and regards too. I will endeavour to send a couple of photos when I finally get to them.
Warm regards Suzanne Sydney, Australia July 29, 2011 Mike / Sandra, I just wanted to say a sincere thank you to both of you for all the assistance you provided during my recent stay in BA. You were both a real pleasure to deal with and extremely professional and responsive to my various requests and questions both before my arrival and throughout my stay. Given my numerous emails I know that I have assisted Sandra in continuing to practise her written English! I hope to return to BA again in the near future where I'll be sure to contact you both again. Please do not hesitate to email me should your travels bring you to Australia one day. All the very best. Adrian Australia July 24, 2011 Everything has been great so far. We had a fantastic guide for our walking tour. We were the only people on the tour and the guide tailored it to meet some of our interests. What an amazing city! So diverse and rich with history. We learned a great deal. Our cooking class with Matias and his family was great! Gladys, Florenzia, and Matias, plus the staff at their hotel, were so sweet and accommodating. We learned a great deal from them about cooking and Argentinian politics! The wine tasting with Nuva wines was fun. It was us and one other couple from Melbourne, Australia. We had a lot of fun, drank some interesting wines, and enjoyed the funky hotel setting. The Tigre trip had good and bad as well. The good was the boat ride home - seeing the homes on the islands was very cool. On the way there, we were left by our guide twice, once in San Isidro (1 hour) and once at Los Puertos de Fruitas (1 1/2 hours) to shop and eat. The tour might be good for people who want to shop but we took the tour to learn about the history and culture of each location. We also booked the tour to have someone with us who spoke Spanish and could help us. Otherwise we could have simply paid to take the train and bus by ourselves. The Tango class and show were great! The teacher could not have been more precious. At first I was a little worried because there were so many people, but he managed the crowd beautifully and got everyone involved and dancing. The show was very touristy but we loved it! Not being connoisseurs of tango, we thoroughly enjoyed the choreography, storytelling, and singing. Dinner was good as well. Your recommendations for activities have been just right. It's been a fantastic trip because of the advanced help and planning you provided! I'll write more when we get home, but I wanted to say gracias! We loved most everything you planned for us and are leaving Buenos Aires in love with the city, the countryside, and the people. I would love to refer people to you in the future. You've been great! Take care, Juli June 12, 2011 Hi Sandra, You are one of the most beautiful women I know. Thanks for being a GREAT guide and trip organizer for us ! I want to return there now but my wife has other ideas. Soon, we'll be back - you can count on it! Your friends, Tom and Victoria Flynn Texas May 24, 2011 Hello Sandra, Everything went well at the Banfield game. Thanks very much for your help. We had a fantastic time in Buenos Aires, I hope to be back someday soon. Of all the guides we had at the football the tangol people were the best. The guide explained everything and was a nice guy. The boca guide via the boca experience was not very good but the game was great, a really brilliant experience. Thanks again Sean London, UK May 19, 2011 Sandra, I just wanted to let you know that the (art) studio tour was superb and the artists were all talented and interesting, especially Andres Waissman. The late pick up was no big deal and everything worked out very well. the empanada were also superb. Thanks again, Bob April 6, 2011 The city tour was great and the wine tasting was a lot of fun. Both companies were excellent recommendations. The estancia (La Candelaria) was lovely! The tour guide was very nice. The estancia was gorgeous!! And I had a nice time learning about the gauchos. I liked all of the activities and the food was nice. I just wanted to say thank you again for all of your help. You were great to work with and I told many people about you. :) Take care! Maureen April 5, 2011 Sandra Thank you so much for your note. We really enjoyed the (soccer) match, it was a great experience and a very competitive sporting event as well. We love Buenos Aires. I appreciate all of your assistance, it was a very memorable evening for me and my wife. Nate March 2011 Sandra, The hotel in Puerto Madryn was lovely. Like a little inn with a very British feel. The excursion to Punta Tombo was fabulous. We walked among thousands of penguins and it was really interesting. We took lots of pictures. Our guide, Andres, walked with us and provided a lot of information about the area and the wildlife. Afterwards, we stopped for Welsh tea in Gaiman, which was delicious. Anyway, we had fun and it was a good day. Now we want to go back to see the whales! Our guides and drivers were all right on time and very nice. We had three wonderful days at El Calafate. Only one small problem with one tour company not telling the second one that we were in a different hotel than originally planned. Anyway, it was not a problem, the guide finally found us as we enjoyed a great day at Torres del Paine. About Ushuaia: all I can say is the area is stunning! The town, itself, is geared for tourists so goods and services are easy to find. We were met at the airport right on time by a nice man, Fernando, who practiced his English by telling us what to expect the next day. He was trying very hard and was charming! We then practiced our Spanish with him. On Monday, our guide, Horacio, and driver, Marcello, picked us up exactly on time and gave us a great tour in the morning. What a beautiful spot in the world. I had no idea what to expect but the primeval forest truly surprised me. The afternoon cruise was fun although we sailed in a regular yacht-type boat, not a catamaran. Also, it lasted 4 hours rather than 2 1/2. We were able to see lots of wild life from the boat and the weather was gorgeous. Marcello was waiting when we docked. We stayed at the Fueguino, as you know. It is beautiful, comfortable and the service excellent. The restaurant in the hotel served some of the best food that I've eaten in Argentina. The only "complaint" would be that it doesn't serve Malbec by the glass, but I'm joking about that. The Cabernet was very nice. Marcello picked us up for the airport exactly on time but then we has to waited there for 5 hours as you already know. With the exception of Aerolineas Argentinas, the trip was perfect. I probably would not choose to fly with them again if I had a choice. The actual flights were fine but the delays were hard to deal with. Luckily we are all seasoned travelers. Even more seasoned now! My personal favorite experience was glacier trekking. I was afraid to do it, but accomplishing it was a fabulous reward. Hurrah for senior citizens!!! La Portena is such a wonderful place! There were families and kids and young gauchos and dogs and cats and lots of things going on and, of course, lots of food. Best of all, it