Rio de Janeiro - Hotels & Apartments

[BlueChange]

I'm seeing all these apartment rental places. I know that it seems it's better to deal direct with an apartment rental place rather then airbnb in rio if it is a monthly rental.

Does anyone have a connect on a place for monthly or a place they liked that was girl friendly, close to the beach, supermarket etc and still modern for around that price range?

[Exec Talent]

I subscribe to a newsletter for guiademoteis.com.br.

Which has love motel discounts around Brazil including Rio.

Here is a special they are offering on Black Monday (Nov 26).

http://www.mmkt.guiademoteis.com.br/.../06_11_18.html

And in particular for VIPs.

https://www.motelblackmonday.com.br/...Ps-Suites.html#boxMotel.

[Charm City Dave]

But how is it possible? My understanding is that a guest is not supposed to see the host's review and VV until they're both published or after 2 weeks have passed and they can no longer publish. No?

In which they can trash you. Also other hosts can see the reviews you have posted and may take a pass on you if they think you are a complainer. All that I think leads to review inflation on AirBnB.

[Xpartan]

Probably had something to do with the Olympics going on around this time two years ago. The Real was also rather strong two years ago after a run up since the beginning of the year, 2016. Interestingly enough, but not surprising, the Real also took a dive against the USD during the middle of the Olympics (I guess that's when the overseas tourist money started to dry up).

Good points about the AirBnB reviews, though.

You know, you're right. I was in Brazil during the Olympics (not because of the Olympics, though).

[Eszpresszo]

On a different note, I'm checking Airbnb listings now and seeing that the rates have gone down a lot since 2016. Damn!

Probably had something to do with the Olympics going on around this time two years ago. The Real was also rather strong two years ago after a run up since the beginning of the year, 2016. Interestingly enough, but not surprising, the Real also took a dive against the USD during the middle of the Olympics (I guess that's when the overseas tourist money started to dry up).

Good points about the AirBnB reviews, though.

[Xpartan]

What matters is that both host and guest are reluctant to leave bad reviews because negative reviews impact them both. The place is a dump and I complain. What kind of review do you think I will get as a guest. So, I bite my tongue and give host a nice place review. That was my point. Not that one party is retaliating against another for a bad review. I have rented from AirBnB in multiple countries and know hosts in Rio who have several apartments on AirBnB. Look for great reviews, not lukewarm watered down ones.

That's a great hint actually, but my point is that a host is not able to give the guest a review based on the guest's review. The host won't see your review until she posts hers, and you won't see hers until you post yours. At least, this is how it should work in theory.

Some people tend to leave misleadingly positive reviews simply because they are nice people. And some will leave bad reviews just because they're assholes, even if you bend over backward for them. I usually read every single review and hosts' answers to criticism to get a feel of both, the place and the person, even if there are dozens of them. These little tidbits can fill in a lot of blanks.

On a different note, I'm checking Airbnb listings now and seeing that the rates have gone down a lot since 2016. Damn!

[Exec Talent]

But how is it possible? My understanding is that a guest is not supposed to see the host's review and VV until they're both published or after 2 weeks have passed and they can no longer publish. No?

What matters is that both host and guest are reluctant to leave bad reviews because negative reviews impact them both. The place is a dump and I complain. What kind of review do you think I will get as a guest. So, I bite my tongue and give host a nice place review. That was my point. Not that one party is retaliating against another for a bad review. I have rented from AirBnB in multiple countries and know hosts in Rio who have several apartments on AirBnB. Look for great reviews, not lukewarm watered down ones.

[Christian G]

My understanding is that a guest is not supposed to see the host's review and VV until they're both published or after 2 weeks have passed and they can no longer publish. No?

Right, this is the airbnb rule for review. I had the same experience twice with Airbnb.

[Xpartan]

I remember when AirBnB had just started. I was utterly fascinated with the concept.

Host rates guest and guest rates host. Great in theory, not so great in practice.

Let's say I am the world's greatest host and have a guest who shits the bed. Not literally, but in a Suits figuratively kind of way. Noisy, leaves the place a mess, has multiple GDPs spend the night and the one thing that really pisses Brazilians off, leaves the AC on when not in the apartment. No, I was not smart enough to configure an automatic shutoff.

So, I decide to get back at him by leaving a terrible review. Guess what? He does the same thing to me and now I am screwed.

