Vacation Apartment Rentals

[duke37]

I'm planning on coming during the annual pilgramage everyone is making in October. However I'm leaning towards renting a small apartment instead of a hotel. Has anyone had any experience with this they would like to share? The Atlantico sounds fun but I kind of have my heart set on getting a little closer to the experiences of ordinary cariocas. I know a vacation rental in a tourist beach area is not EXACTLY the real Rio life but its a good excuse to mingle with ordinary people on the street and at supermarkets and such.

 

Is there a best area to book something like this? If the rental property talks about having a "24 hr. concierge" is that likely to put a crimp on having overnight guests?

 

Having some close access to the beach and/or saunas might be fun but a good access to the metro is just as good for a cool place.

 

Thanks in advance for your advice. I know tri has a friend who has an apt for rent but I suspect its booked for the time I want to go. Also I will call our Carlo from Rio since everyone is very pleased with his help.

 

Jeff

[Guest Tomcal_]

Jeff, Several guys I know have done what you want to do and rented a private apt/condo. and it has worked well. The only caveat is you have to be EXTRA careful if you are planning on bringing boys back to your place as opposed to a Hotel, while taking a boy back to the hotel you still need to exercise discretion, you do have more safety/security then you have in a private residence. Saying that, as long as you took guys back that alot of us know from the saunas, and know to be safe/honest, you won't have a problem. Remember though, the night of the M4M party, if you are staying at the Atlantico, you can grab a boy(s) go down to your room, have fun, and come back up before anyone knows you are missing!! LOL I know because I did that at the last party!!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

[Mavica]

When I was planning my February 2003 trip to Rio with a friend, I wanted to rent an apartment, and he wanted a hotel. We're friends, not lovers, and we were staying in separate rooms. But, like friends do . . . I made the compromise and agreed to a hotel, and the Atlantico is the one we chose. I'm not sorry I stayed in a hotel . . . for a first trip.

 

In preparing for the trip, I searched the internet for apartment rental information, and I found lots. Most of the places you'll see on the internet will be in either Copacabana or Ipanema. The apartments in Copa are, generally, less expensive than what's offered in Ipanema. And, the least expensive of the apartments I saw were base-priced at almost the exact rate we paid at the Atlantico. However, the apartments don't, typically, include maid service . . . and that's an extra charge.

 

I wanted the apartment because I thought I'd likely be picking-up guys and bringing them home with me. However, I don't speak the local language (although I speak Spanish, and that helps . . . some), and, being a first-timer . . . I wasn't well-versed in the local culture - and I didn't feel comfortable cruising for sex in public (although, I did bring back to the hotel a college student from LeBoy, and we communicated just fine!).

 

About interacting "normally" with locals . . . I don't know why you couldn't do that if you stayed in a hotel. I ate in restaurants were locals ate, I shopped in supermarkets where locals shopped, I bought clothes for my friend to wear in small shops in Centro where locals shopped, I used public transporation like locals did, I sat on the beach with locals . . . it's not like there are "them" and "us" segrated facilities (not that I saw). I felt like I was interacting as much as was reasonably possible given that I didn't speak the language.

 

Now, all of this said . . . if I ever return to Rio (and I seriously doubt that that would occur any year soon), I would do so for a month, not less, and I'd like to rent an apartment over in Ipanema. However, while apartments offer the most independence, they also present for the gay who's cruising for sex with special personal safety and security concerns. Some people can balance one against the other, while others want some reasonable assurance that others are around if needed.

[+ Axiom2001]

In last week's BAY AREA REPORTER, San Francisco's weekly and widely-circulated gay newspapers, the following ad appeared:

 

"Vacation Rentals in Rio

BEAT HOTEL PRICES/MORE COMFORT

Furnished Apts. On The Beaches

1-800-332-8802"

 

Since your question addresses the preceding type of lodging, and since I found it relevant... Heres to another M4Mer!

 

P.S. I concur with Mavica and TomCal based on what they stated as well as what's in the archives. If I were on another page-- I'd cite a website which I found some time ago regarding apt. rentals. Did you consult the info here provided by Tri and his architect friend's apt.? Also, CarloRio and/or Mike from Miketur could perhaps assist you? Their specific contact information is here at this site.

[Driver]

When i got details of the apartments they were vague over the location other than the positions were better than the hotel atlantico. Hmm they seem to have missed the point.

 

The pictures of thge seaviews suggest their apartments are at the end of the bay near leme. Has anyone rented one nearer to the saunas?

[CT Dick]

My answers are to be taken with the following caveat: I have never rented an apartment in Rio.

 

>Is there a best area to book something like this? If the

>rental property talks about having a "24 hr. concierge" is

>that likely to put a crimp on having overnight guests?

 

All decent apartment bldgs have 24 hour guards. I'm sure that tips from the first day can ease your entry.

>

>Having some close access to the beach and/or saunas might be

>fun but a good access to the metro is just as good for a cool

>place.

 

The Atlantico is 1-2 blocks from three saunas and across the street from the new metro terminal.

 

There is nowhere in Copa far from the beach.

 

I paid US$46/night for a room at the Atlantico in April. That is hard to beat.

