Thoughts On Hurlingham?

[pass_the_mate]

Hi, all. My name's Kerr, and I plan on living in B.A. from August until December, with my wife and 6-year-old girl. We've been in touch with a few schools, and one possibility is St. Hilda's, in Hurlingham. Does anyone have any thoughts on that school, or on the neighborhood? Does Hurlingham appeal, as a possible place to live? Or, if not, is it easily reachable on the metro rail (I see there's a stop, but have no idea how far it is from, say, Palermo)? Thanks!

 

[HenryNisental]

HA HA HA, Hurlingham is not even inside Buenos Aires , it is about 20 klicks outside it.
The best way to travel there is the train on RETIRO station, car or buses.
Do not even compare with Palermo.

 

[syngirl]

Actually to Hurlingham I believe you have to take the train from Chacarita (maybe that line ends up in Retiro as well, but I thought it ended there).

Hurlingham has some nice areas, then it has some HORRIBLE horrible villa like areas. My husband's family lives in an in-between area -- they have a nice house but they are majorly worried about security outside of their home at night.

Frankly for a newcomer, I wouldn't recommend it. Especially if you are only here for a few months. You definitely would want a car to get out there. I wouldn't send my child there if it's only for a few months, just focus on finding somewhere in Belgrano if you're only talking about a few months. And if it's really only August-December consider whether it's truly worthy sending your child -- does she already speak Spanish? It might be tough on her showing up halfway through the year and only being there for a few months to try to integrate at all.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Assume you're talking about the Hurlingham gated community. You would absolutely need a car as you would be relying on an aged Urquiza line from Chacarita (stops at "Juan B. de La Salle" nr the Hurling Club, local sports club with irish origins) or the Mitre line from Retiro to the actual Hurlingham stops about 1km from the other, more in the centre of the neighbourhood. Not much to see there.

There are actually 2 lines going through the general vicinity, the Urquiza does indeed stop at Federico Lacroze in Chacarito, the other goes directly to Hurlingham. The urquiza trains are siginificantly older.

Neither get you anywhere particularly close to the closed neighbourhoods. As pointed out, there are some decent areas in Hurlingham, but there are some less appealing ones too. As an outsider, well...you'd be less aware than the local residents of how to look out for yourselves.

To drive into town you'd have to take Camino de Buen Ayre then the bottom end of the Panamericana which can both be congested.

Honestly, I'd plum for something closer to town, since you're only here for 6 months. Go for Palermo, Recoleta, Belgrano etc, more international schools too.

 

[Crema Americana]

I live pretty close to Hurlingham. It's in the Gran Buenos Aires outskirts, so you won't be near the city center. Figure about 40 minutes by car to get downtown. I don't know about metro (don't think so?)... there's trains and buses, but they may be too sketchy for your liking. I have never used the train station by my house and have seen it close enough that I have no desire to. Life without a car will be difficult.

I too recommend you find a better place to live. If you want to be away from the city, towards Pilar or some of the northern neighborhoods (Olivos, San Isidro, etc) could be a good choice. Or live in city proper, Palermo/Belgrano/Recoleta. Stay away from the West and South outskirts.

 

[pass_the_mate]

Thanks much for the quick responses! This is already helpful; guidebooks, of course, have little or nothing to say about Hurlingham (beyond the polo!), and we hadn't heard or read much about the quality of the commuter trains.

We certainly enjoy city living - but, given that St. Hilda's was the first school to respond to us, we thought we would ask around about the neighborhood. Sounds like we would do better to land elsewhere.

 

[EricLovesBA]

Personally for a few months experience I think the cultural experience would be more interesting either in Capital Federal, or far away from it, but not in the surrounding suburbs of greater Buenos Aires.

 

[RichardP]

I have a bud that lives in a gated community there. People pretty much pass their whole lives inside the gates. Leaving is kind of freaky though, especially at night.

It's like another world on the outside and not so nice.

 

[Roxana]

Most schools are closed for administrative purposes on January because of the summer vacations. If your emails were not answered yet, feel free to call the schools on the phone.

Kerr, we dont know about you and your family expectations about your stay here, but Belgrano or Palermo neighbourhood in Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Pilar, or zona norte near the river will make easier and more enjoyable the time spent by your family while you will be working.