Atlantico overcharge

[lagoon]

Atlantico is my favourite hotel, however, unfortunately, I noticed the same trend of overcharges each time I stay there. Watch out for the minibar charges - the practice is not to refill it one day and then charge double next day. Another regular scam is to charge full day rate for a late checkout at 6PM. If you notice those , they'll adjust charges without any argument nor excuse. What I haven't noticed though on my recent bill during checkout was a double charge for room on one day of my 9-day stay. Since it was booked through Carlo and charged to AMEX, I'm in hopes to have it refunded - I already asked Carlo to facilitate. The morale though is: give yourself enough time at checkout to go through each line of the bill.

[Guest dreynsol]

This trip, I decided to avoid the mini-bar charges altogether. Not only to avoid any errant charges, but also to have control over the contents including more champagne and my favorite Guaraná. :-)

 

So when I checked in, I told Maria “tira tudo do refrigerador” (sounds like – “cheera tudoe doe hefrigeradore”) which means to take everything from the refrigerator. Of course, I tipped her for the added service.

 

Take your favorite garoto to one of the many supermarkets in the area (they like to show off their muscles) and experience the Brazilian supermarket experience.

 

It is very good advice to allow plenty of time to go over your bill, before you make the dash to the waiting taxi.

 

Also, I would recommend not making long distance calls back to the US using the credit card service advertised from the placards placed in the rooms. My last trip, I ran up a $200 Dollar charge rather quickly. It’s much less expensive by dialing directly from the Atlantico. The access code is: 0 – for an outside line, 0021, then 1-US area code-number.

 

Have a great time at the Atlantico and say hi to Maria for me.

 

- Drey

[buckguy]

I'll have to remember the "tip the maid and have her empty the fridge" trick. You don't need a taxi to supermarket shop---the mall that's almost across the street (just beyond the Metro) has a sizable super market. It's a bit closer and larger than the upscale one in the other direction.

[williewanker2]

Atlantico Poor Service

 

I have decided never to stay at the Atlantico again. After staying there three times, their treatment of me the last time was inexcusable.

 

On my recent visit to Rio, Carlo made reservations for me at a rate of R$180 including tax. I checked in with no problems. Later I checked out and traveled to Sao Paulo and Curitiba. On returning to Rio, I took my chances and came direct to the Atlantico without a reservation hoping that they had a room available. I said that I wanted to stay one week.

 

They had a room but the rate was now R$200 and they wanted full payment in advance for the entire week. When I asked why the rate had increased, they mumbled something about inflation, higher wages, etc.

 

When I said that I did not have to pay in advance just a couple of weeks ago, they pointed to a display card on the counter that said payment in advance was required. I have never had a hotel ask for payment in advance except perhaps for resort hotels or during special peak periods. In other hotels in Brazil, they might ask for payment of the first night upon check in but never for the entire reservation period.

 

I left the hotel and checked in at the Copacabana Sol a few blocks away. The rate was R$140.

 

The only reason I have stayed at the Atlantico before was because it was a convenient place to meet other M4M’s over breakfast. Now as an experienced Rio visitor, I will find other accommodations and plan to meet other M4M’s at Corijinhas in the evening.

[trilingual]

RE: Atlantico Poor Service

 

Although I can't speak with any certainty about the specific circumstances at the Atlântico, it's my understanding that hotel rates in Rio have generally gone up about 10% to reflect inflation, changes in taxes, effects of currency fluctuations, etc. This isn't uncommon. Inflation in Brazil is under much better control than in the bad old days of hyperinflation (when prices ended up being expressed in hundreds of thousands or millions of cruzeiros or cruzados) but it still exceeds the rate of inflation in most European countries or the U.S.

 

In his post, Bobby says he went to the Atlântico without a reservation and was quoted a price R$20 higher than what he'd paid when he made an advance reservation through Carlo. Again, it's not uncommon to be charged the "rack" or standard posted rate under such circumstances, especially if the hotel is fairly full. As a travel agent who sends them considerable business, Carlo has worked out discounts with the Atlântico that benefit his clients. Travelers who don't make their reservations through Carlo aren't eligible for the same discounted rates.

