you were alot higher than I was..202.

Yes, they were friendly. I am saddened that they are sold out for my return trip in march.

It doesn't look like I will be getting back until November/December. I will definately book in advance.

The weather looks like what I had in May around Memorial Day.

I have never been in March. I am curious as to what the action is like. When I was there for Carnival, the girls were talking of leaving for Spain shortly after as it gets too cold for them. I am sure bargains are to be had for those remaining.

All the best,

-w

can anyone report how the weather is for the months of april, and then sept. i have 2 return trips planned. THATS how much fun we had.

The weather will be mild and enjoyable in April... Though Sept is winter time for Brazil, a light jacket will do ya - 60-70% I love Rio in the winter Truly the best time, IMHO.

I need HELP!!! Can anyone direct me to the thread where wilmafint posted (I can't find it)a url to the hotel he stays at in the "terma triangle"? Will be there next week and most hotels are booked - looking for options.

Rio is the same distance south of the equator as Miami is north of it so you get the same temperatures except 6 months out of cinque.

Wilco - that thread was in the "what is your favorite termas?" thread. And after yesterday, term65 is my current favorite although I'm heading to Solarium now so they'll probably win the crown back.

Yeah, I've always wanted to go to Terma 65; this time for sure.

Tom, I'll be sending you an email on some hotel options. Turns out Rio Roiss is not booked, but part of me wants to try the Othon Savoy.

If you are still interested, here's the URL to the Hotel Atlantico Copacabana. I suggest booking the hotel through BlameItonRio4Travel. Bobby can get you the locals rate in reals, and you don't need to leave your credit card number.

Wilco - I think with your current travel plans, we should be able to hit termas 65 next Thursday afternoon. The girls should be well rested as they closed down for Carnaval from Friday-Wednesday and I believe that this is the case with all the downtown termas.

Thanks, Wilmaflint.... Perhaps one day our paths will cross and I can buy you a choppe. I was able to get a good deal with the Rio Roiss without using Bobby.

Tom, Termas 65 this Thursday it is

Wilco-Can I ask how you did it and for how much? On the Rio Roiss that is.thanks

YT,

One of the things that I remember about 65 was that it was hard to find. When you get back if you could post directions, that would be great.

TIA,

Gitano

Layne, I just emailed them asking if there were any promotions. Turns out there offering 15% off std fare, which came to $125R. Mind you, this is a single.

Wilco - what email address did you use? Last time I checked their web site was very simple/uninformative.

I emailed them before my trip with no answer...did you write it in English or portuguese?

What's rio roiss email???

Not sure what addie you guys have, but I used the one on their business card rioroiss@tropicalbr.com.br

Layne, I wrote, and they replied in english.

Thanks..I will give it a try...

Youngtom- Where are you staying? First time? How do you like it and would you recommend it?

Fooledagain - I'm staying in apt a couple of blocks off the beach & Help that I got thru Kenn. I've stayed in these apts before (in fact, I just looked up top of this thread & it seems I paid $40 last time; lots more now but hey it is Carnaval) . The apts that I'm currently in are great & I'd recommend them if you want to save some bucks - they are clean, have a security guard, kitchen, air conditioner, cable TV, no phone, low price. They had a cab waiting for you at the airport if you want one. Kenn says he has a bunch of others that are nicer, on the beach, etc.

Just got email from Rio Roiss, standard is available for 120R and double room for 160R. They are saying that's a 20% saving from 150R and 200R.

I stayed in 2 hotels on this trip.

Debret - I liked this place alot. You can get a beach view if you want.

Savoy Orthon - this place was been totally renovated in the last 2 years. I had no problem bringing a girl in. This is another moderately priced option for a place to stay.

Youngtom, How did you get your reservations at the Debret and how much did you pay? Were you there durig carnival or after carnaval was over? Thanks-- On their web site it is 148 for a double standard room which does not have a beach view.March 1 it goes to 169. The prices from ipenema.com are no good. They now have a different web site from that one. This is what they are telling me.

I stayed there just after Carnaval (Feb 14-Feb 17). I paid the double occupancy rate (194 reais) for a Luxo - frente that they are showing on their web site. I just used their on-line reservation form on their websight.

What the hell is going on in brazil from March 12th to the 16th?

