Rio de Janeiro - Gringo Management Apartments

[Jan 156]

My two cents worth -

In seven years, I have never booked an apartment in advance, unless it's my regular landlady (say for carnaval). I just turn up. I stay somewhere for one night if necessary and allow a half day to look for a longer term place. Same for just a few days if I'm moving around. Do some research, don't bring more than you can carry on your back.

I go to places like VM cos I prefer them, find more genuineness, can party for hours and don't feel like a consumer. But it's personal choice.

Buses & taxis - same as Sperto. Taxis are fine for nights out, with friends, or occasionally certain other situations. I feel safer and mote relaxed generally on buses. See no point in using taxis for day-to-day stuff.

I think it's about freedom of choice.

[Exec Talent]

Presented without commentary:

Agency insists on a 10 night Carnival booking. Renter only is staying for 8 nights. Agency books another client for nights 9 & 10 of original renter's stay. Orignal renter has a late flight on what is now day 9. Agency tells original renter he must leave because another client needs to occupy the apartment.

[Exec Talent]

Presented without commentary:

Agency charges renter (without prior notice) a fee for using a credit card. Agency generously agrees to split fee with renter. Agency deducts the full fee from the amount paid to owner telling the owner that it needs to pass along the cost of accepting credit cards.

[Sunset Strip]

I am not gonna post what I heard about GRINGO MANGEMENT until I try it myself in Dec. So there is no reason for me to spread a rumor without trying it out for myself. I was just saying be careful before booking with David or really anyone else in Rio.

I have rented from Kenn and John Thompson several times with no problems, but David does provide what looks like nice apts in decent fun areas, thats why I am trying him this time.

Chris H

OK. It just seemed that your post implied something else. It is good that you are trying this company and not letting others influence your decisions.
Which apartment did you get? If you want you can pm me the info. I have probably stayed in it.

[Hughdad]

It's not a matter of being able to afford or not. It depends on the time you spend in Brazil. I never spend less than 3 months/trip. I've got plenty of time to "waste".

Buses/metro. When I'm going out to party I'll normally take a taxi. It's quick, you're dressed up and you share it with your buddies. Daytime I see no need at all to take taxis. Buses and metro works just fine. In rush hour a taxi won't be much quicker than a bus. "Sweaty bus"? No problem, choose an AC bus or sit down on the shady side. I don't get bored travelling on buses in Rio. Just enjoy the scene and flirt with the girls inside/outside the bus.

IMO I would hate to count how many hours I've lost when I'm in Brazil. When I'm home I work hard. When I go to Brazil it's mostly for holiday. No need for stress. I've no problem "wasting" a whole day going fishing, playing football on the beach or having churrasco with my friends.

I was speaking specifically about the guys that go down for a number of days or a week. Obviously, if you can afford to go away for 3 months at a time without worrying about business at all than you have all the time in the world.

[Sperto]

Cheap and whiny... that seems to sum up some of the guys here. I understand there are guys here on fixed incomes so I can understand them stretching out their R$. But what I have a hard time understanding is the working professionals here that do not understand that time is money. They talk about taking a bus to save R$ but have no problem spending an extra hour or more on a sweaty bus getting somewhere. Or they will travel an extra 90 minutes back and forth somewhere for cheaper pussy. Time is a very precious commodity that you can never get back. The most precious commodity. $ you can make, lose and make again. Back once an hour is gone it is gone for good. Every hour I can save translates into either more pussy, more fun - or making more money (on my own project or a paid consulting gig.) I can understand not wanting to get ripped off -- but I would not go way out of my way to save a few R$. Time is money.

It's not a matter of being able to afford or not. It depends on the time you spend in Brazil. I never spend less than 3 months/trip. I've got plenty of time to "waste".

Buses/metro. When I'm going out to party I'll normally take a taxi. It's quick, you're dressed up and you share it with your buddies. Daytime I see no need at all to take taxis. Buses and metro works just fine. In rush hour a taxi won't be much quicker than a bus. "Sweaty bus"? No problem, choose an AC bus or sit down on the shady side. I don't get bored travelling on buses in Rio. Just enjoy the scene and flirt with the girls inside/outside the bus.

IMO I would hate to count how many hours I've lost when I'm in Brazil. When I'm home I work hard. When I go to Brazil it's mostly for holiday. No need for stress. I've no problem "wasting" a whole day going fishing, playing football on the beach or having churrasco with my friends.

[JohnnyBraz]

Yes, time is money, that is why it is good to establish reliable apartment owner contacts fast. Say you spend for example 100 days in Rio per year. An agency wants to charge you 200us per night. You get it through the owner for 100us or 3000us per month. You have just saved 10000us with little work. But if you are one off those people who go on 1 or 2 short vacations per year, why waste the time. Stick with rental agencies.

[JohnnyBraz]

Can you be a little more specific here? When you say, "you pay almost double with gringo," double relative to WHAT?

TJ

To what you would pay renting direct with the owner. If you spend enough time (3 or more months per year) in Rio, you will get to know owners and get alot better rates.

