Pesos for Hotels in Buenos Aires

I've read all about the blue peso rate of exchange in Argentina, and I'd like to take advantage of paying my hotel bill in pesos. Will this strategy work with the large American chain hotels? Even if they have quoted the hotel rates in US$? Or will this only work with the locally owned hotels?

I'm also planning to go to Iguazu Falls, and I'd like to use pesos for the hotel there.

I'm also wondering if there is some way to pay for the airfare in pesos.

While I don't know what your specific hotel will offer you, last February when checking into the Howard Johnson Boutique Recoleta the desk staff offered three options -- pay with the credit card (which is a no foreign transaction fee card) which we used to secure the reservation, pay with pesos or pay cash with US dollars. The price they offered for the US dollars was actually the best option.

if you can acquire pesos at the "blue" rate for your USD, you can save by paying your hotel bill in pesos. The hotel will calculate the number of pesos required to pay by multiplying a USD quoted price by a number close to the official exchange rate (about 9) whereas you should be able to get over 12 for your USD.

Yes, It works with large American chains provided you pay in Argentina rather than prepaying via the net before you travel. You might verify this with your hotel but it's worked at every hotel I have stayed in, both in BA and in Iguazu (Sheraton).

To put numbers to pmachers post.

Assume your bill is 100 dollars per night. Ask for the bill in pesos, which most hotels do routinely anyway, and the bill is 900 pesos in round numbers computed at the rate set by the government.

On the blue market you can purchase 900 pesos for 75 dollars at 12, again using round numbers. That's a 25% discount over payment in dollars. The exact savings will be slightly more, since the official government rate is slightly less than 9 and the blue rate is over 12.

Some hotels will offer a 10% discount if you pay in dollars in cash...but most large chains don't extend this offer. Even so, there is still a 15 plus per cent savings using Blue pesos.

Thanks for the information. I'll plan to bring at least enough dollars to exchange for the hotels in Argentina. It certainly seems like there is little risk in exchanging dollars at one of the better known blue peso exchanges and using the pesos to pay the bills.

Thanks for this great information, we go next Feb and wondered if using Pesos was cheaper than US$ esp in Iguazu. Can I ask where you got such a great exchange rate? We have a guided walk tour on our first day so will make sure we get pesos then. Many thanks Wendy

I've read all about the blue peso rate of exchange in Argentina, and I'd like to take advantage of paying my hotel bill in pesos. Will this strategy work with the large American chain hotels? Even if they have quoted the hotel rates in US$? Or will this only work with the locally owned hotels?

 

I'm also planning to go to Iguazu Falls, and I'd like to use pesos for the hotel there.

 

I'm also wondering if there is some way to pay for the airfare in pesos.

I prepaid for hotels, airfare to Iguazu, etc in dollars. I hate starting a visit to a country by breaking their laws. Any tips, use dollars. The locals can do as they wish and let it be on their conscience if they go for illegal exchange in order to gain a little bit.

Thanks for this great information, we go next Feb and wondered if using Pesos was cheaper than US$ esp in Iguazu. Can I ask where you got such a great exchange rate? We have a guided walk tour on our first day so will make sure we get pesos then. Many thanks Wendy

I'd check back closer to time for your cruise to determine a. current exchange rate (It fluctuates, and will fluctuate even more in the run up to and aftermath of their presidential election this fall) and b. a good location to exchange currency. Question: Are you talking about where to exchange in Iguazu?

I'd check back closer to time for your cruise to determine a. current exchange rate (It fluctuates, and will fluctuate even more in the run up to and aftermath of their presidential election this fall) and b. a good location to exchange currency. Question: Are you talking about where to exchange in Iguazu?

No we'd do it in BA before we went to Iguazu.

No we'd do it in BA before we went to Iguazu.

Will you be in Recoleta? The place I use to exchange is directly behind the Alvear Palace hotel, across the street from El Sanjuanino restaurant. It is located in a small shopping arcade about mid block and has a huge picture of a cow on the window. Closed on Sundays and Saturdays after mid day.

Yes we stay there after our Antarctica cruise so thanks for the heads up[emoji4]