Actually you did make it clear that it was a matter of taste and traveling style. I suppose as a younger, backpackey, lonely planet-style traveler myself, and most of my traveling friends being the same way, I read into the post and interpreted the “riffraff” and “fancy table settings” comments as a sort of “well, it’s all well and good if you like the [insert word of choice here: resort/pampered/socialite/fine living] experience of Palermo, but I’ll take the nitty gritty and authenticity of a San Telmo any day.”

I actually love both kinds of neighbourhood too, which is why I’m sometimes defensive of the more chic and cosmopolitan ones–I get paranoid that those who only like the “real, genuine” ones assume the worst of me for liking trendy and modern settings too. When I was in Lima I loved the Historic center and the neighbourhood of Barranco, but I also enjoyed the more upscale and shopping-oriented Miraflores, and found myself defending it from another American traveler who saw it as too chic and superficial. I love contrast in a city, and the convenience of being able to match your mood to a particular area of the city.

You’ll certainly notice more tourists in San Telmo than Palermo, but I always feel like I hear more English in Palermo than in San Telmo. It’s more likely expats than tourists, but I just don’t think Palermo Soho is very traditional. Probably it’s more like you say… well-dressed Argentines mixed with a lot of expats. And Palermo is huge, so if you head out of the more touristy parts like Soho and Hollywood, you can definitely find traditional bodegas and parillas. That’s why I focused on Palermo Soho. I think it’s almost as touristy as San Telmo, but with a different vibe.

Personally, I like both and I would never tell someone which place they should stay because they’re so different. You really have to know what it is you’re looking for in order to decide. That’s what I was trying to do in the post (make it clear what the differences are without bias because who wants to stay in the wrong part of town while on vacation?

But then again if you’re visiting Baires as a tourist, the touristy thing is probably what you want anyway… San Telmo is a beautiful, nostalgic, and fun neighborhood. If I were sending a relative or friend to Buenos Aires, I’d tell them to stay there, too.