susan schommer

I'll be in Rio the first of July and was planning on getting a mid-range hotel upon arrival. July is school break month. Does anyone know if hotel arrangements are hard to come by in July? Susan

Vania

Susan<BR>I'm from Rio de Janeiro and I'll give you some emails:<BR>www.ipanema.com<BR>www.blameitonrio4tra vel.com<BR>www.brazilnuts.com<BR>www.concierge.com <BR>If you want anything more mail me<BR>[email protected]<BR>I hope it helps

Don

Susan, Im not sure why but it always seems that July is a month in season in Brazil. With that it seems that you would be better off making reservations ahead of time, I always stay at a 3 star hotel The Hotel Debret, www.debret.com, you can make your reservation right from here, the website is quoted in local currency about 2.70 Real to the dollar, roughly a room is about $60 a day. A Step up would be a 4 star, hotels Luxor Regente and The Miramar Palace, both very nice and about $125 a day, you can get them off their own websites or www.blameitonrio4travel.com, any other info you can email me or post here.

Don

If you look at the Debret website take a look at the PACOTES PROMOCIONAIS, you can get a package of days 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 and they will charge you less money then the daily rate, it is a good saving for example a standard room for 7 days single comes out at $39 a day, you can't beat that for beach front property.

Bill

Hi. I'll be in Rio soon too. Headed to Sao Paulo 3 July, then Rio about 7 july for 4-5 nights. Looking at the same hotels.

Jim Rosenberg

For what it's worth, we picked up the Inter-Continental for $99/night under this summer's "World at Half Price" promotion. You can check your dates via the site:<BR><BR>http://www.intercontinental.com/index.shtml<BR><BR>Be sure to keep scrolling down when the available room rates come up -- we didn't see this rate at the top of the list. Happy Contrails!

CariocaRio

Jim, that is a great rate for that hotel, the hotel has a great pool and lobby. Be careful on the beach across the street in Sao Conrado, its very beautiful and a very nice walk down to the end by Pria do pepino. There is a very big favella near by called Rocino and the inhabitants have been known to come down to Sao Conrado and rob tourists, so keep your eyes open. Also the hotel is quite a distance from Ipanema and Copacabana so you will be spending on taxis. The taxis employed by the hotel are a bit more money, if you walk out the front door of the hotel and walk across the street you will see a group of yellow taxis willing to take you anywhere. Bargain with them and after a while of trips back and forth you will see what a good price is.

Jim Rosenberg

Thanks so much for the heads-up info; we truly appreciate it. We are experienced travelers and therefore somewhat wary, but I'll also admit that some of the things we hear are a bit unsettling at times. I take it that the robbery thing in Brazil is a bit more confrontational than in Europe, where the crimes tend to be more of the "stealth" variety such as pick-pocketing, swindles and theft of things when they are unattended. I'm planning to carry very little with me at any given time as a result. Of course, we still want to experience the place and not simply stay locked up on the hotel grounds. Do you have any specific suggestions about safeguards other than carrying little worth robbing?

CariocaRio

Jim, It sounds like you won't have a problem, I have been to Rio over 40 times and have had minimal problems. If you watch out you should be alright. You will enjoy the Intercontinental as I always do.