Rio de Janeiro Reports

I have read two years of the forum and I'm ready to go for my two weeks in Rio. Only thing I am deciding is what way to go to get a girl (s) to join me and my girl for fun. For me personally I will be enjoying the prives all over the city.

I'm looking for some thoughts on a few things:

*Lapa-I have seen and read this is a party area at night near the Selaron Steps. It appears, based on many Youtube videos, to be safe and fun. Anyone been to this area at night to bar crawl etc? I've been studying a little Portuguese so maybe I can pick up a girl (my girl will be with me).

*Cigars-I'd like to buy some Cuban cigars while I am in Rio. Where is a good place to buy them? What are your thoughts on USA Customs seizing them if I bring back a box to the USA?

*Condoms-do the girls in the prives let you use your condoms? I like the ones I use vs what cheap ones they may have.

*Cash-Is the best place to acquire cash at the ATM in the airport? What bill denomination is best for my prives activities?

*Prives payment-I assume these girls only take cash?

I'll be in Rio beginning 12/22/24. If anyone wants to get together reach out. I'm staying in Copacabana then onto Buzios(wish me luck on going to Buzios as I am going to rent a car and drive).

Showdown.

[QUOTE=Rahsta;2966842]Whats the address of Garden of Eden? Thanks.[/QUOTE]I had tried to edit the post to Eden Spa, but was unable to.

[QUOTE=Showdown;2966937]I have read two years of the forum and I'm ready to go for my two weeks in Rio. Only thing I am deciding is what way to go to get a girl (s) to join me and my girl for fun. For me personally I will be enjoying the prives all over the city.

I'm looking for some thoughts on a few things:

*Lapa-I have seen and read this is a party area at night near the Selaron Steps. It appears, based on many Youtube videos, to be safe and fun. Anyone been to this area at night to bar crawl etc? I've been studying a little Portuguese so maybe I can pick up a girl (my girl will be with me).

*Cigars-I'd like to buy some Cuban cigars while I am in Rio. Where is a good place to buy them? What are your thoughts on USA Customs seizing them if I bring back a box to the USA?

*Condoms-do the girls in the prives let you use your condoms? I like the ones I use vs what cheap ones they may have.

*Cash-Is the best place to acquire cash at the ATM in the airport? What bill denomination is best for my prives activities?

*Prives payment-I assume these girls only take cash?

I'll be in Rio beginning 12/22/24. If anyone wants to get together reach out. I'm staying in Copacabana then onto Buzios(wish me luck on going to Buzios as I am going to rent a car and drive).

Showdown.[/QUOTE]When I arrived at GIG, the guy taking me to a taxi tried to steer me to an ATM on the second floor. It wasn't a bank ATM, and so I didn't use it.

Plenty of real ATMs in Copacabana, and I paid for my airport taxi with a credit card, no need for cash immediately.

[QUOTE=Explorer8939;2967119]When I arrived at GIG, the guy taking me to a taxi tried to steer me to an ATM on the second floor. It wasn't a bank ATM, and so I didn't use it.

Plenty of real ATMs in Copacabana, and I paid for my airport taxi with a credit card, no need for cash immediately.[/QUOTE]Yeah tried to use an airport ATM and it had HUGE fees. Waited for Copa.

Be advised though that unlike US there aren't ATMs available at night as a rule. You need to get your cash during banking hours. Many of us agree that Bradesco is most reliable in accepting American cards. Santander almost always fails me. Banco 24 is almost always good but limit of 1000 or 1500 a transaction which is low but you can do back to back. Bradesco has higher limit. You can hit it for 2500 R back to back.

[QUOTE=Steve9696;2967160] Many of us agree that Bradesco is most reliable in accepting American cards. Santander almost always fails me. Banco 24 is almost always good but limit of 1000 or 1500 a transaction which is low but you can do back to back. Bradesco has higher limit. You can hit it for 2500 R back to back.[/QUOTE]Wow, I never even thought of trying a Bradesco 2500 back to back ATM withdrawal. Thanks for the great tip! I prefer large Bradesco branch ATM's over Santander ATM's every time. The withdrawal limits at the Hyatt Grand hotel (RJ & SP) and the Marriott Exec Apartment hotel (SP) ATM's is 2700 BR.

But how is the exchange rate?

[QUOTE=AxelHeyst;2967165] I prefer large Bradesco branch ATM's over Santander ATM's every time. The withdrawal limits at the Hyatt Grand hotel (RJ & SP) ... is 2700 BR.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Steve9696;2967160]Be advised though that unlike US there aren't ATMs available at night as a rule. You need to get your cash during banking hours.[/QUOTE]This part is not true. One time when leaving a club at night with a girl, I needed some money, and she took me right to an available ATM. I agree it can be more challenging to find one at night, but not if you know where to go, like she did. And if you don't know, then yes get your money in the daytime. But ATMs are available at night. If you know where to go.