 

Dick

[Guest Jaunty]

I kind of have my heart set on getting a little

>closer to the experiences of ordinary cariocas. I know a

>vacation rental in a tourist beach area is not EXACTLY the

>real Rio life but its a good excuse to mingle with ordinary

>people on the street and at supermarkets and such.

>

JEFF,

 

If your motivation is to get one step away from the tourist circuit, you will probably be very happy with an apartment. I have done both twice including a stay at the Atlantico (Tomcal Towers) in October. Each is very enjoyable.

 

If you want a neat place to entertain guests, you might be better off in the hotel.

 

The 24/7 gate guards at apartments never gave me any static about guests but (unlike hotel desk clerks) they don't speak a word of english which can lead to some amusing intercom exchanges when your guest arrives. :+

 

The extra safety concerns in an apartment have been made by others. In addition, apartments don't usually have the safe/strong box that hotel rooms do.

 

By the time an apartment makes it to an internet site, in English; guess what? The price goes up. $50-65US per day is typical. You can do better than this when you are there, but you have to be willing to spend some time shopping.

 

Location, Location . . . There are apartments EVERYWHERE in Copa. One guidebook (Lonely Planet) claims Copacobana is one of the most densely populated urban neighborhoods anywhere! So you don't have to settle for one far away.

 

Lovely View: Many of those lovely views were taken with cameras held out the window at a right angle! You can enjoy the same view by sticking your head out the window and looking toward the ocean. Just don't expect to see the surfers from your pillow

 

A contact who I recomend is Mario da Silva.

RioPrideTour@Hotmail.com

 

Mario has several apartments to rent and also runs New Years and Carnivale Tours for Gay men. He very patiently answered all my questions and was very helpful and accomodating. A good guy. One of his apartments is just around the corner from the Jabba/yellow awning restaurant and next door to Jake's favorite Kilo rest. on Siquiero Campos, 1/2 block from beach.

 

Hope this helps . .

[CarloRio]

Duke,

 

As one of the services that we provide to foreign guests is the one of finding accomodation. Not only at hotels where we have some special deals but also private apartments... Let us know what you need and we will find it for you.

 

We've just helped Tri to find a long-term rental place in the exact area that he wanted. If you try to get it through agencies outside Rio, you will end up paying 40-60% more. Thus my best advice is to use local services.

 

Visit our website: http://romanusrj.sites.uol.com.br

 

;-)

[trilingual]

For short term stays, Odilo's apartment is extremely comfortable and convenient. His prices are negotiable, particularly if you're going to be here in low season. Make him an offer. Better a lower price than an apartment that's going empty, in my opinion! For a nice place (like Odilo's) US$35 or so is about right in low season.

 

For longer stays, I'd recommend staying in a hotel for a few nights while you try to find an apartment through an agency. Some of the apartments I saw were quite dumpy, and if you rent one that way through the Internet, sight unseen, you could be disappointed. You can see the information about Copacabana Holiday, from whom I rented the apartment I'm in currently, in other threads here. I have to acknowledge Carlo's assistance in finding my new apartment; he's been extremely helpful in all of this. Carlo's participation made the whole process easier. Not to mention that Carlo was able to ease my mind about clauses in the rental contract that I didn't like, help me draft alternatives to negotiate with the owner and his attorney, and generally explaining how the rental/real estate market and legal system here work, all of which you need to know about when you're getting involved in something more complicated than occupying a hotel room! Thanks again, Carlo!

[Mavica]

Maybe I've misunderstood . . .

 

Maybe I've misunderstood trilingual's comments, above, but . . . renting a vacation apartment, short-term, shouldn't require someone to enter into a lease agreement necessitating negotations and/or a lawyer or agent. Long-term, purchases, etc., yes . . . don't be stupid, get competent advice (better a lawyer than helpful friend, IMHO). But, I think the OP's intention is to stay in an apartment vs. a hotel room, on vacation. Let's not make this more complicated than it really is.

 

By the way, I found that straight rental agents offered better accommodations/prices than the gay ones, so I wouldn't be hesitant to use their services (they seem to offer the most options, from what I saw when I looked).

 

Just because we're gay doesn't mean that we leave our brains behind when looking for appropriate services.

[trilingual]

RE: Maybe I've misunderstood . . .

 

Mavica's correct, you don't need an attorney/agent to get a temporary vacation rental. Carlo assisted me in renting an unfurnished apartment on a long-term standard lease (30 months is the standard in Rio). However, Carlo, like many other travel agents here, often has temporary apartments available (or represents the owners of such apartments), so he may be able to help you find a holiday rental. Of course, don't take the first place you see, unless it's too fabulous for words, and feel free to shop more than one agent. I did!

 

Mavica's earlier posting was also correct: US$23/day is the price for my current seasonal apartment based on the exchange rate back in March, when I rented the place. It would be a bit higher now, because of the weaker dollar, but not much higher. It's still cheaper than a nice hotel!

[Mavica]

Thanks

 

trilingual, thanks for the clearing up my misunderstanding.

 

For high season, February 2003 . . . when I considered renting an apartment in Copacabana . . . just about all prices I was quoted were, for a 1 bedroom . . . the equivalent of US$40 + maid service (about US$5 per day). You're right, the prices in February were very favorable to those of us spending U.S. Dollars.

 

Sounds to me like you've got yourself a good deal!