Am heading back to Rio/Copa shortly after a very long absence. I remember back then there were very, very few hotels in the Copa-area that were truly considered "girlfriendly"--that is, you could bring girls up, AND not pay a fee for them. Anyone have any recent experiences/info if there are any such places left? Or apart-hotels like they have in Sao Paulo where they don`t care who you bring up? Years ago it was only the Atlantico Copacabana Hotel on Rua Sequir Campos that was truly girlfriendly, but their prices have soared. Any info would be greatly appreciated!!!!

The Atlantico is about the cheapest decent place in all of Zona Sul. If it's out of your price range (about US$80 a night) then what is your price range? About the only thing cheaper than the Atlantico are regular apartments, definitely no apart-hotels.

Check the Rio Copa website, prices at current exchange rate are running 100 US and UP. I dont mind paying 80-100 i guess, i just dont want to be hassled for even MORE bucks when i bring a girl up--either by official hotel policy, or individiual shakedown attempts by ambitious front desk clerks. Regular apartments put me off, I need the perks hotels offer. Apart-hotels are expensive now? Christ, what to do, what to do.....

The Real rate for a standard at the Atlantico Copa is R$195 a night - I guess it went up R$10 this year. So, at current exchange rates, about US$85. You won't find anything any cheaper than that.

I think we are looking at different hotels, this is the one i am refering to: http://www.redeatlantico.com.br/pt-br/atlantico-copacabana/atlantico-copacabana.asp

prices are 250real and up, thats somewhat OVER $100US a night, where are you finding 195R a night?

why not just rent an apartment?

Choc,

The rate on their website is substantially higher than you get if you 1) use one of the booking guys like Amerioca or Ipanema.com or 2)call the hotel directly.

My pricing comes from the fact that I 1)stayed there last year, 2)know guys that have stayed there just a few weeks ago and 3)from looking at the prices on Ipanema.com.

well, so it looks like other than the Atlantico Copa, at whatever price it is, there is no other hotel in copa that is truly girlfriendly. bummer, but i am not surprised, there were few like this in copa ever. as for renting an apt. i am a man who requires constant pampering. room service, lots of free toilet paper, an in-house cafe, someone to make my bed each day, etc. the works! getting an apt means getting a maid, shopping for stuff, etc. sorry, i am far too cultured to stoop to such.

Well, the Marriott is very girl friendly, it's only US$300 or so a night. Good pampering there as well.

yes Cato, true, the Marriott IS girl friendly, but as you point out, at a price of "only: $300US a night. a little too rich for even my upscale blood

What about the Princess Copacabana. I think I stayed there last year and I recall getting a decent weekend rate of 195R. It was always girl-friendly, had a very good breakfast, and they offer room service as well. Daily maid service and close to everything.
If you go through a local travel agency, they can generally get you a discount.
Check with Bobby at BlameItOnRio Travel.

There are some pretty decent girlfriendly apartment-hotels in Ipanema for less than 200R. There is no room service per se, but most restaurants deliver anyway.

If you can afford 200R, there are a lot of options.

Well now, now here`s a man with some serious information. Thank you Cinc. Ipanema I wouldn`t consider, too far away from the action and not enough hookers within walking distacne. The Princess Copacabana on the other hand.... I don`t know it, but have heard of it. So you are saying you can bring a girl up 24/7 without hassle and without additional charges and without charging her for her breakfast as well if she stays over? IF that`s the case, we may be onto something here...where is this place actually located?

Not sure you'll find those prices these days. Their "special internet price" is R$230, and that rate would require you to pay extra for guests. All of the reservation services are charging more than that. The standard rate is now R$307 single and R$338 double.

http://www.ipanema.com/hotel/hotels.php?hotel=73

Aha! I knew it sounded too good to be true. so you have to pay extra for guests if you book a single, forget that then. i guess if you book the double, even though the the person who is the "double" changes daily, you dont get charged? okay, cool, BUT, you are paying 338, which is way high, so, you are paying the guest fee daily anyway in that sense that it is built into the price of the double. ohboy, this is getting very depressing. does anyone know of any aparthotels in copa, like they have in SPaulo, where they could care less if you brought a herd of moose into your room?

