This is one of my favorite experiences at a bed and breakfast, anywhere! Zoe and David are the wonderful hosts of this great little new bed and breakfast, tucked into the funky Palermo Soho neighborhood of Buenos Aires. With only three rooms, we felt more like family guests than travelers, and the rooftop terrace was a lovely place to relax with a cup of tea or a glass of wine from the new "wine bar" with our hosts and other guests at the end of the day.

We were welcomed into our room with a tray of fruit, bottles of fresh-squeezed orange juice and water, a list of locally recommended restaurants and our own pocket-sized city map to use during our 5-night stay. Our room also included a brand-new ensuite bathroom.

Abode offers a very nice breakfast of fresh fruit, coffee, tea, cereal, breads and homemade jams, as well as decadent pastries from the bakery down the street (beware of addictive dulce de leche goodies)!

There are literally dozens of great little restaurants and boutiques within a few blocks, and Zoe and David offer insider tips on some of the best places to go for both food and shopping. They also directed us to a neighborhood "milonga" - dance hall - where we could experience tango the way the locals do it.

They have just begun to offer excursions with their 1983 VW bus named Monty, and we took advantage of a really fun trip to a unique Sunday market in the outer barrio of Mataderos. There, they led us to see the gauchos, who travel into the city from nearby ranches, compete in a game of skill on horseback down closed off streets. Absolutely fantastic! We visited an authentic gaucho bar for beer and empanadas and enjoyed walking through the market eating "artisanal" ice cream and seeing dancers and musicians take over the square. Zoe and David were excellent guides and great fun to be with!

The only minor downside is that since Abode is located on a street corner, there is a certain amount of weekday early morning traffic noise, which disappears completely on the weekends.