Rua Xavier da Silveria, 15B Copacabana, RdJ, Brazil
www.blameitonrio4travel.com
email: bobby@blameitonrio4travel.com
tel: 55 21 3813 5510/3813-5511
fax: 55 21 3813 0609
cel: 55 21 9698 9030

Bobby is a slick operator and he always treats us in a very friendly manner!!! He runs his office very professionally. He has two female assistants and they speak decent English.

We dogged Bobby on our 1st reservation from Rio to SP. We came in his office and he still welcomed us with open arms. We made another reservation for SP, but we dogged him again due my bedded bee stung condition. Bobby made reservation for us at the Braston Hotel in SP and we paid 1/3 of their published rack rate.

On a Sunday when all cambio were closed, Bobby exchanged a large amount of money for us at his office. Bobby said he will receive a currency trading license soon and will offer legal cambio exchange. If you visit Bobby's office, Bobby offers you free internet access and a T-shirt with no purchase neccessary. What a guy...

In his defense regard the re-directed website issue, "...Ken used to work for Bobby, but when he branched out on his own, he took some of Bobby's contacts along with him." We told Bobby either you guys needed to communicate or you guys should visit the termas to get laid.

Kenn has never worked for Bobby. Bobby sometimes is less than professional and can't stand a bit of competition.

Snakebomb.. where did you get that info. Bobby?

I never worked for Bobby. Bobby and I have never even spoken to each other more than 6 or 7 times in the 2 years I know him. I would never work for him.

Kenn, notice the quotations "...." so it's from slick Bobby...and it's safado Sakebomb not Snakebomb...well, snakebomb is cool too, but not my callsign.

Sorry Sakebomb, I'll be sure to get your handle correct this time.
See, I just misspelled your handle and you got a little upset. When I read your post about me working for Bobby I got upset. Especially when you said I worked FOR him and I left with some of his clients. I get upset when people associate me in any way with Bobby. I would still like to know who told you this..

Kenn, sorry for the confusion, I wasn't upset. I quoted Bobby's comment when the three of us were in his office booking our flights and hotel to Sao Paulo. Another word, Bobby told us that.

I have to give Bobbie his due props...his office staff was very nice and got my trip planned off to BH on short notice with no problems encountered in the reservations...I also looked at a few of his apts and they are looking pretty good...also expanding his office by buying out the shoe store beside him....

Belly Horizonte Lucky Layne, did Bobby got his currency trading license yet? Bobby also has some deep sea fishing charter boat tours if you're interested.

As of Sunday when I left no...he is diving into so many arenas...you have to hand it to him...if there is money to be made he his going to try it...

I booked my RT Rio-Sampa with Mariana at BlameItOnRio, exchanging emails from SoCal and faxing my CC. She got me Vasp RT for 352R. I booked ticket 3 months in advance and picked up ticket at her office.

Blame It on Rio 4 Travel provides excellent customer service for the non-Brazilian tourist. Bobby and his staff are very hard working and can handle most if not all of your in-country travel and lodging needs. I suggest that you send an email introducing yourself and giving them your dates. Bobby is quite entertaining and very customer focused, but his Brazilian staff (3 women and 2 men) are responsible for the day to day operations and are very competent. He has a storefront location very close to the hotspots.

Hotels - Bobby works with hotels that allow guests (nicer hotels than the Debret and Rio Roiss) and similar or slightly higher prices.

Apartments - Bobby has access to quite a few apartments. Ask about the newly renovated three bedroom apartment on Avenue Atlantica. It is wonderful.

Drivers- Ask about airport drivers. They are inexpensive and very safe, particularly if you need to stop at the bank and/or other stops.

Airfare - Bobby has hooked up with an airfare consolidator for his website. I have not used the service.

Advice/Questions, etc. Bobby and his staff are very helpful. You are encouraged to stop by and/or use his extra computer for email checking. He is expanding this service.

If true, I'm glad to see that Bobby's service is presently better than the miserable service I (and apparently others) received from him a year or so ago. But I must ask, has he finally gotten it together, or he is just spamming us like he used to do on the TSM board?