Choc,

You're all over the place here. You want pampering, but don't seem to want to pay much money. You want an apart-hotel, which are more expensive than places like the Atlantico Copacabana. You don't want a regular apartment where you can do what you want, so you want to try and find a place that won't charge guest fees.

What you are looking for does not exist on the bargain basement tour. Either plan on paying more to get what you want, or just get a regular apartment and make your own bed in the mornings and go get your own breakfast. It's not that hard to go to a Zona Sul and pay probably less than R$12 for a breakfast kilograma with all the usual cold cuts, cheeses, breads, fruits, etc. that you get at a hotel.

But anyways, that's been my point the whole time. If there was a place that met your original requirements, one of us would have probably told you. There isn't.

yes Cato, as usual, you are spot on. I am indeed a very, very finicky man, very fussy--and I want, no, make that DEMAND the best in all things, but at the lowest prices possible. I guess I have been spoiled by the great apart-hotels in SP for like 140. so when i see the Atlantico Copa at around double, i get ill. The idea of making my own bed in the am--PLEASE! I once threw my back out for a month trying to do that. NEVER AGAIN! Okay, well, thanks to all for your input, I see I am doomed.

Which great apart-hotels are you getting in Sao Paulo these days for around 140 reais a night?

Choc...could you post the link to the R$140/night great apart/hotel in Sao Paulo please? Thanks!

Along the lines of booking a hotel as a double at not being accessed a guest fee...I found that very common in Thailand.

Choc, when was the last time you were Rio and Sao Paulo? It sounds like you're thinking of rates from 5-6 years ago or something. You do realize there's been a lot of inflation since then, as well as a much stronger Real?

My experience is that regardless of exchange rates, inflation, etc. good deals can be had, just so long as one is as psychotic enough as myself to pursue them. In the Jardins area of SP, the area I always stay in of course as it is of a high quality befitting a man of my taste and caliber--and is superloaded with MAJOR eyecandy from AM to PM walking up and down the streets, local college girls walking to school etc, and located walking distance to that prive at 480 whatever rua--there are a number of excellent aparthotels to be had at bargain rates. My favorite is the Matiz Manhattan on Haddock Lobo. If you stay 30 days you get the rate of 140. If you stay less you pay a bit more. So I stay 30 days and I pay 140, and I laugh and laugh and laugh at the chumps I bump into there who stay shorter times and pay more. No link to this rate, you must call the place directly and make a deal with their back-office. How often do I go to GIG And GRU? Quite often actually, many times a year. And I always find better deals in GRU than GIG in almost everything. And of course there are MORE and better looking babes in SP than GIG for sure. I was in Bambooa not long ago, and the place was nothing but throngs of gorgeous hotties, tons of them, with very few customers to compete with.

Looks like the Matiz Manhattan charges US $120 through Yahoo travel for those that don't stay and negociate the 30 day rate. All I gotta say is, "More power to you".

Just goes to show that Brazil (even if one goes to SP instead of Rio) has something to offer for even the pickest of mongerers.

Enjoy the life!

(Message edited by solid808 on March 16, 2009)

I'm a bit confused, Choc. Up at the top you said you're returning to Rio after a long absence. Then above you say you go to GIG (and GRU) many times a year. Which is it? If you've been coming to Rio many times a year you should know the prices and the options, right?

I bet if you do a one-year lease in Sao Paulo you can get an even better rate per day and then compare that to the daily rate at Atlantico Copacabana to show how much cheaper Sao Paulo is.

Hotels may be a tad cheaper in Sao Paulo than Rio, but no longer by that much.

Choc's numbers really don't add up, unless he is quoting rates from years ago. Unless he knows something that hundreds or thousands of others who go down regularly don't know, he's dreaming.

Regardless, in his mind, it sounds like he already knows everything, which confuses me as to why he even asked the question to begin with.

I bet if you do a one-year lease in Sao Paulo you can get an even better rate per day and then compare that to the daily rate at Atlantico Copacabana to show how much cheaper Sao Paulo is.Hotels may be a tad cheaper in Sao Paulo than Rio, but no longer by that much.

