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[QUOTE=Hobbying;2478535]I would stay at Marriott Apt, its like 85 USD a day with full service of a hotel and more secure.[/QUOTE]Do you know how the Marriott Apts compare to the Hilton Doubletree Itaim? I have status with both, but the doubletree is cheaper. Like 330 reals a night in November.
[QUOTE=RMundi000;2478593]Do you know how the Marriott Apts compare to the Hilton Doubletree Itaim? I have status with both, but the doubletree is cheaper. Like 330 reals a night in November.[/QUOTE]Can't comment on the Marriott but just booked a month at the Itaim DoubleTree 10 nights on points rest cash. Stayed before during the renovation work, rooms are fine, breakfast left a lot to be desired. No problem with guests.
[QUOTE=XXL;2478551]I see many high-end escorts advertising payment by credit card ("aceita cartoes"). Do they have a credit card machine that prints out a receipt? This could be a game-changer for avoiding the hassle of getting cash. If it involves going online to make the payment I'd rather not.[/QUOTE]The ones who take cards have there own mini reader, connects to mobile phone.
[QUOTE=XXL;2478449]Therefore I'll probably hit Sao Paulo in October, in one of the few countries in the World that will still have my European monger's arse..[/QUOTE]You will get lovely apartments on Airbnb for less then that, just booked at the Einstein hospital complexe Morumbi, €1550 for 2 months, November / December.
[QUOTE=RMundi000;2478593]Do you know how the Marriott Apts compare to the Hilton Doubletree Itaim? I have status with both, but the doubletree is cheaper. Like 330 reals a night in November.[/QUOTE]I have not stayed at Hilton. Marriott Apt is like 5 minutes from Cafe Photo and a few blocks from the park. The apts have kitchens and food at the restaurant was pretty good.
[QUOTE=Steve9696;2478591]Can you do this anonymously? I've found it hard to send money without the girl learning your real name. Can What's be used anonymously?[/QUOTE]I have not tried it yet. But another way to use credit card is if you get one of them prepaid and load money and does not need your name.
[QUOTE=Dasisextra;2478624]Can't comment on the Marriott but just booked a month at the Itaim DoubleTree 10 nights on points rest cash. Stayed before during the renovation work, rooms are fine, breakfast left a lot to be desired. No problem with guests.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info! I have stayed at a few doubletrees in South America and I think only the one in Lima had good breakfast. Which is a shame because Marriott makes their gold members pay for breakfast where Hilton properties its free.
[QUOTE=Hobbying;2478804]I have not stayed at Hilton. Marriott Apt is like 5 minutes from Cafe Photo and a few blocks from the park. The apts have kitchens and food at the restaurant was pretty good.[/QUOTE]FWIW Photo will not reopen at that address, thankfully. I hate that vibe. They will reopen at a new location, probably on Bandeirantes, and hopefully with a less up tight vibe.
[QUOTE=Steve9696;2478591]Can you do this anonymously? I've found it hard to send money without the girl learning your real name. Can What's be used anonymously?[/QUOTE]Never mind I figured out how to use PayPal for this just using an email address for the girl. It gave me like a 5. 4 exchange. Can't believe how cheap the Real is. It was 4. 0 last summer.
Key to being anonymous on PayPal is to open a business account. You need your real name and real funding but the recipient sees only the business name and address. Be careful obviously with the address. I believe you can set it to something random since your home address is the key identifier in PayPal's database.
Would some of my smarter ISG guys recommend I buy some reals now while they are so low. I'm coming down in November and feel I should take advantage. I only worry about a surge stopping the trip and the real rebounding and having to sell them back at a lesser rate.
[QUOTE=Steve9696;2479020]Never mind I figured out how to use PayPal for this just using an email address for the girl. It gave me like a 5. 4 exchange. Can't believe how cheap the Real is. It was 4. 0 last summer.
Key to being anonymous on PayPal is to open a business account. You need your real name and real funding but the recipient sees only the business name and address. Be careful obviously with the address. I believe you can set it to something random since your home address is the key identifier in PayPal's database.[/QUOTE]Thought the fees are high, 5.4 when real rate was 5. 6 when you did it?
[QUOTE=BMo814;2479203]Would some of my smarter ISG guys recommend I buy some reals now while they are so low. I'm coming down in November and feel I should take advantage. I only worry about a surge stopping the trip and the real rebounding and having to sell them back at a lesser rate.[/QUOTE]I would speculate that it will go higher as spending and new GDP numbers are released in the coming months. It was 5.96 a few weeks ago.
[QUOTE=Hobbying;2479329]Thought the fees are high, 5.4 when real rate was 5. 6 when you did it?[/QUOTE]Yeah probably true. But I was only sending a bit of money and it's chump change in the scheme of things vs the convenience.
I don't understand all the anxiety over payment methods. Its 2020 guys. I haven't worried about payment since the early 2000's. Just get a credit card and bank account that have no foreign transaction fees. Problem solved. Use credit card for all normal consumer transactions and cash for P4 P. Only Withdraw cash from ATMs that are located inside banks that have visible security. Follow these simple steps and you have convenience and safety.
Worst case, with mobile alerts you will be aware quickly of any fraudulent activity.
[QUOTE=BMo814;2479203]Would some of my smarter ISG guys recommend I buy some reals now while they are so low. I'm coming down in November and feel I should take advantage. I only worry about a surge stopping the trip and the real rebounding and having to sell them back at a lesser rate.[/QUOTE]It's usually not a bad idea to buy "some" currency with a trip on the short-term horizon. I discourage my friends of stockpiling currency for multiple trips over the next few years. This might make some sense if you were going to live in Brazil for awhile. Otherwise, it's hard to guess the market.
The general mistake people make about currencies is that it takes two currencies to tango. In other words, the US $ in recent months has been weak against peers as the Fed prints money and tries to prop up the COVID economy. I see no reason to see that change before the election.
Is Brazil in worse shape with the virus and economy? Perhaps, but there is a lot of uncertainty. Some news on the vaccine front could be more beneficial for Brazil relative to the USA. So you have a lot of volatility and the risk your trip will be cancelled. I don't think anyone can give you a definitive answer.