isn't a tourist place. It's just authentic life in the campo. I felt like it was almost a mirage with parakeets flying around in the trees - like in a book that I read called "Imagining Argentina". Catalina up-graded us to rooms with private baths. That was nice! We met some very nice Argentine people and two women from the states. I bought a mate gourd at the estancia and a bracelet for my collection at Draghi in Areco. Our driver, Gerardo is so charming. He is entertaining and knowledgeable so we had commentary on BA and Argentina in general during the whole trip. It was wonderful meeting and working with you. Your help was invaluable to us. Stay well and please keep in touch. Warm Regards, Karen Pennsylvania March 11, 2011 Hello Sandra, Just wanted to say goodbye as we will leaving on Sunday evening. It was very nice working with you and we had a wonderful time. Thanks for all your help and we hope to see you in the future.....we definitely plan to return to Argentina. A wonderful country and very special people. Thanks again.... Best to you, Mimi and Rico Mexico February 28, 2011 Sandra, Thanks again for all of our help with transportation to and from the airport! I also wanted to thank you for the tango show recommendations. My dad and I had a wonderful time at Tango Complejo! Sarah February 24, 2011 Sandra! I have nothing but the highest of compliments for Adolfo (? or as he said "a" for short) and the soccer match and Matias and Gladys for their cooking class. Wonderful times!!! Matt and I were so thankful to have gone in a group to the soccer match and to have had A with us...he was super knowledgeable, cautious (without being paranoid), and FUN. :) I think the cooking class was our favorite though. The ability to have shared such an experience with local folks like Gladys and Matias was awesome. AND to learn how to cook AND to have a GREAT meal AND to have resources available to us to answer so many of our questions that we had about the Argentinian culture generally! I really think the market for the type of value created by these two folks is quite large. Gladys knows her stuff in the kitchen and Matias' English and ability to interface with two Americans like us was unparalleled. Also - they are an adorable team. I felt like i was in a friend's kitchen :) On the other side of the spectrum was the Anuva wine class. It seemed too sterile and "high society"...I guess it was perfect for some clients but I felt as if I had payed to be sold to/marketed to...while Sara and Steven were both REALLY sweet kids and VERY knowledgeable...I frankly didn't love any of the wines they chose and again didn't feel that the value proposition made sense for the amount of wine we tasted... of course they included a food pairing but I don't think it was enough to support the cost of the class. I will gladly share my recommendations of your services with my friends. Thanks again for your guidance and suggestions!!! Warm regards, Sally February 19, 2011 The futbol game and the other 2 tours were really nice. We appreciate your assistance in coordinating all of these trips. The busses that transported us were all on time, and the guides were very helpful and friendly. The tango show was excellent, and so was the food. We will recommend your services if anyone we know is coming to Argentina. Thanks again,
Paul and Phyllis January 29, 2011 Hi Sandra, Just wanted to touch base with you and tell you about our vacation! You were so helpful to us, and we appreciate what you do, and will contact you again the next time we come. Our first week in BA was so enjoyable. The poetry building was great, and so were the people that work there. They give renters an information package with lots of good restaurant suggestions, etc...Such a good location for us, we walked and walked and just enjoyed the neighborhood. Shopped and sat in cafes a lot. Recoleta cemetary is so fascinating, and nice and close. So many ammenities very close there, grocery store, laundry place, bakery, etc... Found taxi's an inexpensive and easy way to get around farther. We would write the address on a piece of paper, due to the language barrier, but this worked fine. We ate great food throughout our vacation. Everything was so nice and fresh. I may never be able to recreate the yummy sandwiches we had at the Tea Connection on Junin. Prices were generally cheaper than what we are accustomed to for dining out also. The San Isidro race track was a good place to visit. I think I already mentioned how much we enjoyed the El Tigre tour. The Tangol people were great, especially our guide Alexis (who spoke good english and whom we had to ourselves as no one else had booked). Mar del Plata was great too. The St. Jeanne is our new benchmark for accommodation standard! We walked to the beach each day, but didn't really set up a spot for long periods. Certainly a busy city, as we expected. We live in a huge province with only 1 million for population, so double that in one place is kind of amazing. Sometimes we just stayed a while on a street corner to watch the traffic chaos. Amazing that there are no controlled intersections downtown! I think to drive in Argentina you have to grow up with that traffic system to be used to it! There is no wonder so many flock to Mar del Plata, its a great place to vacation. The ejecutive pass bus was kind of fun as you got to see where some others were coming from and going to. The Duque is a neat place too, but we were there for a very short night. Great people working there too. We did a a quick jaunt around the popular shopping area near by there before we had to leave for the plane. I am glad we chose Recoleta for the majority of our stay though, very suited to us. Argentina (certainly we only saw a small amount of it) is a very interesting place! We should learn more Spanish before visiting again though! Was kind of surprised at how few people we came accross that spoke English, or were brave enough to try maybe. Sometimes North American pop culture has such an influence that young people have some English just from that alone, but Argentina kind of does its own thing maybe. We had very few problems with logistics, except with the banks. We arrived with American cash to use, and probably should have changed it to pesos at the airport. Had 4 banks refuse to trade it, and only one that would do this. Also found that we were forever trying to accumulate smaller bills to avoid the frowns about paying wih 100 peso bills! Anyway, was a great experience start to finish! We would enjoy bringing our kids when they are a bit older! Thanks again for your services, Sincerely, Abby Leeds Canada December 20, 2010 Hi Sandra, Thanks for your greeting. David & I meant to get back to you on our return to Australia to let you know we had a great tango night at Esquina Homero Manzi. The show was excellent, dancers, singers and especially the musicians, who were brilliant. Also, for the type of evening it was, the food and service were excellent. David was very glad I could speak some Spanish, though. We really enjoyed our time in Buenos Aires and our tango night was a highlight. By the way, the Poetry Building is a brilliant place to stay - very quiet and well located. Our apartment (like all of them) was tastefully furnished with old and new. The staff there are friendly and very helpful and the little rooftop pool area was a reall bonus. Hope you have a relaxing and reinvigorating festive season. Thanks again for everything, Susan & David Australia December 11, 2010 Sandra, I wanted to thank you for Casa Glebinias. We loved it so much, just heavenly! Alberto and Maria Gracia were so lovely. Really, our entire trip has been so fantastic -- we want to live here! We also loved the thermal baths water park at Chaceuta, about a half hours drive from Casa Gelbinias, which you know we adored! Thank you very much for all of your help. We love it here and will look forward to our next visit. Please let me know when you get to New York and I will gladly provide information on an insider's view of my city -- and we'd be very happy to meet you in person. Muchisimas gracias por todos! Hasta la proxima. Beth December 12, 2010 Hi Sandra, Although it has been some time Cindy and I wanted to thank your for getting our tickets to the Boca Juniors match on October 3rd. It was a great experience and your work made it easy and fun to attend. Thanks, Nick and Cindy November 2010 O.J. and I think of BA often. In spite of our handicaps, we got around and have very fond memories. Though we didn't do much with you, we felt comforted to know you were there if we needed you. And we did love much of the El Tigre tour We appreciate your help prior to getting there and are sorry that we couldn't use your services more. We would have liked to spend time with you. Maybe you will make it to Santa Fe one day and we will make up for it. Shirley & O.J. Santa Fe, New Mexico November 16, 2010 Hello Sandra, First of all, I'd like to thank you so much for the assistance, advice and recommendations you helped us with in BsAs. I wish i'd asked you more!! I absolutely LOVE Argentina and can't wait to come back. Thanks again for your help, it was really great to 'meet' you; and when I'm back in April, i'd love to meet up properly for a coffee or lunch if you have time! Jane Australia November 13, 2010 Hola Sandra, Everything went well at the polo. Thank yo very much for helping us with this and providing us with such a nice driver. I will certainly recommend your services! Best regards, Kathleen November 12, 2010 Sandra - the tour (to El Tigre) today was fantastic. THe guys say it has been the highlight of the trip so far. Thank you for making the arrangements. The tour guide Gonzalo was excellent. His knowledge, humour, english (and other languages) and ease of connections was remarkable. We all really appreciate your wonderful and attentive service. I'd be delighted to reccomend you to all my friends. Gerald Canada October 23, 2010 Bonjour Sandra. Nous sommes rentrés il y a quelques jours . Le Week End à Buenos Aires a été parfait . Les 2 tours avec Mirta ont été interessants . Nous avons pu voir des quartiers que nous ne connaissions pas , extrèmement agréables , les explications ont été impeccables . Au cours de ce séjour nous avons pu apprécier quantités de choses : Nous avons suivi certains de vos excellents conseils : A midi nous avons déjeuner à la Casa Rosa que nous conseillons vivement pour son charme et sa qualité pour un prix très abordable puis un café chez Tortoni Nous avons beaucoup apprécié le premier soir un diner chez " Clasica y Moderna "avec un groupe de musique épatant. Nous avons beaucoup aimé le 1er tour qui nous a permis de rencontrer la grande manifestation syndicale mais aussi la beauté très diverse des quartiers et notamment el Tigre . Nous sommes allés prendre un café dans l'étonnant Athéneo sur les conseils de Mirta , et le soir nous avons assisté à une représentation exceptionnelle au Colon de l'opéra de Zemlinski ( une Tragédie Florentine) et de Violanta de Korngold . Cet opéra a été magnifiquement restauré et l'orchestre était à un extraordinaire niveau de qualité . Le lendemain nous sommes allés au bien agréable petit muse de la fondation Fortabat ...puis l'après midi nous l'avons passé à la Confiteria Ideal dont nous avons adoré l'ambiance , enfin le soir tout le monde fut enthousiaste devant la qualité du spectacle danse et théatre Conciertotango au Centre Borges avec un couple de danseurs remarquables (Alicia Orlando & Claudio Barneix). Le dimanche le tour à la Feria de Mataderos a été aussi un moment très plaisant et la parilla formidable . Bref un séjour court , assez tranquille car j'avais encore mal à la jambe , mais très réussi +++ Nous reviendrons à l'automne 2012 . Je vous demanderai alors de nous organiser des choses selon la durée de notre séjour Bien cordialement Bernard & Hervé France September 10, 2010 Hi Sandra The trip was great! I just returned to New York today. I feel like I hit some bad weather at the start but still had a wonderful time. I enjoyed the game very much. Thanks again for your help arranging that. it was something that I might not have been able to do otherwise. Your blog is a great resource and I will use it again to make plans and pass it on to others head to Argentina. Sandy New York July 23, 2010 Hi Sandra, We are back home safe. It was a wonderful trip. Thank you so much for making it all possible. We are definitely very glad we went to Argentina and hope to return to explore some more of it someday. Iguazu was great, definitely worth the detour. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The tour guide (Julio) was an extremely nice guy and pleasant to be around. The park itself was spectacular. Everything was well organized and clean. The experience with Iguazu was amazing. We will definitely be telling all our friends that it is a must-see place. The trip to the estancia was good. We loved the place. It is definitely worth visiting for a day. We caught some very cold weather though, on that particular day (last Friday) and the estancia is really old and lacking insulation and their heating was barely making a difference. Anyhow, we enjoyed it a lot. The only part I would have skipped from that trip was the visit to San Antonio de Areco. The little town was quite unimpressive in my opinion. Maybe the gaucho parade in November is worth seeing, but as of right now, there is hardly anything really deserving of attention in that town. Just my opinion. Uruguay was fine. It was rainy for the most part, so that spoiled the tour of Colonia. But we liked Montevideo quite a lot and had a great time. It is different from Buenos Aires in a lot of ways, and certainly worth a visit. Thank you again for doing so much for our trip. We had such a great time. You have a beautiful country down there. I am a little surprised it hasn’t been discovered by even larger tourist crowds from North America. Best regards, Ivo and Leigh Houston, Texas July 2, 2010 Dear Sandra,
Yesterday was a wonderful day. The tour to the delta and Tigre was very, very good. Our guide Alexis Sosa made it especially so. He was so well-spoken in English and so intelligent and had such a breadth of knowledge. We were the only 3 on the tour and he let us guide the tour to our interests. We were so pleased. We could never have found a tour like that without your help and guidance. And, speaking of help and guidance. . . .