Dont know Wisconsin but I have used bobby for a few things and he and his people are coming thru just fine..

will they make mistakes?.. yeah...but they will go the extra step to make it right...it is tough to get people from another country to think like us "want it yesterday" americans often do...

I just returned from another trip to Rio. I used Blame it on Rio 4 Travel once again with very good results. I stayed at the brand new Princess Copacabana Hotel, Rua Xavier da Silveria, 58 (I think) Copacabana, RdJ, Brazil (Intersection of N. S. Copacabana and Rua Xavier da Silveria. The hotel is brand new, opened in November 2002. I had a two room suite complete with a small kitchen, balcony, marble floors, nice wood furnishing, cable TV, etc. A very nice breakfast is included in the 2nd floor restaurant. The hotel has a pool, saunas, small exercise room, and hot tub. It was a really great place. The price was about 170 reals per day plus tax for the suite. What a deal! The Debret and the Rio Roiss can not even begin to compare!

Once again, Bobby and his staff, was very helpful.

Layne, you know me. I talked to you at Alcazar about visiting your home state last August for a really big event.

Hey W,
How goes it? So, was the establishment garota friendly? Hope you had a good trip,
CG

Was Bobby able to get you a room with no garota charge? I had a couple of buddies who were there last week and the hotel refused to waive the guest charge, even thought there were 5 of them looking to rent rooms. I told them maybe Bobby could have hooked them up.

Hey CG,
I miss you! Rio is not as entertaining without you. I saw your wife at Luomos (I did not see her up close).

Thumper,
The Princess Copacabana has a $60R fee for guests and they do not waive it. However, it does include a nice breakfast and use of the facilties. Womem love the pool! The Debret charges a little less, but then you are in the Debret. The PC is a nice place and well worth the money.

Wisconsin,

How was the biking this time of year? Not too hot I hope. This is what, your third trip this year? I'm envious as hell. Were you there at the same time as travellersn?

Princess sounds like a great deal. The address sounds like one block off the beach. Could you see the beach from your suite there?

Are you going to write a report, or at least a mini review of your recent experiences?

Wisconsin,
Thanks, I think. Ah, shit when you are as big a dufus as I am you are bound to be entertaining. I do still owe you one hell of a favor, which I doubt I could ever repay fully. Drop me a note when you figure out your next trip, I had a great time hanging out with you and I am sure our paths are bound to cross again. Take care.
CG

Wisconsin,
Was that 60R charge for every garota that came to your room or just for overnight guests? If you have a terma girl come over for a few hours during the daytime, will they charge you the guest charge?

I went thru Blame it on Rio and paid no charge for garota, 168R for suite, talk to Marrianna.

Found out last week that Mariana no longer works there...Catarina's the new employee working with Bobby

Princess Copacabana has balcony in all rooms. Some face the street and you can see the ocean (these rooms pick up street noise and construction noise). Some face the back and the pool, not a bad view (these are the quiet rooms)

$60R each time, although I only had one per day so I don't know if they charge more than once a day.

Someone stole my CC number on my last trip and was able to charge $3k before I found it, call me stupid but I am almost certain it was the old secretary at BlameItOnRio. I cannot be 100% but i remember she disappeared for over 2 min with my CC while at termas, CC was always in my sight.
BlameItOnRio has 2 secretaries, 1 young and cute, other one old .
My advice if you deal with them use cash. I may send an email to Bobby but I think I'll just use another travel agency next time out.

"but i remember she disappeared for over 2 min with my CC while at termas, CC was always in my sight."

That is not necessarily conclusive proof one way or the other.

In the United States, it is now law in many states that the Zons (credit card charge machines) only display the last four numbers of your credit card number on the receipt. This is so the zit faced kid at Blockbuster Video can't pull out your credit card receipt and get the number and expiration date off of it and go charging.

But I doubt they do the same thing in Brazil. Anyone who had access to your credit card receipts could of had access to your credit card numbers. The fact that you always saw the card at a certain location does not mean that someone still didn't get the number and expiration date off the recipt after you left.