LAGUY--your point is clear, but I dont think your logic holds up for the monger community this board is addressing--may it please the court. I read quite often on this site about this monger or that monger taking a monthlong trip to a locale. Right now for example there is a recent trip report listed called "Month In Pattaya." So citing the daily rate against the monthly i think is fair to evaluate, as mongers on this site often go for many weeks or a month at a time. On the other hand few if any of those on this board take off for a year unless you are becoming a full expat or something close. So, your honor, I feel that your point is poorly constructed, not relevant and I stand by my 140 real monthlong deal as being completely appropriate to rank against the daily rates. Case closed.

Choc's numbers really don't add up, unless he is quoting rates from years ago. Unless he knows something that hundreds or thousands of others who go down regularly don't know, he's dreaming.

Regardless, in his mind, it sounds like he already knows everything, which confuses me as to why he even asked the question to begin with.

CATO: The "numbers" are what they are, 140Real a night at that locale, providing you stay a miniumum of 30nights, make the call to their hotel managers office, you have to speak porto though they dont speak english, and you can confirm this. As well there are many other such places in that area that have the same deals in the same price range. Make the calls, confirm for yourself. This situation reminds me of that comical circumstance where a dozen people are standing around at an elevator waiting for it, all assuming, well the OTHER guy must have pressed the buttom. But no one did, and so all stood around waiting for nothing. You guys can look at the prices on Yahoo, hotels.com etc, all you want, OR you can spend a day walking around SP in a three piece suit and a bowler hat, going into hotels, requesting an audience with the manager, and then start to deal--discounts for staying longer, paying in advance, paying in cash, during low season etc. its all on the table--not on some website-- all you have to do is make your move. Or, you can just assume, well the OTHER guy must have checked this out already, I havent read about it on some website, so ergo, it does not exist. Sorry, it DOES exist! And when I am in SP for the month of August, paying, 140real, thats right, count it, 140 REAL a night, I will be having one heck of a time--especially enjoying the fact that the guys in the room next to me are paying 185!!!!

Regardless, in his mind, it sounds like he already knows everything, which confuses me as to why he even asked the question to begin with.

ahahah!!! no misquoting now!!! my original question on this thread was to find suitable accomodations for me for RIO, not SP, SP just came up in discussion as a place where I could find what I wanted in terms of price and quality as opposed to RIO. I do not know "everything" and never claimed such. I claimed that 140REAL deal in SP, THAT i do KNOW. BUT, I never said I knew the situation in RIO, and THAT is why I asked the question, BEcAUSE,, I STILL dont know!!!! Help me!!! Help me!!!! Any advice on Rio would STILL BE appreciated!!! And no more MISQUOTING PLEASE@@@@

Looks like the Matiz Manhattan charges US $120 through Yahoo travel for those that don't stay and negociate the 30 day rate. All I gotta say is, "More power to you".

Just goes to show that Brazil (even if one goes to SP instead of Rio) has something to offer for even the pickest of mongerers.

thank you MR. Solid, your support for my dedicated efforts to find top hotels at cheap rates is appreciated. You are obviously a man of intellect, as opposed to these other peasants that would rather toss silly stones than accept the wisdom I am imparting. $120US a night? that is like what now, 250 real? and i am paying 140 for the same room? all i can say is, hahahahaahaha!!!! DO I RULE OR WHAT!!!!!

you wont have a problem finding an apart hotel in rio for 4500 reais per month , comparing monthly and daily rates makes no sense

you wont have a problem finding an apart hotel in rio for 4500 reais per month , comparing monthly and daily rates makes no sense

i would LOVE an aparthotel in Rio for 4500reals a month, can you suggest any? as for it making no sense to compare daily and monthly rates, it makes PERFECT sense. lets say you are going to a place for 3 weeks. you will be paying the daily rate for three weeks, but guess what? IF you negotiate the cheaper monthly rate, you can stay an EXTRA week, almost for FREE!!! what do you want, 21 nights at 185 per, or 30 at 140 per? Uh DUH!!!! I now call upon all MONTHLY renters!!! Come out of your closets!!!! Lets band together and show these small potato daily-rate rubes what simpletons they are!!! MONTHLY RENTERS UNITE!!!!!!

