2006 Rio de Janeiro Reports

[Pure Power]

I will be going to Rio in late April early May. Are thease good times to be in Rio? Are there still plenty of girls around? I just dont want to go there and not have a nice selection to choose from.

[Exec Talent]

Escorts certainly are OK from time to time, but I pay termas girls and Help girls alike on average $R200 for all night which usually means 2:00 - 3:00 the next afternoon. During that time I not only have had a GFE experience on many levels but also usually sex 2-3 separate times. A steady diet of escorts to me would be one level above jerking off.

[GabrielPontello]

Ibeza, I never go to Help or MP or any of the other street pickup places any longer..

I have been telling you guys for a LONG time now.. Use escort services and pay 150.reais - 200.reais for 2 hours.. Why you people continue to complain about Help and MP is beyond me... Stay away from there a for a while and see how the prices DROP..

I totally agree
Help/similar shitty places are rip offs because, even if the girls didn't set any price list, they use the same criterion to calculate their rate
I guess their ranking is (in order of descending price):
americano/north european
latin/south european
from other countries

as soon as they hear you speaking portoguese, they reduce their request or head up to some easier fish

so then, I personally prefer to get an escort from an agency (some of these, making a 100R/2hrs. policy, have excellent talents and a large variety of girls) and avoid the farm market along the AV. Atlantica
if you don't speak any portoguese, you might make a great pick in some termas and agree with the girl an extra-time outside, when she's free

termas and Help/Balcony girls usually speak some english and this language skill normally pulls the price up

I noticed that the prices are normally higher between the end of the year and Carnaval (high season)
I have honestly to say that, on the other side, in this period of the year there's a larger choice because a lot of frees go to Rio to make some money and take advantage of the huge number of tourists

[Trippleecks]

Ibeza, I never go to Help or MP or any of the other street pickup places any longer..

I have been telling you guys for a LONG time now.. Use escort services and pay 150.reais - 200.reais for 2 hours.. Why you people continue to complain about Help and MP is beyond me... Stay away from there a for a while and see how the prices DROP..

[Ibiza007]

I went experimenting yesterday at Mia Pataca ( sp?) I went there and actually ate lunch, just as an experiment. I walk by there very often and have heard that it is a good place to find nice garotas. Ok. So I sat down and there were about 30 girls, I ordered lunch and a choppe and waited. First girl that comes over is a mother of 3 and not extremely attractive. She says it is her 3rd day on the job, and she has been at help 3 nights in a row, No luck so far for her at Help, 0 for 3 nights. So, I ask her how much for 2 hours, without blinking she says R$250, I almost choked on my beer. I explained to her that if she did not seriously consider $R150 or less, her children would be very hungry. She could not believe what I told her.

Second girl, nice looking , skinny and spoke good english. For short time 1.5 hours, etc she said $R250 and would not budge. I said no thank you today, maybe a different day. SHE SAID, NO, another day was not possible as I had not taken her offer today. Fuck You, *****.

I have seen a change since September, when I moved here, that is one reason I go to Help very seldom. In September, it was possible to get a Help girl for $R150, now think it would be difficult, even Balcony girls want R$200, if your portuguese is good you have a chance, if not it will be tough.

The last time I went to Help, in December, $R250 was the minimum out of any girls mouth.

I am curious to poll the members on what they feel is the current help price structure.

In my mind, I think the $R150 price range is generally not realistic, everyone is different for sure. At 3:00pm things may change, but at 1pm, prices are very high. Even non-atractive girls want high prices.

The last girl I went with from Help patio was very cute, but she started at $R400 for TLN and I offered $R250 and started to walk away, a minute later she came running and said it woulld be OK. The next day at noon, I paid her and she whined about wanting an extra $R20 in gas money for her car, she has a $R40,000 new car. We drove it to my apartment. She told me her credit card bills are about $R4,000 per month.