The seats at Colon were phenomenal. It was one of the top musical performance experiences of my life. It was standing room only at the theatre and people were lined up to purchase standing room. Thank you so much for your effort to secure such wonderful seats.
You have made this a very special trip for us.
Martin Sanders III June 25, 2010 Sandra is a refreshing, delightful woman who proved to be responsive, accommodating, friendly and so helpful. I really cannot say enough positive. I approached Sandra with some ideas of my own but after explaining my mother’s physical condition, she recommended against my ideas despite potentially missing out on our patronage. She was so selfless and delivered on all promises and exceeded my expectations, going above and beyond in her kindness and knowledge. Sandra, I will never forget your kindness and do hope to catch up with you one day in Buenos Aires. Warm regards, Cheryl June 5, 2010 Sandra, the opera was quite superb. The seats were great. A real thrill for the three of us. THank you again, so much, for making this possible for us. We hope to be back before too long, and it would be a pleasure to see you again. You performed well a great service for us. With best personal wishes.
Henry R. June 3, 201 We're at the airport and we made it in plenty of time, safe and sound. We appreciate all of your help! You're a real treasure and we'll be sure to pass on your blog/info to anyone we hear who is planning to travel to Argentina.
Thanks again! Deborah DuPont May 25, 2010 We had a great time in Argentina. All went very well and we were very happy with our accommodation, flights etc. I would certainly recommend the apartments in both Bariloche and Recoleta (and the services of both the internet agencies we booked through). Iguazu Falls was a real highlight - I understand the water levels are especially high right at the moment and it was truly an amazing experience to get so close. Bariloche was beautiful - clear blue skies, v cold but no wind or rain (...) Our week in Recoleta was spent exploring neighbourhoods on foot (mostly) and enjoying great wine and food. (...) I especially loved the architecture and was constantly surprised at the grandeur and scale of the city's boulevards, public spaces and buildings. We appreciated the centrality of Recoleta, and of course its great character. We have no Spanish but still found it easy to navigate and enjoyed the good nature of the Portenas. I sensed a feeling of renewal and optimism in the city - pride in its heritage but ready for the 21st C. I loved the street art (Melbourne also tries to recognise the value of this in our lanes and alleys - though our stencil artists could learn a thing or two from those of Buenos Aires), and also the galleries (though we didn't get to as many as I usually like to). Thank you for your prompt and practical advice - it certainly gave me confidence that we were on the right track in picking and choosing places to stay, and things to do. I'm very happy to recommend your services. Happy Bicentenary! Regards Andrew Melbourne, Australia March 30, 2010 Sandra, We wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping us with our recent travel in Buenos Aires. I know that my emails were numerous, and my questions were many. You did a wonderful job for us! I also wanted to let you know that our tour guide Alejandro was excellent! He was so informative, helpful, polite, and gracious. He was also very humorous...we haven't laughed so much in a long time! You could tell that he loves his job, and his city. We enjoyed every minute that he was with us! I will recommend your company AND Alejandro to anyone visiting Buenos Aires. Again, thank you so much. Kind regards, Clark Mitchell Dallas, Texas March 25, 2010 Hi Sandra,
Just want to thank you for your kind assistance when I was out in BA - as you may be aware I was very ill in the end - a bug I picked up before I left and am still not well now. Anyway I enjoyed the tour of the town centre and especially seeing the town centre, San Telmo and Boca. Next year I hope to return and look forward to contacting you again, I may ask you for hotel recommendations as I was not impressed by the Howard Johnson Hotel- they maybe no 1 on TripAdvisor but they could not get me a doctor stating my case was not urgent! Anyway I look forward to my return to your wonderful country.
Best wishes, Mark Harrington March 8, 2010 Hi Sandra,
In general our entire experience was wonderful. You can't imagine what a help you were. If you would like to use me as a reference, I would be glad to give you wonderful reviews.
Tilda Kaplan Atlanta, Georgia March 5, 2010 The tour to El Tigre was excellent...really liked our tour guide Alexis, so please feel free to recommend him. It ended up being just Greg and I, so it was very personalized! We saw the tall ships when we were leaving yesterday for our tour which was great.
We are leaving Sunday, so sad, but it’s been a fabulous trip.
Thanks again for all your help...we have friends that are supposed to be coming in the Fall (your Spring!) and I’ve already told them about you, so stay tuned. If I can give you a reference in any other way, please let me know.