obviously youd be a fool to rent a place for 3 weeks at a daily rate the difference is huge, there is no negotiating necessary , what im saying is you cant break down the monthly rate on a daily basis and say its a daily rate which is what you seem to be saying for instance last year I rented a nice 1br for 1700 reais a month , that doesnt mean that the guy that stayed for a week before me and paid 150 reais got a bad deal because I paid 57 reais per nite its 2 different things the week he stayed may have been all the income the owner got that whole month , hence the higher rate , if you were clear in your original post and said you were looking for a monthly rate you probably wouldve gotten all the info you needed and had your trip booked , but instead you tried to insult everyone that tried to help you, and tried to come off as smart , but its obvious that you arent smart , because everyone knows monthly and daily rates differ , and as far as that info , I know of a few apart hotels that are very nice, girl friendly and that start out around 3000 reais per month , sad to say since youre such a doushe-nozzle youre outta luck and I cant help ya maybe one of the other rubes will help you

Choc...

No doubt you've got a lot more leverage when you are negociating a one month stay versus the guest staying one week that has zero leverage. That doesn't mean you rule, that just means you've got more leverage than the next guy.

ok,ok.ok...Try to follow me on this one, Choc...

Your bill = R$140 x 28 days = R$3,920
Other guest = R$250 x 7 days = R$1,750

On the surface, you paid R$2,170 more on the final bill and the other guy. If you just compared the totals, it looks like the other guest got a great deal.

Choc...hindsight is 20/20, but your thread should have read, "Anyone got a great monthly rate of an excellent Rio hotel?"

I'm a bit confused, Choc. Up at the top you said you're returning to Rio after a long absence. Then above you say you go to GIG (and GRU) many times a year. Which is it? If you've been coming to Rio many times a year you should know the prices and the options, right?

Branq--"long" is a relative word, as is "many times" a relative term. I live in Philadelphia, and if I spend more than a a week straight in this hellhole at a time, I consider it a "lifetime." It's all relative, all relative. Actually the past couple of years I have paid little attention to pricing in Rio as I have been using my Marriott pts up staying for "free" at the Marriott, but alas, those days are numbered!!! boohoo!!!! help!!! help!!!

Choc...

You just posted a good point about:

--long" is a relative word, as is "many times" a relative term

Speaking of things being "relative"...

The daily hotel room rate versus the monthly hotel room rate is "relative"

See my example above about the total bill being paid by you for the month, versus the total bill being paid by the guest staying one week.

If you just compared the totals, you paid way more than the next guest!

(Message edited by solid808 on March 17, 2009)

Choc...I suggest you start a new thread asking about monthly rates in Rio...

Actually, you said "very long absence." Less relative a term, right? So, to be even less relative, when was the last time you were in Rio? That gives a clearer sense of your understanding of what prices are reasonable. etc.

Hey, let`s leave my "relatives" out of this! That`s a joke! Heehee. Seriously though, well, "very long absence" is actually no less relative than simply "long..."--it really can still mean anything depending on the context in relation to what. Nonetheless your point is well taken, my use of the word "very" does tend to emphasize more time, rather than less, away from my beloved Rio. I will respond further later, but I just knocked over a entire jar of kosher dill pickles all over the floor and the place is a mess!

"Nonetheless your point is well taken . . . "

I personally think it is very well taken.

Given the devolution of this thread into near insanity (no offense Choc, or whoever you are) I am inclined to think we have seen this so-called Choc character before. Perhaps someone someday will convince Hombre to stop "protecting" those posters with alter-egos as though this was some sort of Swiss bank.

In the meantime, should we round up the usual cast of suspects? Unfortunately, I can only think of two at this point.

We do seem to be averaging a solid "fucktard per week" addition to the active posting community here on CH. I think we've doubled up the last few weeks, just on the SA board.

Common Cat give him a break what would you give to see him walking around Copa in his "bowler" hat? The shit flingers would have a field day.

Cat is hardly a "Common Cat."

I would have to agree with that.