The biggest problem I have with Help, Balcony, etc. girls is that you have to experiment and try the water with them, and half of them are not fun, exciting or good in bed. How many guys have had serious surprises at your hotel? Like stretch marks, sagging breasts, scars, etc., these are the unknowns of Help. Unfortunately, you have to take the good with the bad and keep on keepin on. It is tough out there. I would say that less than 30% I would ever have a second go with. I f you find a gem, stay with it.

i prefer the terma girls, no nasty surprises. They usually really like to fuck and you can see their ass and tits before you decide, you get a better feel for compatability, etc. Then if you have a good experience , get a number. I complained to the manager at 4x4 about a cute girl named Estella, we went to the room and she phoned in, then she took off for ten minutes to do something, I was pissed. So when we were finished, I told the manager what happen and he charged me for 40 min , not 1 hr. Customer service!

I would like to hear others thoughts on prices and surprises encountered.

Ibiza

The answer to this question depends upon the reason you went to Rio. If you went to Rio to go home alone like you did, then you are not.

[Rio Bob]

I've been in rio since sunday and it seems prices have gone up 200% since my last visit in June 2005. Even mediocre looking girls in help are asking R$400. One GP even patronized me with a R$100 `discount` for R$300. Another was indignant that I had countered with R$150. Needless to say I passed on all offers I went home by myself. Apparently, there are people (supposedly Americanos) paying these prices as I saw girls leaving with guys.

Please somebody tell me that I'm not crazy.

The answer to this question depends upon the reason you went to Rio. If you went to Rio to go home alone like you did, then you are not.

[Crypton]

I double checked this tonight, either HSBC or my bank, is charging the commission. But when I use the same cards at Banco Brasil the rate or USD amount is not provided at all, so you really never know what is going on..... Player- is your bank HSBC in the USA?

Maybe this is just my banks, US Bank and Wells Fargo, curious to know if anybody else has noticed this.

I thought all credit cards are now charging 3% overhead on all foreign exchange transactions. My Visas fro two different banks did last summer.

[Exec Talent]

There is no reason for anyone paying R$300 - R$400 for even the above average Help girl. Right now, there are way more girls than there are guys here in Rio. I have been looking for an apartment to rent long term and it is a buyers market. Rio is just not that busy now.

As I mentioned on another thread, I met a girl at Balcony Bar who was a 10 on anyone’s scale. 22, beautiful body, flawless face and teeth who spoke excellent English. She was asking R$100 for 2 hours and $200 for all night. She would be perfect for a lot of guys who speak no Portuguese. She told me that she also works at Barbarella and Help. If she is asking R$200 for all night, I have a hard time understanding why someone would pay $R400.

[Carlos3000]

I've been in rio since sunday and it seems prices have gone up 200% since my last visit in June 2005. Even mediocre looking girls in help are asking R$400. One GP even patronized me with a R$100 `discount` for R$300. Another was indignant that I had countered with R$150. Needless to say I passed on all offers I went home by myself. Apparently, there are people (supposedly Americanos) paying these prices as I saw girls leaving with guys.

Please somebody tell me that I'm not crazy.

[Member #3411]

Also I'm looking for a hotel somewhere by the beach in the center of the action that is reasonably priced. Most of all they must be girl friendly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll be in town from Jan. 20th to 29th. Thanks

I have stayed at Rio Roiss last May. Right in the middle of action. It was girlfriendly. You can either book a double (no guest fees) or book a single and pay as you go (if you slip R$25 to the night guard, its all fine). Booked it through ipanema.com

[Houston Player]

Joe, Here is a PM I sent to Ibiza with my take on Cambios.

Ibiza, I am answering you in a PM instead of an online post because I am only a regular member and it takes too long for my response to be posted. Also I noticed we were having this discussion in the Rio reports thread.

I use a small local US bank that was recently bought out by Regions Bank. I don't know anything about Regions Bank. I have a no frills free checking account with a debit card (I think this bank actually calls it a check card) for use in Brazil.

I was last in Sao Paulo in November and the best rate I got was 2.23 which I checked online as the best rate I could have gotten that day. I know that all these banks have to make money on their transactions and they get better rates than what are posted. However when the internet says that days rate is 2.23 and my HSBC receipt for R$1000 says 2.23 and my bank deducts $448.01 out of my account at least I don't feel like I got ripped off.