I can't get a room at the Roiss on the 15th.. and they want to charge me R200 a night for the 16th to the 21st??

From them:

We received your message and inform that we only has room available from
march 16th/02 to march 21th/02 for a dbl standard is R$200,00 + 5%tax . We
are completely full here from march 12th/02 to march 16th/02.
Please send us a message on march 04th/02 to confirm this reservation.
Best regards,
Edmara Luz

Dood
200R is regular price for double.
I got 160R for may trip.
Looks like they are just full as March 12 is in two weeks.

Ok.. I guess I'll take their offer, unless someone can come up with something better

I'll need a place to stay on the 15th though

Email Don at riotrips@hotmail.com. He might be able to help if you still need it.

Rio Roiss had a tour group take most of their rooms for March I was told...

Thumper: Re: Othon

A few details to put in perspective -

1. The garotas that I have brought do not at all look suspicious. In fact early last year, there was this counter girl from Stern @ Othon who was really slutty lookin

2. Since '98, Othon has had literally '100s of days stay charged to my company. We also used to hold our regional bi-annual three day Workshop/Conference rooms with them.

This year (2002) I gather we have a Marriott deal, so worldwide if there is a Marriott we'll use that.

3. Never attempt to bring a garota that really looks like a SoHo hooker

Now, I'm slightly puzzled - When you come back from the beach, Othon insists that you go down and wash up and deposit the towels (The hotel's towels), Is the security at the elevators preventing people wrapped in towels from going down ????

The German story sounds aweful, I also heard that once a planeload of firemen came and stayed at a really garota friendly place, created so much rucus that the hotel in question does not accept any group reservations from that city.

I haven't used them but here are some sites for apartment rentals in Rio:
www.a3.com/aa/vera/
www.rioseasonflats.adm.br/paginainicial2.htm
www.copacabanaholiday.com.br/english/index.htm
www.ibibras.com/index_ing.htm

Hugh,

Why didn't you like your rental from John Thompson? I met him a couple of times in Meia Pataca and he seemed like a decent guy. Can you shed some light on what happened to you when you rented a apartment from him.

Another inexpensive hotel is the Rishon Residence hotel in Copacabana. A url describing the hotel can be seen at:
http://www.ipanema.com/hotel/r.htm#rishon_residence

Right now the rate to stay there is about $35 / day. I stayed there last August. It is clean, fealt safe, and is one block from the beach.

A picture follows below:

Canonperdido
Can we assume Rishon is garotas friendly when getting a double room???

To tell you the truth, I was there only two nights, and did not bring in any garotas. I did see some guys bringing garotas in and out. They ladies were either dropping off their health card / id, or picking it up on the way out.

This place is waling distance from Centarus. I did walk there and back one night. If I remember correctly I it was 6 or 7 blocks. It was late enough when I walked back that I am not sure that I would do that again.

Another place that I stayed in January was the ACAPULCO COPACABANA. I stayed there 3 and 1/2 days. The 1/2 was for a late checkout because the flight did not leave until 8 PM. The bill was $195. This hotel was about 1 block from Franks, and 2 blocks from Barbarella. I did have a lady that stayed with me the entire visit this time. This place had a great breakfast, was a block from the beach, phones in room, and a friendly staff.

It seemed that not many people from the US stay here. Most of the guests were speaking Portuguese or Spanish. I think that a lot of the visitors were from Argentina.

It still was a good place for the money, and it seemed like a safe area. Sorry, but I do not have a url for this place.

another hotel that is garota friendly is the HOTEL ATLANTICO COPACABANA. i believe it is only 1 block from the beach. each room is a mini suite and the price is $65 us for a double. might want to check blame it on rio website for particulars.

Isnt the HOTEL ATLANTICO COPACABANA more like 8-10 blocks off the beach ...I thought I remember passing it on the way from Luomo.

The Hotel Atlanticao I stayed at was one block from the beach. This hotel you probably would not see from a main street. If you are driving through Copacabana towards downtown, just after you turn left to go through the tunnel to Boto Fugo (not sure of the spelling), you turn right on a side street just after passing the Le Meridien. The hotel is on the left.

The map below will show the location. I cannot find the hotel on Travelocity, but I checked my American Express charge slip, and that was the name of the hotel.