What I found is you have to look at the reviews like you would a date. Are they Bob is a nice guy and has a good personality or are they Bob was well-endowed and knew how to use it.

On AirBnB few people will trash anyone because they do not want to be trashed back. Therefore, lukewarm reviews become poor, good reviews mediocre and great reviews, well great.

But how is it possible? My understanding is that a guest is not supposed to see the host's review and VV until they're both published or after 2 weeks have passed and they can no longer publish. No?

[WyattEarp]

I remember when AirBnB had just started. I was utterly fascinated with the concept.

Host rates guest and guest rates host. Great in theory, not so great in practice.

Let's say I am the world's greatest host and have a guest who shits the bed. Not literally, but in a Suits figuratively kind of way. Noisy, leaves the place a mess, has multiple GDPs spend the night and the one thing that really pisses Brazilians off, leaves the AC on when not in the apartment. No, I was not smart enough to configure an automatic shutoff.

So, I decide to get back at him by leaving a terrible review. Guess what? He does the same thing to me and now I am screwed.

What I found is you have to look at the reviews like you would a date. Are they Bob is a nice guy and has a good personality or are they Bob was well-endowed and knew how to use it.

On AirBnB few people will trash anyone because they do not want to be trashed back. Therefore, lukewarm reviews become poor, good reviews mediocre and great reviews, well great.

So true. For the most part, I have had very good experiences with AirBnB. However, once in awhile I have stayed at a place where there was a very noticeable issue, but previous guests were afraid to comment on this obvious flaw. So everyone just makes nice. I've never had any hosts cancel on me, but that would make me furious if it was busy season. AirBnB doesn't want to lose listings so they tend to favor hosts.

[Exec Talent]

I remember when AirBnB had just started. I was utterly fascinated with the concept.

Host rates guest and guest rates host. Great in theory, not so great in practice.

Let's say I am the world's greatest host and have a guest who shits the bed. Not literally, but in a Suits figuratively kind of way. Noisy, leaves the place a mess, has multiple GDPs spend the night and the one thing that really pisses Brazilians off, leaves the AC on when not in the apartment. No, I was not smart enough to configure an automatic shutoff.

So, I decide to get back at him by leaving a terrible review. Guess what? He does the same thing to me and now I am screwed.

What I found is you have to look at the reviews like you would a date. Are they Bob is a nice guy and has a good personality or are they Bob was well-endowed and knew how to use it.

On AirBnB few people will trash anyone because they do not want to be trashed back. Therefore, lukewarm reviews become poor, good reviews mediocre and great reviews, well great.

Look for the great reviews and discount the rest.

Final note: Before you book AirBnB check hotel prices. They are dirt cheap right now, even for some of the luxury hotels.

[Sperto]

Regarding girl-friendly hotels. I often read posts from people asking about GF hotels.
Exec Talent gave a very good advice below, getting to know the manager. Another way would be to simply send the hotel an email and asking about the matter.

The last 27 years I've stayed in a large number of hotels and pousadas all over Brazil. Everything from a simple hut with a hammock to 4 star hotels. My tactic is simple when choosing a girlfriendly hotel/pousada.
1. When I arrive in a new city I look for a hotel that looks nice in a good location.
2. The prices are almost always shown behind the reception desk. If the prices looks OK I ask them to see a room.
3. If the room looks OK I ask the reception clerk or owner what price they can offer. Normally they tell me the official price. No matter if the price is expensive or not I bargain. I ask for a discount because I pay cash/stay many days etc. Almost always they offers a good discount. Further discount can often be had if I tell them I'm not interested in having their breakfast.
4. When reaching the stage where we agreed about the price, by then I had enough time to converse/chitchat/joke with the clerk/manager/owner to get us on a friendly level. Then, not before, I inform myself about their guest-policy. Of course I don't ask them if it's OK if I bring a wh*re back to my room. I put it like what if I get to know a amiga or namorada is it OK if bring her to my room?
5. The answer from the hotel staff can vary a lot:
A. No way, the hotel/pousada is a place for families/the owner is a religious crente/or it's just out of the question. In that case I waste no more time. The hotels/pousadas that doesn't accept guests are very few.
B. Yes, guest is allowed but they will charge an extra fee. (If the price list on the wall shows "cama extra R$XX" (extra bed) it's a good indicator that they accepts guests.) OK, guest are allowed. When do they charge the fee? If the girl spends the night/if she has breakfast/if she stays more than X hours? Many hotels/pousadas don't charge the extra fee if you just bring the girl up to the room for a few hours. This extra fee can often be negotiated.
C. Yes, guest is allowed without any fees. Excellent.
6. If the hotel/pousada will be girlfriendly or not depends a lot on you. I never tip any hotel staff, however I always smile, converse and joke with the staff. If you get on a friendly basis with them it's very likely you can sneak by without paying any extra fees.
7. It depends on what kind of a girl you bring back. Regular girls are most easy to bring back. Working girls with some class that can behave and doesn't look like streetworkers usually causes no problems.