[QUOTE=TheCane;2967174]This part is not true. One time when leaving a club at night with a girl, I needed some money, and she took me right to an available ATM. I agree it can be more challenging to find one at night, but not if you know where to go, like she did. And if you don't know, then yes get your money in the daytime. But ATMs are available at night. If you know where to go.[/QUOTE]+1. There are many Bradesco branches in Copa. The ATM area is open 24/7 at most of them. I have used them at very late hours in the past in Rio as well as in SP.

[QUOTE=Vagabundo1;2967173]But how is the exchange rate?[/QUOTE]The exchange rate you get depends on which bank card (the bank that decides the exchange rate) you use. All ATMs including Bradesco ones offer their own exchange which is ripoff at 12-20% markup. One should always decline ATM (or credit card machines) offered exchange rate in Brazil or anywhere in the work. They never offer good rates.

I use Schwab card, and I get exchange rage 1 or 2 centavos less than the recent closing exchange rate (if the previous close is 5. 90, I get 5. 88). They used to give based on real-time rate but recently they switched to previous day closing rate.

[QUOTE=Showdown;2966937]
*Condoms-do the girls in the prives let you use your condoms? I like the ones I use vs what cheap ones they may have.
*Cash-Is the best place to acquire cash at the ATM in the airport? What bill denomination is best for my prives activities?
*Prives payment-I assume these girls only take cash?
[/QUOTE]*Condoms- Most girls don't care if you use your condoms but better ask them first.

*Cash- Better to get your cash in Bank ATMs in Copacabana. I prefer Brodesco followed by Santander. I really don't like using my ATM card at airport so if I am desperate for little bit of cash then I would change 20 or 50 bill at currency exchange place in airport even though they give a terrible exchange rate.

*Prives payment- Cash is accepted pretty much everywhere. I prefer not using credit cards at smaller merchants and especially I am not running my card through small CC processing machines most of seem to carry with them.

Does anyone else notice that both locations don't seem to offer you the choice whether to pay in local currency when you use your credit card? It appears they make the selection for you to pay in USD on the card machines.

[QUOTE=Xpartan;2966889]Well, I rarely spend as much as the OP does, but at least I can afford it. How many hotel security guys do you know who could afford the upper tier of Rio GDPs? I think they do have a good reason to be envious, just not to our good looks, LOL.[/QUOTE]I did not say they were envious. Just envy looks cause they were at work and I was just about to have fun.

[QUOTE=Bravo;2967237]Does anyone else notice that both locations don't seem to offer you the choice whether to pay in local currency when you use your credit card? It appears they make the selection for you to pay in USD on the card machines.[/QUOTE]I always pay cash at sketchy places like DV and Casablanca. I initially used to pay cash at 4 x4 too, but I started paying by CC when I learned they don't add card payment penalty like many places do. I tell the person who settles my bill at 4 x4 that I want to pay in Reals and not dollars. The receipt they give me always shows the exactly bill amount in Reals.

[QUOTE=Bravo;2967237]Does anyone else notice that both locations don't seem to offer you the choice whether to pay in local currency when you use your credit card? It appears they make the selection for you to pay in USD on the card machines.[/QUOTE]I was at 4 x4 one month ago and paid in local currency with my credit card. Next time, insert your card into the terminal and hit the red button twice. Don't use contactless.

[QUOTE=Showdown;2966937]I have read two years of the forum and I'm ready to go for my two weeks in Rio. Only thing I am deciding is what way to go to get a girl (s) to join me and my girl for fun. For me personally I will be enjoying the prives all over the city.

I'm looking for some thoughts on a few things:

*Lapa-I have seen and read this is a party area at night near the Selaron Steps. It appears, based on many Youtube videos, to be safe and fun. Anyone been to this area at night to bar crawl etc? I've been studying a little Portuguese so maybe I can pick up a girl (my girl will be with me).

*Cigars-I'd like to buy some Cuban cigars while I am in Rio. Where is a good place to buy them? What are your thoughts on USA Customs seizing them if I bring back a box to the USA?

*Condoms-do the girls in the prives let you use your condoms? I like the ones I use vs what cheap ones they may have.

*Cash-Is the best place to acquire cash at the ATM in the airport? What bill denomination is best for my prives activities?

*Prives payment-I assume these girls only take cash?

I'll be in Rio beginning 12/22/24. If anyone wants to get together reach out. I'm staying in Copacabana then onto Buzios(wish me luck on going to Buzios as I am going to rent a car and drive).

Showdown.[/QUOTE]You can buy Cuban cigars in duty free when you land or a lot of people like to go to Esch Café La Casa del Habano. Rua Dias Ferreira. Leblon. I think customs may allow small amount of cigars to enter these days, I wouldn't announce it chances are they won't check.

You can take an Uber to Buzios or hire a taxi or car service, you really don't need a car once you're there depending on where you stay beaches are in walking distance.

There are a lot of bars in Lapa and a lot of girls not pros but non-pros like to have fun too. You should be ok safety wise but stay where the crowds are and be alert as the area is known for petty theft.

Use your own condoms if you want, all girls carry their own condoms as a precaution in case you don't have one but they do trust their condoms.

Cash is king!