[Golfinho]

Cheap and whiny... that seems to sum up some of the guys here. I understand there are guys here on fixed incomes so I can understand them stretching out their R$. But what I have a hard time understanding is the working professionals here that do not understand that time is money. They talk about taking a bus to save R$ but have no problem spending an extra hour or more on a sweaty bus getting somewhere. Or they will travel an extra 90 minutes back and forth somewhere for cheaper pussy. Time is a very precious commodity that you can never get back. The most precious commodity. $ you can make, lose and make again. Back once an hour is gone it is gone for good. Every hour I can save translates into either more pussy, more fun - or making more money (on my own project or a paid consulting gig.) I can understand not wanting to get ripped off -- but I would not go way out of my way to save a few R$. Time is money.

Time waits for no one.

[Hughdad]

Mongers,

I know several people in the apartment rental business here in Buenos Aires (including Jackson, who is a close friend of mine) and they constantly tell me about the hassle and bullshit they put up with from the customers they get from Jackson's websites. For whatever reason, these sites attract some of the cheapest, most whiny specimens possible. I honestly feel bad for those in the apartment rental business and I am glad that I sell alcohol for a living rather than deal with this shit.

Suerte,

Rock Harders

Cheap and whiny... that seems to sum up some of the guys here. I understand there are guys here on fixed incomes so I can understand them stretching out their R$. But what I have a hard time understanding is the working professionals here that do not understand that time is money. They talk about taking a bus to save R$ but have no problem spending an extra hour or more on a sweaty bus getting somewhere. Or they will travel an extra 90 minutes back and forth somewhere for cheaper pussy. Time is a very precious commodity that you can never get back. The most precious commodity. $ you can make, lose and make again. Back once an hour is gone it is gone for good. Every hour I can save translates into either more pussy, more fun - or making more money (on my own project or a paid consulting gig.) I can understand not wanting to get ripped off -- but I would not go way out of my way to save a few R$. Time is money.

[Chris H]

I am not gonna post what I heard about GRINGO MANGEMENT until I try it myself in Dec. So there is no reason for me to spread a rumor without trying it out for myself. I was just saying be careful before booking with David or really anyone else in Rio.

I have rented from Kenn and John Thompson several times with no problems, but David does provide what looks like nice apts in decent fun areas, thats why I am trying him this time.

Chris H

[Sunset Strip]

Why don't you post on this board any longer?

take a look at this thread and you will see why. Too much anger for me!

I want to enjoy Rio, not complain and hate other people.

And I know some people have legitimate complaints about things, but if you look at this thread, for example, most complainers make generalizations. Meanwhile, those who seem to have experienced few/no problems are much more substantive!

I am not going to let others ruin my fun and this site is full of those who are out to do just that; they seem unhappy and want to make others feel the same way.

TJ

[Sunset Strip]

I have never rented from gringo man and never will, he's prices are a rip off. You pay almost double renting through him. The same applies with alot off rental agencies.

Can you be a little more specific here? When you say, "you pay almost double with gringo," double relative to WHAT?


TJ

[Sunset Strip]

I have never rented from gringo man and never will, he's prices are a rip off. You pay almost double renting through him. The same applies with alot off rental agencies.

OK. I think you might have a point but not really about gringomanagement. Gringo actually lists prices on its website and those prices are in no way double what you pay at any other tourist-oriented rental agency. In fact, gringo's listed prices are the LEAST you will pay with them; quite often David provides a discount anyway. Most other agencies provide no price information until you email them expressing interests. You then have no way to validate whether the price is fair. And for some reason people call gringo a ripoff, when they are one of the few companies that provide pricing information on the website. And, as I said, on their site, they give you the high end price ,so that when you email them they know you are for real and just in case the owner demands that price. But usually david negotiates a lower rate (often 10-20 dollars a night!).

If you are comparing David's prices to rates of Brazilians staying in the same building pay then maybe gringo is more. But then hotels are what, TEN times what Brazilians pay? It is not fair to compare tourist prices with those paid by cariocas.

And lots of guys on this site always CLAIM to be paying so much less than everybody else and for the most part I truly believe it is BS! Most tourist rates are about the same and Gringo actually seems to charge less; there is no way that is not true.

Take a look at a mainstream agency (one used by few ISG-types) such as http://copacabanaholiday.com.br/. These people have all kinds of rules, they check the utility meter, you have to check out by noon, they bring in a maid at check out and she wants a tip, they ask for a deposit on top of your rental rate that they hold until you leave (and, of course, they deduct your "utility" usage).

Oh, yeah, and their apartments are always more expensive by at least $10 a night.


TJ

[JohnnyBraz]

Mongers,

I have rented from GringoManagement on about ten different occasions (most recently in September 2009 and October 2009) and I have yet to encounter any problems. One time there was a problem with the apartment (malfunctioning hot water heater) and David had the problem repaired within a few hours. The two guys who check customers in/out of apartments both spoke English (even though I speak Portuguese) and in fact one was a Dutch guy who spoke like a native. I almost always go to Rio on only a few days notice and GringoManagement always gets me a nice place on such short notice with no issues. Also, there has never been an issue with checking out late in the day (5pm or so) for the evening flight that I generally take when leaving Rio.

I know several people in the apartment rental business here in Buenos Aires (including Jackson, who is a close friend of mine) and they constantly tell me about the hassle and bullshit they put up with from the customers they get from Jackson's websites. For whatever reason, these sites attract some of the cheapest, most whiny specimens possible. I honestly feel bad for those in the apartment rental business and I am glad that I sell alcohol for a living rather than deal with this shit.

Suerte,

Rock Harders

I have never rented from gringo man and never will, he's prices are a rip off. You pay almost double renting through him. The same applies with alot off rental agencies.