Buenos Aires.(Best of Latin America: Latin Trade reader's choice)(services )

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL

Alvear Palace. The Alvear Palace's reputation for refinement and elegance isn't new. The sumptuously decorated inn has been the crown jewel of Buenos Aires' hotel scene since it opened in 1932. Guest satisfaction is the hotel's top priority, and its amenities seem endless, from baskets of fresh fruit to Hermes toiletries to cellular phones and high tech audiovisual equipment. Everything at the Palace is steeped in style. Rooms feature top-of-the-line marble fixtures, Louis XV furnishings and high-quality fabrics. Service is even offered with flair--the suites have a private butler, on call 24 hours a day. Guests can have two garments or a suit pressed for free when they arrive. The hotel also has a new business center with meeting rooms. Prices run from US$410 to $3,000 a night for the luxurious Royal Suite. 1891 Avenida Alvear. Phone: [54] (11) 4808-2100 www.alvearpalace.com

BEST BUSINESS RESTAURANT

Cabana Las Lilas. Most people go to this trendy Buenos Aires restaurant with a craving for meat. The menu at Las Lilas is chock-full of beef dishes, not surprisingly since the owners have been in the Argentine cattle business for more than 70 years. (If you're not a carnivore, there are still plenty of choices.) Side dishes and desserts are as good as the entrees, making dinner unforgettable. The international wine list is also notable and offers advice on which vintages best compliment the specialties on the menu. Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo 516, Puerto Madero. Phone: [54] (11) 4313-1336. www.laslilas.com.ar

BEST CAR RENTAL

Avis. This well-known international agency has five easy-to-reach locations in Buenos Aires. One office is at Ezeiza International Airport, another in Aeroparque Jorge Newbery and the other three are in the center of the city. Beside the variety of models in its fleet--one of the most complete in the Argentine capital--this rental agency stands out because all but one of its offices are open seven days a week. Ezeiza International Airport. Phone: [54] (11) 4480-9387. www.avis.com

BEST EXCURSIONS

Bariloche. It's far from Buenos Aires, but this town is magic, especially in winter when the surrounding area is blanketed in white and it turns into one of South America's top ski destinations. (Snow begins in late May or early June.) But there's plenty to do in the off-season: fishing, hiking, boating, hiking and horseback riding, for starters. Bariloche, famous in Argentina for its chocolate and smoked meats, is two hours by air from Buenos Aires. >From the city's Civic Center, inaugurated in i940 to become the first in the country, to the Nahuel Huapi Cathedral, dating from 1946. visitors find no shortage of culture and attractions here, the perfect place to unwind after a business trip to the Argentine capital.

BEST CULTURAL SPOT

Museo Casa Carlos Gardel. The home of the French-born father of the tango, the music and sultry dance that rose from Argentine tenements to conquer the world. After his untimely death in 1935 in a plane crash, the artist known as el Zorzal Criollo--the songbird of Buenos Aires--continues to define the music he made famous. The home where he lived with his mother opened in March 2003 and is packed with memorabilia. Calle Jean Jaures 735, barrio del Abasto.

BEST IN-TOWN ESCAPE

Barrio Recoleta. Rub shoulders with high society and take in the sidewalk cafes and high-end shopping in one of the city's classiest neighborhoods. Patio Bullrich, opened in 1988, has 69 shops, 20 restaurants and covered parking not far from the Alvear Palace Hotel, Four Seasons and Caesar Park hotels. After lunch, take walk through the Recoleta Cemetery, an eerie collection of marble mausoleums and religious statuary. Proof you can't take it with you.

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