Actually, I am always concerned about the credit card receipts in foreign countries. I am quite certain in Brazil they have all your credit card info on it, including number and expiration date. I usually bring my copies of the receipts back to the U.S. and shred them, but that doesn't take care of the copies that stay with the merchant and/or are extras and thrown out with their trash. While I have other issues with BlameitonRio that would prevent me from using them again, I agree with Xenono that your evidence is a bit thin to reach the conclusion you do.

It was my fifth trip using CC at termas and first trip using CC at BlameItOnRio so maybe I am prejudiced. Indeed all receipts show your full account number.

I used Bobby's agency to book a flight Rio Salvador for a friend.

I am pleased to say that they charged regular Brazilian prices. They charged the rates I found at the Internet, they even tried to match the Internet Only Special rate by Gol.

Actually, I think my best friend travel agent gives me an additional 2-3 % off my the published rates, but I did not bother asking this time. But that is a guy our family did insane amounts of cambio business with, so this discount might not be normal.

Bobby is around the corner from where I live, and I am happy to say that his prices for tickets are NOT Gringo ripoff prices, but regular travel agency prices.

I am not partial to Bobby and I am not getting paid by him!

======
by the way, the original credit card slip MUST show the entire credit card number. How else would they send it in to the company for charge??? Of course, if it has been charged electronically, you can omit the information. But otherwise, the merchant better possess the card number ...

I used Bobby to book some hotels on my recent trip.

Before going to Buzios, Bobby and I discussed my needs for a hotel or apartment upon my return to Rio. I called Bobby from Buzios twice on my day of returning to Rio, as we had planned, and he dropped what he was doing immediately both times to minimize my hold time. He said he would book the Roiss for me. We also discussed the Orla, but the price was more than I wanted to pay. We agreed I would use the Roiss, for one day and then attempt a move to an apartment as none were avaiable for my arrival date, and Bobby confirmed I had a room reserved. He also told me he would double book me at the Orla so I had some options.

I arrived at the Roiss, and they were sold out, and I had no reservation! I was quite pissed off. Bobby's office was closed... we called the Orla, and they had a reservation for me (I will post details on the Orla in its section).

I checked out the next day and visited Bobby's office. An apartment wasn't available, but Bobby was able to score a rate at the Orla for the rest of my stay (4 more nights) at a much lower rate... one low enough that I may not use apartments any longer (again, details in the appropriate section).

So, while I was quite unsatisfied with the agency at one point, I was quite pleased in the end. In summary, I guess a mixed review... confirming that Bobby is a good guy, the office is way friendly and convenient and an excellent resource... but occasionally they miss on some details.

I will continue to recommend and use them... a cautious recommendation let's call it.

i have held off slamming bobby after my thanksgiving trip where his people totally screwed my traveling companion around with his hotel reservation. however , i contacted them in early dec for a reservation at the princess for jan. i did not hear from them from dec 20 to jan 5 despite countless e-mails on my part. i finally had to resort to ipanema.com at the last minute[ with success]. i am hard pressed to recommend him at this point as this is the 2nd time they have blamed their computers for the trouble rather than the people using them. nice guy who is not taking care of business.

He told me, and I heard him several times tell others, that his systems (conections?) were down for over a week during the Xmas timeframe.

I do know that his internet connection has been up and down most of last month. It must be driving him nuts with his daytrading.

I spoke to him a week after I left in early December and it was down again. A week or so after that I got an email from Luana about one of my hotel requests. I responded back but never heard anything. I also filled out his reservation form on his website a couple of times in Dec and never heard a thing. I meant to call him, but I found some other deals elsewhere that I knew he couldn't beat anyway. I can't help but think they are having serious technical issues because he or Luana have always been responsive. I can't really say anything bad about the two times I have rented from him. Not sure exactly what happened this time though. No big deal, but I plan on going by there next week and telling him he's losing some business for whatever reason.

I booked two tickets online via his site for $720 each. I thought I had the tickets, because the system had taken my credit card info. A week later, when I hadn't received any confirmation, I began emailing Bobby's office, to no avail. I did not have the tickets, and in the meantime, the ticket prices had risen to $950 each. Not only did I have to pay more for the tix, my requests for apartment rentals were ignored.

I've met Bobby and he's a super guy. My experience with his business has been so bad that I doubt I'll use him again.