The reception staff can be very funny and sometimes act strange.
* In Manaus I stayed at a hotel. The reception girls were always flirting with me and found it amusing that I brought back many girls (never any extra charge). At one time they got very upset. It was when a girl arrived to deliver some merchandise to me. I had a quickie with the delivery girl. The delivery girl were a chubby girl with no-neck. The reception girls got upset because I f*cked a girl that didn't look good.
* Another time a reception clerk got upset was when I brought back two very goodlooking girls that were cousins. He got really pissed off because I didn't share one of the girls with him.
* In a pousada in a small jungle city there were some problems at the pousada. A girl came up to me in the local forró club. She wanted to f*ck with me. She was newly married and her sister-in-law were together with her at the club. To make sure the sister-in-law wouldn't tell her husband about her being unfaithful she asked if I thought it was OK to f*ck both of them in a threesome (the sister-in-law was also married). Of course I accepted. Back at the pousada I managed to sneak both girls into my room as I had the key. Unfortunately the girls made noises. The pousada owner, a religious woman, slept in the room next door. She started banging my door and told me guests were not allowed. Because of the noise the bed made when f*cking the two girls the pousada owner thought I was breaking up the room. As I were busy having sex with two bigtitted girls I screamed that I didn't have any girl in my room. The owner responded that she would call the police. I just had time to finish the f*ck and let the girls out before a police car showed up with two guys armed with shotguns. The police saw that nothing was broken in the room. After telling them I had to accept a suruba with two girls I met in the local forró club the police just laughed and slapped my back. They let me go and I did have to spend the rest of the night sitting on a bench under a tree at the main square with heavy rain falling. Soaking wet, but smiling.

[Exec Talent]

Copied from the Rio Reports Thread:

Anyone know of any girl friendly hotels?

It is like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. All hotels are girl friendly, it depends on the guest. I have stayed in 30+ hotels all around Rio and never had an issue. Of course I make an point of meeting the manager upon my arrival, getting to know and tipping the staff well and not acting like a jerk or that I am guilty of something. Be that special guest that they will bend the rules for and never put them in a situation of regretting that they have. Trust me if the Copacabana Palace, Fasano, Sofitel Copacabana (currently closed for refurbishment) and Caesar Park (another Accor, Sofitel hotel) are girl friendly, then your hotel is also.

[Exec Talent]

I came across several references to Copa Apartments (copaapartments.com) in my RTFF research on a place to stay for an upcoming trip to Rio de Janeiro. I researched it on mainstream travel websites and did not find much in the way of reviews for this company, except a few on AirBnB. Has anyone stayed at their apartments, and do you have any feedback? The website says that they do not charge fees for guests, which I interpret as a sign that they are chica-friendly. However, the website gives no indication that they apartments have safes, which is important to me if I am bringing a GDP over for a pernoite.

I would also appreciate any other specific apartment recommendations that anyone can provide.

Have stayed with them many times over many years. Nothing but great things to say. Their professionally managed apartments are girl-friendly but if you have any doubts, just ask. They speak and write English better than most Americans.

[GringoItaliano]

I came across several references to Copa Apartments (copaapartments.com) in my RTFF research on a place to stay for an upcoming trip to Rio de Janeiro. I researched it on mainstream travel websites and did not find much in the way of reviews for this company, except a few on AirBnB. Has anyone stayed at their apartments, and do you have any feedback? The website says that they do not charge fees for guests, which I interpret as a sign that they are chica-friendly. However, the website gives no indication that they apartments have safes, which is important to me if I am bringing a GDP over for a pernoite.

I would also appreciate any other specific apartment recommendations that anyone can provide.