7-Day Best of Mendoza and Buenos Aires Tour: Culture, Wine and Food

The trip was fantastic - met or exceeded all expectations. My first trip to Argentina and first time on Viator. I expect it won't be the last time for either. I was traveling solo, am comfortable exploring on my own, and speak a little Spanish. With that, my goal was a vacation with interesting local activities that touched the uniqueness of Argentina, while, at the same time, didn't over-schedule me, leaving no time to explore on my own. This trip hit that elusive sweet spot - the activities were a lot of fun and there was plenty of time for exploring. As a base to start from, and return to after some late nights, Rooney's Boutique Hotel was ideal. The hotel is in a good central location and fulfills all the basic requirements - clean, quiet, safe. But the hotel is much more than those basics. It is a meticulously restored and furnished hotel with fascinating vintage photos of Buenos Aires and Argentina from the early 20th century. The staff is universally knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful - always ready to assist with answering a question or provide a restaurant recommendation. There was not a moment wasted in Buenos Aires, but my two highlights were a personal tango lesson in the hotel's lounge and an evening out at The Argentine Experience, in the fashionable and hip Palermo district. For the tango lesson, I don't rate myself much of a dancer, but I was interested in sampling this unique aspect of Argentina's culture. My instructor - Maria - was fantastic, and after only an hour lesson, I had the basic steps and some wonderful memories. The Argentine Experience is an amazing group-oriented evening of socializing,cooking, eating and drinking, all under the guidance of a team of charming and knowledgeable hosts and hostesses. The Mendoza portion of the trip is equally amazing -- breathtaking scenery and plenty of excellent Malbec, sampled at several local bodegas, or wineries. Bottom line, this trip is great ... book it!