Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
A room at a homestay
Center
Boutique hotel Casas Brancas
Right
A rental apartment
Accommodation Tips
!
Choosing a
room more than a few
weeks in advance. It is
always best to approach
the hotel directly
because discounts from
their own sites are often
better than those found
on the international hotel
websites.
%
Accommodation
www.hostelbookers.com
provide details of new
and established hostels.
*
Homestays
Location
Security is an important
consideration in Rio. The
safer neighborhoods are
Ipanema and Leblon,
which are great for the
beach, but are expensive
and far from the city
center. However, less
secure neighborhoods,
like Santa Teresa and the
Guanabara Beach area,
are culturally far richer.
Getting to know a
Carioca is one of the
best ways of getting to
know the city. Socializing
with one's host is up to
guests - there is no
pressure to do so and
privacy is respected.
Cama e Café offers
homestays in Santa
Teresa. Companies such
as Angatu and The
Brazilian Beach House
Company offer private
houses for rent.
d
www.
camaecafe.com.br; www.
angatu.com; www.
brazilianbeachhouse.com
(
Apartment Rental
for Children
Extra beds, cots, and
babysitting services are
almost always available in
Brazilian hotels. Most
hotel restaurants will
have special high-chairs
for smaller children and a
children's menu, which is
usually cheaper than the
adult menu.
@
Language Issues
Staff in the more
expensive hotels and
hostels often speak good
English, but this is not
the case in many of the
cheaper establishments.
It is a good idea to try
to learn a few basic
Brazilian-Portuguese
phrases before your trip
(see pp126-7)
.
£
Reservations
^
Boutique Hotels
Stylish boutique
hotels are fairly new
to Brazil, which has
generally preferred large,
corporate towers. How-
ever, since the turn of
the millennium, Rio has
acquired quite a few of
these charming establish-
ments. They are mostly
European-run and
restricted to areas like
Gávea, Santa Teresa, and
the outer beaches
beyond Ipanema.
&
Hostels
Furnished apartments
can be rented for stays
of even a few days. The
best have kitchens,
washing machines, and
satellite televisions, as
well as concierge ser-
vices and room cleaning
every day. Prices range
from US$400 to
US$2,000 per month.
d
www.flatsinrio.com
)
Concierges
The Brazilian high
season is during
Christmas and New Year
as well as the two weeks
around Carnaval when it
is essential to book
rooms well in advance.
Reservations are also
necessary for beach
hotels on holiday
weekends and must be
made for the top luxury
hotels at all times.
Apartments, private
homes, and most hotels
have concierges. These
can range from surly
doorkeepers, or
porteiros,
to multi-
linguists who can recom-
mend which dishes to
eat in which restaurants.
Being on friendly terms
with the
porteiro
is
important to Cariocas.
There are scores of
hostels in Rio de Janeiro.
Most are in the beach
neighborhoods - notably
Botafogo, Flamengo,
Copacabana, and
Ipanema. There is also a
growing number in Santa
Teresa. Websites like
www.hostels.com and
$
Discount Rates
Promotional discount
rates are often available
through hotel websites.
These discounts can be
up to 50 percent of the
standard rate, especially
if visitors reserve their
111
Ronnie Biggs's
(see p82)
flat is available for homestay with
Cama e Café (
see p115).
