Brazil (Sao Paulo, Rio) Accomodation prices

[Guest pokahottie]

I like to plan long holidays and I have the month of November off. I have been looking at hotels in Sao Paulo and Rio and everything seems expensive compared to other destinations.

Is this how it is or is there a trick to finding decent accommodation in the $50-$70/night range in a decent hotel?

My only issue is that I saved and budgeted thinking I was going to Asia, but then thought I would consider Brazil and began searching for airfares and hotels. Airfares are great but I found that hotel rates are almost double the price in Brazil, which totally blows my budget for this trip. I thought as a last resort I would just throw this question out there to see what comes back.

Next year, I will visit Brazil, but my hotel budget will be more generous, if need be.

Advice and suggestions appreciated.

[Guest tomcal]

Fortunately for Brazil and Unfortunately for us, Brazil is one of the few countries that is not in a recession! Their Dollar(Reias)is strong, they export twice what they import, they are self sufficient in Oil as well as other natural resources, with a huge new find off the coast of Rio which is speculated to have 40 yrs worth of crude. All this means is everything is more expensive than in the past.

In Rio I always stay at the Atlantico Copacabana and in Sao Paulo at the Bourbon. In both cases for their "attitude" towards guests, their gay friendly staff and for their locations. The Atlantico is 3 blocks down the street from Point 202 sauna and across the street from the subway/metro stop which is six stops from Club 117 sauna. The Bourbon is across the street from of number of gay bars/clubs/restaurants.

I have for the past two years used Agoda My link for booking hotels both here and in Europe. They have been very reliable, the prices have been as low or lower than anyone else's and several times when I have had to cancel or change dates, no problem and have gotten a fast refund. The Atlantico is running around $120/nt. U.S. and I think the Bourbon around $70./nt

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

I will be staying at the Atlantico (at least as of now) in November and with some help from Gaytravelbrazil, i got a rate of around $115 per nite. Gary at Gaytravelbrazil is the best resource I know of for getting a decent rate and knowing which hotels are good. He has a new hotel that he is working with now in Rio that is a little bit cheaper than the Atlantico.. He is awaiting a report back from a client who is staying there this month.

One thing to remember is if you plan on spending much money/time on rentboys in Rio, while you might pay a little more for the hotels there, you defintely save a bundle on boys, compared to in the US..

[TotallyOz]

One of the reason many choose Asia is the low cost of hotels. Many will stay at places much better than the Atlantico for around 40 US per night. For a long stay, that make a big difference.

Are there no gay Bad and Breakfast hotels in Rio? I thought there was one near 117?

[JKane]

I like to plan long holidays and I have the month of November off. I have been looking at hotels in Sao Paulo and Rio and everything seems expensive compared to other destinations.

Is this how it is or is there a trick to finding decent accommodation in the $50-$70/night range in a decent hotel?

My only issue is that I saved and budgeted thinking I was going to Asia, but then thought I would consider Brazil and began searching for airfares and hotels. Airfares are great but I found that hotel rates are almost double the price in Brazil, which totally blows my budget for this trip. I thought as a last resort I would just throw this question out there to see what comes back.

Next year, I will visit Brazil, but my hotel budget will be more generous, if need be.

Advice and suggestions appreciated.

I'd been planning to go for much of this month, and ran into the exact same issue. ~$120 per night multiplies to too damn much pretty quickly, especially since my finances are more up in the air than I'd hoped and it's hard for me to judge how much I'd spend on sauna fees, guys, and meals.

And the Visa thing keeps us first timers from any spur-of-the-moment trips. It's a real catch-22 that you can't get one without a ticket.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

As far as the Visa thing goes, I used a company called "Travel Visa Pro" and they did all the work in acquiring my visa and the turnaround time was less than 2 weeks....They have a website www.travelvisapro.com or their phone number is 888-470-8472. Hopefully this helps

[lookin]

I've never been to Brazil, so please take this with a grain of salt; however, I'm thinking I'll try to find an apartment when I do finally take the plunge.

Like you, I'd want to stay for several weeks, and $500 a week would be in the ballpark for me. I've been able to find listings on the internet in that range, so am remaining optimistic.

The listings I've seen mention that guests are allowed; however, there won't be anyone to check visitor ID's. I figure I'd do my playing in the saunas, and not invite anyone back until I started getting the lay of the land. So to speak.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

As long as you don't plan on bringing anyone back to your homebase, then an apartment should work..Just make sure you don't "give in" when you fall in love with a hot carioca...Secondly, make sure the person you are renting from is reputable.. Try to find someone who has previously rented an apartment to make a referral...Last thing you want to do is to get there and find out that the great apartment is in fact a dump or in a bad area...

**I do not have any financial interest in GTB** I just heard that Gary over at Gaytravelbrazil is now working with some apartments for visitors as well as hotels..Gary has never let me down with his help and his knowledge of Rio..He is definitely a great resource for a first time visitor..