All the best,
Pat McNamara Canada March 2, 2010 Dear Sandra, Our brief visit to your beautiful city is now past, and we have returned to the USA. We just wanted to thank you for all of the good advice you offer in this column, and look forward to returning to BA for a longer visit next time. Our stay at the Buenos Aires Marriott Plaza Hotel was out standing. What service they offered us!! Thanks again for all your help and advice. Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Bruce Hershey, Pennsylvania USA January 22, 2010 Sandra, La Candelaria was great – wish I could have stayed longer. The polo lesson was a lot of fun and I am glad that I didn’t do it for a full day. I was sore enough from just doing it for one hour. I loved Argentina and am planning on coming back. Thanks for all of your help! Blake Houghton December 21, 2009 Hi Sandra! We did make it home in one piece - the flight wasn't actually that bad. We had a GREAT time at Don Augusto - everyone there was so nice. Also our hotel in BA was just great. The only things that I would have changed about the whole trip would be a couple of things on the trip to Uruguay. When we first arrived instead of going to Colonia we ended up first visiting some strange farm, with the largest collection of key chains and pencils in the world (?) and then to their shop where they had several types of jam they wanted us to sample and buy. And also the lunch was not great - if there was an option to go have our own lunch somewhere I think that would have been better. We really appreciate all of your help on this though - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to anyone if they needed an Argentina expert! Amanda Jardine December 19, 2009 Sandra - it was very nice meeting you at the polo match. So, Argentina was even better than I expected. If I continue to travel to Argentina I will definitely be in touch for additional travel ideas! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Dale Tucker November 22, 1009 Hi Sandra!
I am so sad to say that I have returned from my wonderful trip to Buenos Aires. I had an amazing time! You were absolutely right-La Candelaria is beautiful. I had a great time there-the food, the horseback riding, the Gaucho show, the castle went beyond my expectations. It was one of the most memorable days I had on my trip. The private driver picked me up right on time and for 2 hours I attempted to speak in my broken spanish with him :) And yes I did see the polo match at Palermo on Sunday. It was incredibly fun and I felt so lucky to watch the worlds best polo player-Cambios play for La Dolphina. I also saw a great tango show at Cafe de Los Angelitos and also took a tango lesson and went to a milonga. I went on a great culinary tour and tried blood sausage, sweet bread, kidney's and intestines. Loved the sweet bread but the rest I think I'll probably never try again :) And I also learned how to make empanadas. You were absolutely right-Adrogue is very far from the city-almost 45minutes to an hour. But the town itself is beautiful-many cafes, restaraunts and shopping. And the people there are not use to tourists so when they come across one they are so welcoming and kind. When I did go into the center of Buenos Aires there was a private bus that ran to and from Adrogue for only 7 pesos. So I got to hang around La Boca, San Telmo, Recolleta, Palermo Soho and Viejo which I all loved But next time and believe me there will be a next time I will take your suggestion and stay closer to the center. The only thing I wish I had seen was the Rose Garden in Palermo. The day I went it was closed and I didn't have another opportunity to go again. Sandra, thank you so much for all your help that went into planning my trip. When I do return I will contact you again and I will recommend you to my friends. I truly appreciated your kindess and patience. If you are ever in California please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks again
-Sheetal October 31, 2009 Hi sandra We found the tickets behind reception as planned. Thanks again for you help, you made the whole process so easy,can not thank you enough Best wishes Stevie October 29, 2009 Thanks for a great tour, Sandra. Our time was so short. You did a wonderful job! Pam picked up her leather skirt and I ordered a leather jacket from the place that you took us. Thank you for your latest tips. My only complaint is that you cost me money -- all of the places you recommend are great and I end up buying stuff. I went to the football jerseys place that you suggested in the e-mail link today and bought my jerseys. I think they will turn out great. I also went to have lunch today at Plaza Mayor -- what a nice restaurant. Thank you again for all your suggestions. You are a genius! John October 25, 2009 Hi Sandra We had a fabulous time in Buenos Aires. Thanks again for your tour. Tray wore his shirt already and I wore my silver necklace to the Tango show that we went to. Our trip wasn't long enough!!! Take care Tiffany October 18, 2009 Hi Sandra.
The soccer game was amazing. If anything, the rain made it more exciting! We had to stay till the end, given the closeness of it. It was a great result. We learned of the Uruguay result on our return leg, so it seems my presence in Argentina brought some luck after all. J
Our stay in the apartment and in BA was amazing. So glad we took that option, as opposed to staying in a hotel. It was like living in BA. Mixing in with the locals, the local grocery store, the local kiosk, everyone around us got to know who we were. Looking back, it was a great decision to stay in Recoleta, so we thank you for that advice. We got to explore most of the other barrios as well, La Boca, San Telmo, Palermo, etc, but Recoleta was our favourite. The location of our apartment was like gold. It was perfect! Never realised we were so close to the café’s and the cemetery, the parks, it was truly amazing. And literally walking distance to so many good restaurants, the city of BA and many other sites. It was fantastic.
We even did a tango lesson and loved every minute of it. We chose on of the tango shows you recommended, Complejo Tango (I think it was called) which was fun. Café Tortoni was another good one but preferred the first one.
Like all good trips though, they come to an end and so, I am back home (at work) and truly missing the Argentinian experience.
My wife and I had a wonderful time and really do appreciate all the time and effort you have provided in advice etc.
It’s a shame that we couldn’t meet, but we’ll send you a photo (from the game) so you can at least see us that way!
Best part of the trip was picking up on our Spanish. Never realised you can learn so much in just 2 weeks.
Thank you again and all the best!
