Rio de Janeiro Hotels & Accommodations

Sleeping

The best places to stay in Rio are Santa Teresa, or Ipanema and the Arpoador: the former for nightlife, culture and easy access to Lapa, the Sambódromo and carnival; the latter for the beach. Ipanema is probably the safest area of any in the city. Those looking for hotels with charm and personality will find Rio unremarkable. With a few notable exceptions those in the higher and mid-range bracket are a mix of anonymous business chain towers and fading leftovers from the 1970s, complete with period decor. Those at the lower end are almost invariably dubious hot-pillow establishments in equally dubious areas. Backpackers, however, are well catered for. Searches on sites such as http://www.hostels.com or http://www.hostelworld.com will yield almost 50 options and numbers are increasing every month. There are far too many for us to list them all here, so we have only included our favourites.

All accommodation is considerably pricier over New Year and Carnaval. Reserve well in advance, especially budget accommodation.

This is a popular form of accommodation in Rio, available at all price levels. In Flamengo furnished apartments for short-term let, accommodating up to 6, cost US$300 per month. In Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon prices start at about US$25 a day (US$500-600 a month) for a simple studio, up to US$2000 a month for a luxurious residence sleeping 4-6. Heading south past Barra da Tijuca, virtually all the accommodation available is self-catering. Renting a small flat, or sharing a larger one, can be much better value than a hotel room.

Blocks consisting entirely of short-let apartments can attract thieves, so check the (usually excellent) security arrangements; residential buildings are called ‘prédio familial’. Higher floors (’alto andar’) are quieter.

‘Apart-Hotels’ are listed in the Guia 4 Rodas and Riotur’s booklet. Agents and private owners advertise under ‘Apartamentos – Temporada’ in publications like Balcão (twice weekly), O Globo or Jornal do Brasil (daily); advertisements are classified by district and size of apartment: ‘vagas e quartos’ means shared accommodation; ‘conjugado’ (or ‘conj’) is a studio with limited cooking facilities; ‘3 quartos’ is a 3-bedroom flat. There should always be a written agreement when renting.

A range of luxurious private homes throughout Rio and Rio state is offered by http://www.angatu.com and www.brazilian beachhouse.com....read more