I stand corrected. I was usually light headed after leaving Luomo.

Layne: damn, dude, it's not possible to be 10 blocks from the beach in Copacabana! Must have had a hell of a workout at L'Huomo!

Funny..guess thats what she did to me..what a feeling tho. Going to be tough to stay away from her this week.

Anyone know which hotels/apartments (if any) have an internet connection inside the room/hotel/apartment? If none, which are closest to Internet cafes?

That's right, Brazil is next!

There are many internet cafes in Copacabana so if you end up in an apt or hotel there you will have no problem finding an internet cafe within a few blocks. I've listed the addresses of several of the big internet cafes in a thread called "Internet Cafes".

If you don't stay in Copacabana/Ipanema, then you could be in trouble. I ran into a couple during Carnaval that ended up staying in Downtown Rio, and they were forced to get a cab to Copacabana to find an internet cafe.

Prices are very cheap in the internet cafes.

Maybe someone else can provide some information in regards to hotels that are internet ready. I've only stayed in the moderately priced hotels - Rio Roiss, Debret, Hotel Savoy and none of them are internet ready. The high end hotels might have internet included.

Canonperdido mentioned above that he paid a 1/2 day rate in a hotel. This something for everyone to consider or inquire about with your hotel since almost all flights home leave late evening; no point paying for any entire day if you don't have too. The Rio Roiss also allows you to pay a 1/2 day rate - I'm sure many other hotels do as well.

If your hotel does not have a 1/2 day rate then they are many "Love Motels" in Rio. You can stay in one of these for a few hours/half day if you need a room for a hot date. Many Love Motels in Rio have an entire spectrum of rooms - from modestly priced rooms on the low end to rooms that are more like the Taj Mahal on the high end.

I generally check out around noon then head for a termas on my last day so the 1/2 day rate isn't really useful for me.

Late checkout is a typical concern as many of us are on flights which don't leave till after 9pm. I have found that the hotels will allow you to check out as late as 3pm at no extra charge.

I always just take my luggage with me to a terma and hang out there till it's time to go. Problem is, I usually get so worked up at the terma that I start rationlizing missing my flight and staying some aditional days

Prior to leaving on 2 occasions (so far :-)

I've stayed at VIPS (love motel near the Sheraton in Ipanema) prior to my flight. I was in the Presidential Suite $R160 for 8 hours. There were several less expensive rooms all for 8 hours.

I've also paid 1/2 rate at the hotel and stayed until 8.

Next trip, I'll drag my bags to the terma before leaving.

I have left my bags at termas prior to a flight several times in the past with no problem.I did this at Rio Antigo this last trip and I have done it at MonteCarlo and L'Uamo as well. Marcel, the manager at Monte Carlo, even suggests the practice. I personally feel better about doing this in one of the smaller termas like those listed above where I have met the manager. I would not recommend it at a club like 4x4 , for example. The only real problem comes when the airport security asks if the bags have been out of your possession. If you haven't checked the bags beforehand you must either lie or ready yourself for a lengthy search.
I just wish someone would open a terma at the airport. Now that would be convenient.

Wilco,
I nearly did that my last trip at L'uomo. I just kept telling myself 15 more minutes here won't hurt. 15 minutes rationalization here and 15 minutes rationalization there, pretty soon we're talking missed flight. But, alas, my notion of responsibility compelled me to leave so I could make it back to work. Barely, though. I had to squeeze in one last quarter of an hour.

Never happened to me. I'm already worried about my next trip; I have some non-changeable tickets so if I miss my flight, I'm am going to have to buy some very new & expensive tickets.

StayawayJoe - it is only a matter of time until you miss your flight due to a termas but there is no better reason.

Layne87,
The hotel you are thinking of is the Atlantico Copacabana on the corner of Tonelero and Rua Sigueira Campos. It's just over from L'Uamo.With the great apartment availability in Copacabana I just can't understand the attraction of the hotels. In four trips to Rio I have only spent one night in a hotel...my first night of my first trip. Apartments are just so much more flexible. Layne, I hope you are enjoying this trip. Say hello to Don for me and tell him I still want to get together with Danielle. Ask him about the new penthouse we have in the works.

I am staying in an apartment this time...girls seem to like it better but doormen can be assholes sometimes to the girls.