Regards,
George Zervoudakis Australia September 9, 2009 Hi, Sandra Thank you for suggesting the leather factory, we bought some very nice things. The dinner and tango show were fantastic! The music was great and we really enjoyed the dancing. I would recommend that place to anyone, we really had a great time. We stayed and chatted with a few performers afterwards, too, which was fun. Thanks for that! Becky August 29, 2009 We were in Buenos Aires in February 2009 for ten days. We traveled as a family of five (three generations). My wife and I, our daughter and two grandsons. The boys were 15 and 18 years old. Sandra was absolutely wonderful. We had booked our apartment before we found her. We had a wonderful and large four bedroom apartment. I'm sure Sandra could have taken care of that for us as well. Because we were five, she arranged for a pick up at the airport in a van, large enough to accommodate us. The van driver took us directly to our apartment (she had apparently provided him the accurate directions). We were staying in the Recoletta area about five-six blocks from the cemetary. She had planned to meet us a couple of days after we arrived, but after learning of the things we wanted to do, she met us at a very small restaurant just one block from our apartment within a couple of hours after our arrival at the apartment. We bonded with her right away. I wanted to take the boys to a soccer game. There were a few scheduled while we were there. Sandra asked her husband the best game for us. She arranged for the tickets and for transportation to and from the game. This was the Boca Boys against an Equadorian team. Boca won. While the boys and I were at the game (started at 10:30 PM), she called our apartment just to advise my wife and daughter of a good restaurant near our apartment. Very thoughtful and unexpected. Sandra knew this trip was to focus on the boys (one was graduating from high school). She advised they go on a guided bike trip through BsAs. This was a well organized trip and included just a very few bikers with two guides. This half day trip gave them time away from family supervision and turned out to be a good learning experience for them. Their guides were great and gave the boys some history and insights to the city. While the boys were biking around town, Sandra, my wife and daughter went shopping. Sandra knows shopping. She took the women to a special leather handbag boutique (high end leather handbags at much less than high end prices), shoe designer store (my wife bought 2 pair of shores and met the designer), jewelry manufacturer (small shop not open to the general public). My wife bought a ring here. While the boys were biking and the women were shopping, I was meeting with travel agents introduced to us by Sandra for a two day trip to Mar Del Plata. (Sandra had recommended instead we to to Punta Del Este.) This was the one time we did not listen to Sandra and it was a mistake. I thought I was balancing time and money and a one day trip to Sacramento de Colona and two days in Mar Del Plata against the trip to Punta Del Este. I chose wrong and we should have gone to Montevideo and Punta Del Este. It would have been a much better trip and better use of our time and money. And more popular beaches. We spent some time at the week-end craft markets. The market just outside the Recoletta Cemetary on Sat and Sun was very good. Lots of good restaurants close by (as well as a McDonalds - Oh well!). We also went to San Telmo market. As the guidebooks advise, watch out for pickpockets. I'm missing a camera from that experience. And I really didn't like what they had there. But, my wife and daughter did like it and picked up many gifts to bring home. Sandra recommended we go to the market at Palermo. That was a good recommendation and a nice experience. As we were winding down, my wife reminded me we hadn't yet seen a Tango show. This was a Saturday afternoon. We called Sandra (her day off) but she quickly got us booked into a tango dinner show and had arranged a van to take us there and back. Sandra had the van scheduled to take us back to the airport as we were to leave. Sandra is a dream. We all felt very much at home with her and felt we had found a good friend. We wholeheartedly recommend Sandra. My wife and I look forward to returning to Buenos Aires and taking to trip to Montevideo and Punta Del Este when we return just as a couple. We look forward to renewing our friendship with Sandra and making good use of her experience and advice. Joe Lutter Colorado August 21, 2009 Hi Sandra...We just got in this morning and are heading out for errands. Iguazu overall was a wonderful experience for both my daughter and I. Once we arrived (which was just a few minutes early), there was no one waiting at all, as you had mentioned at the bus terminal. With the hotel literally across the street, there was really no need for a transfer. We were quite happy with the location and once we checked in we headed out to the park on our own to explore. Our second day with the excursion was 1/2, as I had our passes stamped from the previous day before leaving. We had a blast on the Gran Aventura and are very happy that we took advantage of this. Mirian, our guide was great...since my name is an easy one in Spanish, she frequently would look for me (calling me once we were getting together) and some others that we had grouped up with us. On our ride back to the hotel, Mirian asked if I did need any help getting to the bus terminal the next day and confirmed my departure, etc. I told her I could manage getting across the street, but thanked her. Only with older people, or ones with more luggage would this type of assistance be needed, otherwise future guests staying at the St. George should just be told that it is across the street. All for now...we've got to go. Thank you for everything. LAURA August 16, 2009 I wanted to follow-up with you and let you know the airport transfer you arranged went as expected. The driver was very nice and we arrived at the hotel safe and sound. We had a great day dodging the rain showers and visting the sights of the San Telmo market, the food and travel expo, and the Museum of Natural History. By the way you have an outstanding blog - and incredible resources. I only wish there were euqally comprhensive blogs available for other cities across the world! Thanks for everything. Mike Combs July 27, 2009 Hi Sandra,
Yesterday was very good thanks! We really enjoyed it, the polo was great and food was very nice. We felt very welcome, lovely people!