 

It's also not uncommon in Brazil for a hotel to charge in advance, at least a certain number of nights, and to obtain additional payment if the stay is longer, or extended past the original date. I don't know why they don't just use a guest's credit card as a guarantee. However, the practice of charging in advance seems to be spotty, and I know that in the past the Atlântico hasn't done this. In fact, I don't think they even took a credit card imprint as a guarantee when you checked in. Unfortunately, I've heard that the Atlântico recently got stung by a gringo who took advantage of their liberal check-in policies when, in fact, he didn't have any money to pay for his stay. They got stuck for his stay plus the meals he charged to his room. This may explain why they're now enforcing the advance payment policy, at least for walk-up clients.

 

There are indeed decent, less expensive hotels in Rio than the Atlântico, but on the whole it seems to be good value for the money and its unbeatable location, as well as its generally liberal policies on "visitors" to guests' rooms. And discounted rates continue to be available if you book through Carlo or other travel agents who've worked out deals with the hotel.

 

At any hotel you stay at, you need to review the itemized list of charges if the final bill doesn't correspond to what you expected to pay. Frigobar consumption can be a problem, particularly if your "visitors" consume stuff when you aren't paying attention. So can phone charges and pay-per-view TV channels. Personally, I've rarely encountered these problems in Brazil or in other countries, but when they've happened the hotel was gracious about removing the charges.

 

If you wish to keep your room until the evening of your flight back to North America or Europe, check with the front desk beforehand (and during working hours when the general manager is likely to be there) and inquire what the rate will be. You can't assume that they will discount it just because you didn't actually stay overnight. Ask if they can offer you a half-day rate under the circumstances. If they're not full they'll usually be happy to accomodate you. Otherwise, they're entitled to charge you a full night's rate, because if you don't check out until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. the housekeeping staff will have left for the day and they may not be able to clean and prepare the room for a new guest the same evening you leave. If you the hotel doesn't offer a half-day rate, and you don't want to pay for a full-day stay, check out at the normal time, have the bellmen check your bags, and go out for the day. You can always go to the saunas around 5:00 or 6:00 in the afternoon for some last minute R&R and to take a shower before going back to the hotel to pick up your bags and head for the airport.

[Guest msclonly]

Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

(OOOPS!!! I am so sorry; I thought I was hitting "reply with quote" and instead hit "edit" when I made my response to this posting. Then I deleted your original posting, which I thought was a quotation, after answering your questions. Please accept my apologies! - Tri)

 

 

As far as I know the Royal Rio continues to welcome the M4M crowd. Again, check directly with Carlo to find out what rates he's worked out with them. His agency deals with a large gay clientele, not just M4Mers, and he's arranged discounted rates at a number of hotels besides the Atlântico and Royal. These two have been popular with M4Mers because of their gay-friendliness, locations, rates and (in the case of the Royal Rio) decor. But these aren't the only gay-friendly hotels in town!

 

At US$90, the Royal Rio would still be a bargain, but my guess is that Carlo can do better for you. Sometimes the cheapest rate ISN'T the one you see on-line!

[Guest msclonly]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

Thanks for the info.

 

So the Royal Rio is still somewhat sympathetic via Carlos, which I would interpret as a business decision. At least, till they are over booked or overflowing.

 

:+

[BrazilFan]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

Hi...I spend one week at the royal Rio. Ask for Alex at the Front Desk...super nice guy!

The Hotel is new (!), great rates, sauna in room (!), Guests allowed (!)....just a nice, safe place to be.

I found this Hotel through Eduardo, my Rio Guide for the week.

Have fun!

[trilingual]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

Eduardo is a nice guy and a good guide, as many have attested to on this board. However, he's not a travel agent and I think you might have been able to save yourself money by booking through Carlo or another local travel agent specializing in the gay market. The agencies bring the hotels a lot of business, so they're able to work out discounted rates for their customers that aren't advertised on the Internet.

 

As far as I know, the Royal Rio is gay-friendly year round. As for being sold-out or overbooked, this is another good reason to book through Carlo or another local agent: frequently they can get rooms for their customers even if the hotel is "sold-out," because they have ongoing business relationships with the management, which often holds back a couple of rooms for "emergencies." If you have a confirmed reservation at a hotel that you've made through an agent, you've also got a local contact who can go to bat for you if you arrive and find your hotel is overbooked and doesn't have a room for you. The hotel is much likelier to make a special effort to accommodate you if your agent calls for you, because they don't want to lose all the business he sends them. An individual customer just doesn't have the same leverage that a local agent does in these circumstances.

 

I know many guys are used to do-it-yourself travel arrangements, but this is a case where having a local agent make hotel reservations for you can save you money and headaches.