[lookin]

Good advice, as always. Thank you.

I've also considered booking a hotel for a few nights, hiring a guide for a couple of afternoons, and looking for a weekly or monthly rental while I'm on the ground. That may be best left for my second visit, but there's something appealing about finding accommodations as a local would do. A local who enjoys going to the saunas a lot.

[axiom2001]

Good advice, as always. Thank you.

I've also considered booking a hotel for a few nights, hiring a guide for a couple of afternoons, and looking for a weekly or monthly rental while I'm on the ground. That may be best left for my second visit, but there's something appealing about finding accommodations as a local would do. A local who enjoys going to the saunas a lot.

If you can't speak Brazilian Portuguese and this will be your first visit to "my favorite country and city," by all means hire a guide. Drey, at www.gaytravelbrazil.com, has two or three guides in Rio who he could recommend. I do not know their rates, but on my first three or four trips to Rio and to other parts of this country-- I've had a guide which I've found to be quite invaluable. i needed this guidance as well as someone who was fluent in Brazilian Portuguese since I am not!

I'd suggest that you read all pertinent information at www.daddysreviews.com in the archives via doing a search for specifics as well as what is on Drey's site. Also, continue to ask questions here!

Prior to my first and second and third trips-- I devoured and used the information which was afforded to me, and by my doing this, my trips were enhanced.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

More great advice.. Read everything you can find on the above mentioned sites. Print out and take with you the pages to look over once you are there. If at all possible, try to co-ordinate your trip with someone who has been to Rio before. That helps "take the edge off" of being in a foreign place with a language barrier. I was lucky enough to have my travelfriend TxAlphadog with me for my first two visits. Now I am prepared to make the trip solo..

[Guest tomcal]

Let me start by saying IMHO... I find hiring a guide in rio given all the info that is available on here to be a waste on money you could be spending on guys in the sauna! :-) When I went the first time in Oct. of 2001, before GPS and Garmins, I had a sheet of paper with the addresses of the two saunas, Rogers and 117, and really had no problems or issues. Now, some 50+ trips later, my Portuguese is still non existant, I know the important words...Activo/Passivo/Gozar, etc. and with well over ---- experiences with guys there, have never really had a problem Know the words for the amount of money

cinqüênta = $50. Cem = 100. the two most important numbers in Brazil!

but alot depends on your personality! I am a pretty out going guy, not really shy! :-) if you are a shy guy than probably hiring a guide your first night is a good idea until you feel comfortable. but it's really not necessary! send me a message if you have any questions.

The basic info such as restaurants to go, ATM's that work with your card in Brazil, etc. are all in previous post on here. You will have a great time! one other thing, I don't recommend a apt. your first trip! again IMHO. stay at the Atlantico hotel until you got the whole feel of the Rio scene down.

[Guest Conway]

I would concur that you shouldn't stay in Apartment on your first trip. I made that mistake on my second trip to Rio. The nice little one bedroom apartment shown on the internet turned out to be a horrible dump. I was fortunate to find a room at the Atlantico, but my fee for the whole week had already been paid for the apartment.

[lookin]

Many thanks, guys! Excellent advice, as usual.

My thoughts may have been colored by an experience a few years ago in Budapest, where a friend and I spent our first night in a very nice hotel, and then another week in an apartment we found in a local guide. It was a spacious two bedroom apartment, with a helpful manager and his cute 'assistant' who showed us where to find everything we were looking for and how to get around. The apartment was quite a bit cheaper than the hotel, much more spacious, and was in a neighborhood that put us among the locals. We felt free to have guests, and we could roll out of bed in the morning for cereal and coffee while still in our jammies. I guess that's the experience I was hoping to capture in Rio.

I'd certainly spend the first night or two in a hotel, but also leave open the option of relocating to a nice weekly apartment if there was one to be found. If nothing good turned up, it sure sounds like the Atlantico is the place to be. (When I'm not otherwise occupied, that is. )

You folks are incredibly knowledgeable and very gracious in sharing your experiences. And the pictures in the other threads are definitely stoking my desire to put it to good use. Thanks again for all the tips!

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

for my 2 cents worth.. book a hotel for your first stay... If you are like almost everyone else, during your first visit, you will already start planning your return visit...Before your first visit happens, go ahead and contact a few of the apartments that you have found online. Once you arrive, you can go and check the apartments out for future trips, while still having the hotel for your first trip. The afore mentioned incident is what I would be afraid of... booking an apartment site unseen..Just as we have learned from escorts, a picture can be several years old, or just be fake all together..

[Guest pokahottie]

I just wanted to say 'thank you' to everyone for taking the time to reply.

Great advice and feedback; I've decided to start planning for a trip in April.

I look forward to learning something I can share in a few months.

Cheers and all the best.