I agree with you about cash getting the best rate in Rio. However in Sao Paulo I get a better rate from the ATMs than the cambios are paying for cash.

[Ibiza007]

I double checked this tonight, either HSBC or my bank, is charging the commission. But when I use the same cards at Banco Brasil the rate or USD amount is not provided at all, so you really never know what is going on..... Player- is your bank HSBC in the USA?

What is important to remember is that somewhere, somehow, a fee is being collected. Even if your receipt matches exactly to your account, unless you are in the FOREX business, with access to a minute by minute rate schedule, you will never know if they charged you, 2-3% or what ever. Your slip may say 2.20 (220 reals) and deduct $100.00, but the interbank rate will be 2.31 and at that rate you should have had $95.00 deducted for 220 reals (example, do not check my math. ) The reality is that all banks charge fees, someway somehow, they never work for free. It just depends how they hide it. I do believe that cash gets the best rate, without any hidden fees. but harder to find cambio all the time, and not as safe as ATM.

Maybe this is just my banks, US Bank and Wells Fargo, curious to know if anybody else has noticed this.

Even with my Wells Fargo card, where my online bank matches the dollar withdrawl exactly, I will never know what the interbank rate is, so just because it matches my account does not mean I am not paying a commission on top of the $5.00 and the currency exchange fee (usually $1.10 - $1.55) each transaction, it is just looks like less fees. It is good to be the bank, they always win and I have never heard of them losing in these situations.

None of it really matters- Go to the ATM, get reals, spend reals, get more reals..... repeat many times.

Regarding your comment below, I never get charged a FEE when I use HSBC, but the amount deducted is always more than the slip says. HSBC always makes me feel good to see the rate, but it means nothing, concerning comissions charged. Only HSBC will ever know what they pay the day I am getting reals. And I am sure I am not getting the rate they are. If I moved about $400,000,000 a day in currency and I would get a better rate than the slip says. The currency market is the largest traded market in the world...

I am using debit cards, and I use them alot, every couple of days.

I am going to check some receipts from Earlier, like in November and see what they say.

Ibiza, I believe that it is your bank charging you the 3%, not HSBC.

Are you using an ATM card or a credit card? On my last trip I made three withdrawals with my ATM card, two from HSBC and one from a different bank and I was never charged any fee. My online bank matched the HSBC receipt exactly.

[Lancer520]

I was wondering if there were mongers heading down to Rio the end of next week. It is not only my first trip to Rio, but also my first solo mongering trip. I'm a frequent flyer to the Pink Palace in San Jose CR but I'm looking for a change and I have the FF miles to go for free. First of all if anyone wants to meet up for drinks definitely PM me. I'm 31 years old, not unattractive, and like to party. I'm hoping I can find some Rio experienced mongers to show me the sights of Rio(I'll buy the drinks!!) This is my last mongering trip for the next year as I just took a new job Feb.1st and I don't get vacation for the 1st year so I'm going all out. Also I'm looking for a hotel somewhere by the beach in the center of the action that is reasonably priced. Most of all they must be girl friendly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll be in town from Jan. 20th to 29th. Thanks

[Rio Bob]

Happy to report that 4x4 has really upgraded the staff, I went there tonight and wholly shit what a difference a month can make. I went before Xmas and it was slow and the girls were OK. It was certainly the A team on full tilt tonight, The other times I have been there, it was good, but tonight was the best I have ever seen, Out of 50, 25 were really nice and the other 25 were not bad.

A few good caiparinhas always works wonders. Cheers and enjoy it.

[Rio Bob]

Speaking of delivery, I was at Christine's -massagista- casa one day (see destack.com.br) and she called the pharmacy to deliver 3 condoms, in 5 minutes, there they were, I also see very often my local bar deliver beer, 2-3 bottles to my apartment bdlg, what a great place, you can order food, beer, condoms and pussy and never leave your casa. God bless Brasil...

One time I was in restaurant Dom Camillo on Copacabana and I told the manager that I had a headache, he had the pharmacy deliver headache medicine for me to the restaurant, I took it with a glass of wine and I was fine.