[+ Lucky]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

Once again I see Carlos getting recommended here. I just want to remind readers that in my case I specifically hired him to avoid the scam that the Royal Rio runs in giving rooms that are less than the ones booked. Carlos assured me that this would not happen, yet after a 36 hour trip to Rio it did. He did nothing about it.I asked him to get the rate for that night lowered before checkout. He didn't. I do not know why tri continues to push his services.

[paulsf]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar scrreen?

 

I've stayed at the Royal Rio, 3 times in the last 6 months.

On my last trip in February, Carlos picked us up himself at the airport, and drove us to the hotel. When we went inside, he knew everybody at the front desk and they pushed us right through. Just signed a card and had our keys. I have booked with Carlos all 3 times and everything has gone fine.

They also have gotten the fitness center and business center open.

We also had free internet service from our room.

[grweyers]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Carlo has done so much for so many people and yes I speak from experience. Everything he has done for me has turned out 100% perfect. ( I also know for a fact that its been 100% for other's who have used his service ) With regards to your situation why not e-mail Carlo and talk about the issues you had, I am sure you will find that some where along the line there was a miscommunication.......please! do not put negative remarks on this site until you have spoken with Carlo and you have all the facts.......I would recommend Carlo to everyone that has plans on going to Rio..........Tri recommends Carlo's service because of the great service he gives and I 2nd that....and will continue to recommend his service's to everyone.

[trilingual]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Let me second the suggestion that you raise this directly with Carlo. I'm not saying this didn't happen, but knowing how customer-oriented Carlo is, I find it surprising. I'm also surprised to hear about any "scam" at the Royal Rio. Many M4Mers have stayed there (some quite recently) and most have been happy campers there. If there were a scam going on I expect we'd have heard from more posters about it. Possibly there was some kind of miscommunication, as has been suggested, because your bad experience seems to be an exception to the reports of a lot of satisfied customers, both of Carlo and the Royal Rio.

[sf traveler]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Personally, I would doubt the existence of any scam. More likely, the hotel is just less than perfectly organized. but talk to Carlo. Like some of the others above, I've used his services on several trips and everything has always worked out perfectly. I've had some problems, but Carlo worked them out promptly with the service providers. SF Traveler

[+ Lucky]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

"I'm not saying this didn't happen"

 

Well, that's good because you know damn well I wouldn't lie about it.

[lagoon]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Carlo promptly responded about the overcharge situation and said he will talk to the owner about the whole thing. I haven't heard from the hotel yet after all e-mails and faxes fired to them... BTW, I always make my reservation with a late checkout request at 6PM, and receive conformation from the hotel for a 1/2 rate, so charging full fare is just a game they play - will you notice it or not. Speaking about Carlo "specials", Atlantico now quotes RS180 for a standard room (Lis), but Carlo got it for me still for RS160 - "previous year rate"...

keep ya posted....

[Guest dreynsol]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Lucky, obviously you’ve been very unlucky with your dealings with Carlos and the Rio Royal.

 

Did you not have enough of a good time in Rio to overlook some of the annoying details?

 

There must have been some part of your trip to make up for your disappointment.

 

And, if Carlo was not the perfect travel agent, and the Rio Royal was not the perfect hotel, did you at least meet the perfect Brazilian boy while you were there?

 

Which travel agent, hotel, and hot Brazilian boy do you now recommend.

 

Always looking to double my pleasure and double the fun. :-)

 

- Drey

[+ Lucky]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Of course I had fun. I just think that Carlos is overrated GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE. What bothered me is that I had specifically pointed out this issue to him and he specifically said he would assure it did not happen. AND if you had travelled 36 hours and looked forward to a nice hotel room and two beds for two people, you would have been disappointed as well.

 

 

It's not like I want to beat a dead horse, but a certain individual here seems to want to ignore this experience when encouraging others to patronize Carlos, so I feel it necessary to remind him that he might be more cautious there.

[trilingual]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

If there were more reports of a similar nature, I would be more cautious. But I've seen minimal negative comments about people's experiences with Carlo. No business is 100% perfect 100% of the time, and it seems that Lucky ran into a problem with his reservations that weren't remedied to his satisfaction. Under the circumstances, he should take up the matter directly with Carlo, as has been suggested previously. However, M4Mers continue using Carlo's services to this very day and seem to be highly satisfied, so whatever happened in Lucky's case appears to have been a one-time incident, not a regular occurrence. It's unfair to generalize from one bad experience and urge people not to use someone's services when the evidence is that the vast majority of customers are satisfied and the reasons for the individual bad experience are still unexplained. (There are usually two sides to such stories, and we've only heard Lucky's, so far.)