Thank you so much for all your help. Clara Gibson July 1, 2009 We had the pleasure of Sandra planning our BA and Iguaza Falls portion of our Argentine visit. We found Sandra very knowledgeable, organized, and personable and highly recommend her. She planned 3 private tours and a shopping spree, dinners, and a show while in BA. Her planning for our 2 days in Iguaza Falls was superb – we were taken care of from arrival to departure. We will use her on future visits! Joe, Mary, and Liz Studlick Houston, Tx. June 18, 2009 Hello Sandra - I loved my trip to Buenos Aires - and looking forward to coming back sooner then later. Exploring Argentina is high on my to do list! The help from you and your agency went a long way to make this so enjoyable. I will be giving your name to several travel vendors I work with. My guide and driver were quite good considering how chopped up my time turned out. We learned late in the first day that we both are Jewish - which changed the direction of the tour slightly :-). The Soccer game was handled very well - and the game was filled with the energy I hoped to experience. Colonia - was wonderful - I have some very close friends in Montevideo who met me there. The driver to the airport was interesting. I asked him if he would make a quick stop on the way - which he did (I tipped him well). He's a nice man - he drives very very slow. I made my flight - barely - I never ask drivers to go faster - knowing everyone has their comfort zone. I would only use him if a client has a lot of time built into the trip. Non of this would have happened without your help and I greatly appreciate your assistance! I would have enjoyed meeting you in person. Warmest regards, David Morse June 10, 2009 Sandra, We've reached the hotel. It is great!! Better than what we expected!! Thanks a lot!! Amit and specially my wife!! And many thanks for your support for my wonderful trip in Argentina. I will recommend on you to my friends Good luck Thanks Amit Klinger Israel May 5, 2009 Hola Sandra - About a month ago in reply to our querry you suggested that we go to Palermo to watch polo. We did and it was fantastic!! A very memorable experience and we thank you very much for telling us about it. Everything worked out just fine at the futbol game and we enjoyed the day very much. The guide was good, answered our questions and gave everyone a sense of security. A most memorable experience for all of us and thank you again for making the arrangements. Please don't hesitate to use me for a reference. Best wishes, Sam Evans April 6, 2009 Sandra
Unfortunately I fly out on Friday so I dont think Im going to be able to find the time to go horse riding on Thursday. Not a problem Ive still enjoyed my stay in BA immensly and will definitely be back, hopefully for an even longer stay next time.
Thanks you for all you help its has been invaluable. Thanks
David Barton April 2, 2009 Buenos Aires is just a jaw dropping city! There is so much to see & do & just not enough time to do it all. I first went there in December & fell in love with the country so much that I couldn't wait to get back out. I spent early March in Buenos Aires. I had come across Sandra, a fantastic guide who is local & who advised me on places to see & things to do. She was absolutely brilliant! She organised a Tango night for me at La Ventana which was great fun. She also arranged for me to see polo! I had wanted to go & see a polo match & she told me about Palermo where Adolfo Cambaiso was playing, the world's no 1 polo player who is Argentinian naturally! I had an amazing day at the club & got amazingly close to all the action. She is also organising a polo school holiday for me in May. I thoroughly recommend her! Kirsteen Cowan France March 26, 2009 Hi Sandra Buenos Aires has been amazing, it’s just too bad we can’t stay longer! We had an excellent time with Cherie and Ruben and only wish we had more time to do some follow up lessons. Thanks very much for the information you provided on your website and making the booking for us, they were a great recommendation!
Cheers,
Richard Lok March 17, 2009 Hi Sandra,
We had a wonderful trip...with the soccer match as one of the highlights. Mirta and Luis were wonderful guides and really nice people. My son especially liked Luis and his sense of humor. What really struck us about the trip was how great the people were to us... all very kind and helpful. It was a trip we will never forget. Thank you for your help. I hope we are able to come back again.
Kindly, Deb Hartigan March 17, 2009 Hi Sandra, I thought it was a great city to visit! A european look with a south american feel to everything. I'm glad I spent a week there since it gave me a good amount of time to do a lot of things. Maybe the only thing I would have done differently would have been to shorten the BA part and go to Iguazu for a couple of days! The Eva musical was a first rate production too. Thanks for your help with the excursions! Best regards, Karl Lupson March 8, 2009 Hello Sandra, Thank you so much for your time and your help on Friday - we got the earrings and the jacket, all of which were lovely. We also were able to make it to Cafe de los Maestros on Saturday, and the concert was great! Chris and I had a wonderful time - thank you for the recommendation. We're back home now (internet access was spotty for the last few days of our vacation) and really enjoyed Buenos Aires. I'll point any friends who plan to visit your way! Thanks again, Jocelyn and Chris March 8, 2009 We had a wonderful time in Buenos Aires. It is such a beautiful and lovely city. We had a wonderful experience with both our tours. Both our tour guides were very knowledgeable and spoke English very well. Thank you so much for arranging everything for us. We are sorry for the confusion regarding departing our boat. We hope to turn to your great city. We will make sure we post very positive information regarding your services on Trip Advisor and other travel sites. If we can do anything else please let us know. Thank you, Jim and Carol Dolian March 3, 2009 Hello Sandra,
I really loved the soccer game and the entire experience of it. Thank you for arranging it. I am really looking forward to the opera on Friday as well. Thank you for all your resource support and I am sure I will be back to explore more of Argentina, likely Mendoza and Patogonia with a stop to take in BA again. I will keep your information on hand and recommend you to others if they need a reliable contact.
Kind regards, Darlene Stewart Canada February 20, 2009 We are happy with the tours you arranged for us in Uruguay and Buenos Aires. The Montevideo tour was most appreciated. The Tour Guide, Mario Ramirez was exceptionally good. Fran and I will be in touch with you I am sure when we plan our long stay visit to Argentina, hopefully within the next year. Thanks for your assistance. Rod Ferguson Canada February 11, 2009 Sandra,
We are departing iguazu in about an hour. you arranged a fantastic trip. We had a marvelous guide, who had excellent english skills, is married to a local indigineous woman, and is Rebecca age. A complete naturalist who got to the head of all the lines, and everything was perfectly handled. The room was great with a great view and dinner at the hotel was great.