If you guys were having so many problems contacting him by the internet, why didnt you guys just call him?

I did call him
3x
No help at all

I know I got some spam from him this weekend.

I was back using BlameItOnRio to book flights out of Rio. They basically use the Gol web site to get you fares. I still do not trust them so paid everything in cash. All the employees seem to speak very good English and one girl is very beautiful. Anyone knows her name? long curly hair, dark honey eyes, mid 20's. Of course with my luck got help from other girls.

I don't trust them AFTER paying for everything in cash. I once rented an apartment from Bobby for a period of around 10 days. He wanted cash up front at the moment I checked in. Turned out the apartment was awful, and after about a day I asked him if I could change to something else (that the bed was moldy, e.g., was not immediately evident when I "checked in." but became evident after I slept on it). No go, according to him I paid for it, it was mine for the duration. I haven't rented an apartment in Rio since, and would never do business with Bobby again for that and a host of other reasons.

To be fair though, this was a few years ago, and it is possible now that he has a staff, etc., his service has improved. But I will never find out.

(Message edited by LAguy on December 30, 2004)

Maria is her name Athos..

Bobby does pretty good once he knows you..they were dealt a heavy blow recently losing their most modern apts ...

Bobby had a stroke last month as well. I think he was laid up for about a week, so not a major stroke but still, any stroke is serious.

Bobby and company took good care of me over the holidays - rented apartments from him twice on short notice.

This might be the wrong place to post this but hopefully i will get a response.

I am interested in knowing how much people are paying for apartments in rio. In my experience, I have been charged roughly as follows:

For something on visconde de piraja or prudente de moraes near feira hippie (where I normally stay) from 150 reais to 400 reais per day. Also, the nicer girl friendly hotels like copacabana mar or atlantico charge me around 150 per day.

As far as apartments are concerned, 150 being for a one bedroom in a luxury doorman building, 400 for a two bedroom in a nicer building.

I have also seen the concrete shitholes in copa that go for 60-80 per day or less.

My question is this. I know most of the girls I know in rio pay from 600-1200 reais per month for a one or two bedroom apartment in ipanema (in a good area). Granted these places are not furnished, and there is going to be a premium because i am an estrangeiro, but I have to believe there are furnished apartments somewhere you could get for 2000-2500 per month in a decent place. Do you guys know of the best way to get something like this? I have tried many agencies with no luck and I have also had the girls in rio look for me, but they always bring me to a friend of a friend who looks like he got out of prison the day before renting some shithole in copa.

Any advice would be appreciated.

(Message edited by gr8ter on January 08, 2005)

Gr8ter, I hope you get the answer that you are looking for. This subject was discussed a while back on the regular board from the point of view of finding an appartment that wasn't a dump filled with worthless furniture. I think "our" problem is that we are tourists down for a short time and with zero knowledge of how the local markets work. This isn't meant to be a put down on the services of those who act as intermediares as some of them have talked about how hard it is to get the owners of the rentals to invest in fixing their places up. For you to find a quality apartment is probably going to mean having to actually live there for a while and make the necessary connections that will allow you to access the same market as the general population. Good luck.

Gr8ter, check Decio's apartments at www.telefonema.net

I can get you good monthly rates at some of them, if you contact me. Not sure if you can get it directly through him. Unfortunately, that rate is NOT valid in high high season in Jan, Feb, and July. Economy apartment for R$ 1000 per month, the type A. Sorry, not this month!!

If you ask all apartment rental people, some might just give you monthly rates for cheaper. Just they don't publish it.

Apartments by the month are fairly cheap. The tourist rental prices are based on the fact that they stay empty for a maior part of the month. So for 1-3 month rentals some should give substantial discounts

When you do your monthly comparisons, remember to through in some reals for made service.

Just an unsolicited endorsement as I wander through Club Hombre.

Bobby was a fantastic help to me in '01. Great deal on a condo a block or so from Help. 1500sq ft, dining room, several bathrooms, bedrooms. Very reasonable, too. Just before Carnivale.

Slick

Great. And Michele was a sweet girl in '04, just before Carnaval. Do you have any relevant comments?