Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
33
U.S., or 11/4300-8201 in B uenos Air es);
Dollar, Marcelo T. de Alv ear 523 ( & 800/
800-6000 in the U.S., or 11/4315-8800 in
Buenos Aires); and Thrifty, Av. Leandro N.
Alem 699 ( & 800/847-4389 in the U.S., or
11/4315-0777 in B uenos Aires). Car r ental
is expensive in Argentina, with standard rates
beginning at about $50 to $60 (£34-£41)
per day for a subcompact with unlimited
mileage (ask for any special pr omotions,
especially on w eekly rates). Check to see
if y our existing automobile insurance
policy (or a cr edit card) covers insurance for
car rentals.
5 MONEY & COSTS
CASH & CURRENCY
The official Argentine curr ency is the
peso, made up of 100 centavos. Money is
denominated in notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50,
and 100 pesos; and coins of 1, 2, and 5
pesos, and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 centav os.
At the time this topic w ent to pr ess, the
exchange rate was 3.45 pesos to the dol-
lar.
Argentina is not the bargain destination
it was post-crisis 2001. Twenty per cent
inflation in 2008 means prices hav e risen
significantly, but it is still r elatively cheap
regarding dining out and shopping. High-
end hotels hav e r eturned to their pr e-
devaluation prices, but y ou can still get
some gr eat rates, especially at the mid-
range and budget options. A surge in hotel
construction and a str engthening dollar
should mean prices stabilize and even drop
slightly.
EXCHANGING MONEY
It's a good idea to ex change at least some
money—just enough to cover airport inci-
dentals and transportation to your hotel—
before y ou leav e home (though don
U.S. dollars ar e not widely accepted in
Buenos Air es. However, y ou can still use
them to pay in some business-class hotels,
tourist-popular restaurants, and businesses
catering to large numbers of tourists. Such
places will often post their o wn daily
exchange rate at the counter , which is
always significantly lo wer. F or the v ast
majority of y our purchases, however, you
will need pesos. You can convert your cur-
rency in hotels, casas de cambio (money-
exchange houses), some banks, and at the
Buenos Aires airport. Exchange American
Express traveler's checks for pesos in B ue-
nos Air es at American Express, Ar enales
707 ( & 11/4130-3135 ). It is sometimes
difficult to exchange traveler's checks out-
side the center of B uenos Air es, so plan
ahead to have a sufficient amount of cash
in pesos on day trips.
3
ATMS
ATMs are maddening in Argentina, as they
allow only ridiculously lo w withdrawals of
$100—though y ou can withdraw sev eral
times in 1 day and rack up substantial bank
charges. I t is best to plan ahead, if y ou
know y ou need large amounts of cash; or
you might test v arious cash machines, as
some will allo w $200 and $300 limits.
't
expect the ex change rate to be ideal), so
you can avoid lines at airport ATMs (auto-
mated teller machines). You can exchange
money at y our local American E xpress or
Thomas Cook office or y our bank. I f
you're far away from a bank with currency-
exchange services, American Express offers
traveler's checks and for eign curr ency,
though with a $15 or der fee and addi-
tional shipping costs, at www .american
express.com or & 800/807-6233.
Machines ar e ubiquitous in B uenos Air es
and other urban and touristic ar eas, but
don't depend on finding them off the
beaten path. I t is a good idea to let y our
bank know ahead of time that y ou will be
using your ATM card overseas so that they
do not block transactions in an effor
t to
prevent fraudulent transactions.
 
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