See you soon. Richard Roisman California December 10, 2008 Hello Sandra, We really enjoyed our first polo match. The friendly and informative guide picked us up on time and we took a taxi with him to the stadium. We went inside and then he said he had to go back out to find some other guests. He told us to wait in one spot for a few minutes. After about 20 minutes of standing in the sun, we decided to walk around the area inside to see some of the shops and displays. We returned to the meeting point several times but we never found him. So, we found some seats and watched the match then we walked to Palermo for dinner. All in all it was a fun afternoon. We are not mad about the guide. It was quite crowded and I am sure it is difficult to keep track of everyone. We had a good time anyway. We also went to Rojo Tango and had a great evening. The orchestra is fantastic. Our only complaint is that we ordered coffee and they never brought it. We wished we could have stayed longer in BA to do some shopping. Next time, we will have to arrange a shopping trip with you. Thank you for your help. We will definitely keep you in mind in the future and recommend your services to anyone we know going to BA. Thank you Ericka December 4, 2008 Hi Sandra, We really enjoyed the polo - it was fairly quiet and there weren't a lot of people there - I think the cold kept them away! But it was lots of fun to watch the game. Thanks so much for organising. We have lots of friends coming to BA in the next few months and will be sure to pass on your details! Melissa Koch December 3, 2008 Hi Sandra It was a great pleasure to meet you in Buenos Aires! We enjoyed our stay even though the humidity was so high. Yes, it is impossible to predict the weather when planning a trip but all in all it wasn't that bad and certainly better than here in Buffalo in February. If you ever come to our area please call us and we will give you a grand tour of Niagara Falls.
Muchos gracias for all your advice in planning our trip!
Ron & Audrey Buffalo November 10, 2008 Sandra, We hope the next time is soon. We had a great time in BA. The city and people are both beautiful and charming. It would be nice to meet you, we will let our friends know who to contact in BA. We are now enjoying Iguassu Falls. Thanks for everything, Brad November 5, 2008 Dear Sandra, Thank you for your email. The visits to the polo and the football went very well, and very smoothly. I am grateful for all of your help; you certainly made the whole process much easier than I thought it would be. Kind regards, Magnus Mill London October 30, 2008 Hi Sandra, I did return home finally and safely. Everything was amazing. Really! My estancia – El Venado – was perfect and my teacher Federico Cendoya is exceptional. The house was fabulous, the food amazing (we had a cook), the horses….everything. I hope to come back….SOON!!! My trip flew by. I felt I was always rushing and always late to everything as there was so much to do and see. Thanks for your help with making my trip so wonderful. Take care and I hope to see you again sometime! Regards, Dawn Canada October 26, 2008 Sandra: I want to tell you what a completely pleasure and bonus it was to find you and work with you for our trip to Buenos Aires. You have great taste in artisans and artists and have done a wonderful job of learning BA in a way that no first-time tourist (and probably no second or third-time visitors) could possibly hope to on their own. Your introduction to Natalia Margiotta and her artists tour was a truly special experience for the whole group. Your reservation for us for a van to Tigre was perfect. Your other recommendations and reservations were flawless. I am happy to serve as an enthusiastic reference for your business and would be willing to exchange email or talk to prospective clients by telephone (presuming they speak English!). Thank you, thank you! Stewart Alsop San Francisto, California June 10, 2008 Sandra, Thanks for all of your help and information that you were able to provide for my trip to Buenos Aires. I had an amazing time and it is a fantastic place. I am sure that I will be back in the future and will surely keep you in mind for future help. Thanks again. Benji Clause Columbus, Ohio May 15, 2008 Dear Sandra, Just a quick note to thank you again for organizing everything. The trip was great: flights perfectly timed, the hotel *more* than adequate, the tours expertly offered. The only difference from what you said to what we experienced was that the hotel did not include dinner. (We paid $99 separately for it.) But maybe that changed and I didn't notice. Other than that, it was perfect. Again, many thanks for everything. I can't believe we're leaving Buenos Aires in the morning.... A luego, Heather Edmonton, Canada April 22, 2008 Hi Sandra
Thank you very much for organising the return airport transfer.
On another note i would like to say thank you for everything you have done for us during our stay here which we both have very much enjoyed, what a great place i will go backa nd let my friends know what a great place Argentina is and also the lovely ´people.
Sandra is there anything i can get you to as a thank you from us, please let me know as i would love to give you something for everything you have done for us.
Thanks once again and take great care.
Kind regards Brenda & Linton Stevens Falkland Islands April 2, 2008 Dear Sandra, Thank you for all the help you have given us. You have certainly enriched our time in Argentina with your suggestions. We will recommend you to our friends back home and look forward to corresponding with you online and seeing you next year. Kindest regards, Barbara and Moe Brunette Ontario, Canada March 8, 2008 Sandra: Just got back from our amazing time at Iguazu. It couldn't have been better. We had a guide just for the 4 of us and she was terrific. She has been guiding for 30 years (Irna Hech) not certain of last name and she was very knowledgable and did some extras that made things even better. She said our hotel Cataratas was much better than the Esturian which has new owners and is not as good as it once was. The hotel has wonderful facilities, especially the pool area, a nice staff and the whole facility is kept impecibally clean, which isn't unusual for Argentina. We only left hotel for the falls trip which was 8 hrs on friday and we did the boat trip which went up to and under the falls. We were all very happy and on our return to the hotel were able to listen to a wonderful harpist playing in the lobby. A perfect end to a perfect day. Thanks to our two great planners/organizers. Ted Mc Lean Canada December 31, 2007 HI Sandra, Thank you for your email. we did have an amazing time at the estancia - I have attached a great photo of the two of us attempting to play polo for your amusement! Thanks for all your help with this, it really paid off and Matthew loved his birthday. Happy new year!! Hazel December 2, 2007 Sandra, thank you for all the help you have provided us. You have been wonderful. It's made this trip so much better. Emily was really pleased with her spa experience. She said the people and facilities were great. Dr. Sylvia was very nice, as was the masseuse. She had a great time. Thank you so much for helping make our trip so wonderful. Steve Drach San Francisco |