 

A few M4Mers have also not been happy at one time or another with the Atlântico, the Royal Rio and Eduardo's services as a guide. Yet many others continue to patronize them, have been satisfied with their experiences and are repeat customers. Considering the ratio of pleased to unhappy customers in all of these cases, I feel comfortable referring M4Mers to all of these businesses, recognizing that not everyone will end up being satisfied. Heck, there are even people who end up being dissastisfied with Brazil, Rio, the saunas, and everything else here, but they, too, seem to be the exception and not the rule, so I keep encouraging people to come see for themselves.

 

Finally, none of the travel agencies, hotels, guides, saunas, etc. frequently referred to here have a monopoly on the local trade. Anyone who isn't satisfied is certainly free to use other businesses or providers and post about their experiences, good or bad. Of course, the more good things we find, the better for everyone!!!

[floridarob]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

Here is my take if anyone is interested, I am in hotel management and have run across various situations like the ones listed above.

 

When I 1st met Carlo at our M4M party, I didn't care for him too much but then I took a long trip around Brasil with Gulliver and Carlo arranged all the hotels and gave us info on where to go and he did a good job, so my opinion of him changed. Then a lot of other people here used him with good results, so I think he is OK now.

 

The situation with beds or late check outs are really out of his control, he doesn't own or manage the hotel, rates would be different as long as HE confirms the rate with you. Just because he gets you a rate then you walk into the hotel on your own a week or month later and they charge more, thats because HE has a negotiated corporate rate, not you.

 

Hotels probably are able to accomodate requests 90% of the time and remember the word request is not the same as Guarantee, very few things in life are guaranteed.

 

No doubt things will go wrong sometime but I have yet to come across something that would completely ruin a trip except for maybe death. A lot of times the type of beds you wanted were not available at check in but would be the next day or maybe even later that same day when the late check out people check out.

 

Talking about late check outs, In my experience they are available depending on the hotels occupancy (chain hotel elite memebers get an automatic 2pm c/o regardless) until like 2pm would be normal. I know lots of people want 6pm check outs...if you don't agree ahead of time that 6pm is a 1/2 day charge then shame on you, because any of my hotels after 5pm is definately full day, what time did you check in? Usually flts from the states arrive pretty early and don't we want our rooms at 11am or noon...check in time is 3pm.

 

Atlantico has always had the sign at the front desk advising of payment in full at check in, depends on what is going on at the moment if they enforce it. I have been charged up front sometimes and other times not, doesn't bother me either way, better business practice is to get an imprint and authorization up front at check in, thats hotel 101.

 

Wow, I think this is the longest message I've ever written on here...

 

Oh and Tri, you really do push Carlo a little too much...I know you don't get anything out of it, but people just reading this not knowing you nor Carlo would think otherwise.

 

So the moral of my story would be, like they say in Thailand "This Is Thailand" when things don't go right, just smile and things will get better, but enjoy that you are in a place other than your home.

[trilingual]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

It hasn't been my intention to "push" anyone here. However, it's true that I frequently refer M4Mers to Carlo. A large number of M4Mers (including myself) have used his services since he introduced himself to us a few years ago, and virtually all of them have been satisfied customers.

 

As I've said, Carlo is not the only agent in Rio, and nobody has to use him if they don't wish to, but he does have the following things going for him:

 

1) He's gay, and his agency deals primarily with gay clients (mainly Brazilian -- M4Mers are a relatively small part of his business).

 

2) Carlo and his partner Heitor speak fluent English.

 

3) Carlo has actively sought our business, unlike some other agents who've occasionally been mentioned here. He's arranged for special rates for M4Mers at the Atlântico and the Royal Rio, which aren't hotels he normally worked with prior to getting our business. He's also helped smooth things over when the occasional M4Mer has gotten out of hand or caused problems at the hotels, and he's worked actively to help the hotels understand the needs of their gay guests.

 

4) Carlo and Heitor have been supportive and non-judgmental about our interests in hiring escorts, and the complications which sometimes arise from our interests, which I can't say about some of the other agents I'm familiar with.

 

5) Carlo and Heitor are knowledgeable about their city, their country, and the gay scene, and have helped many visitors have a better time than they might have had using a conventional travel arranger.

 

For these reasons, and because virtually all of his clients have been satisfied with his services, I feel comfortable recommending Carlo to other people. As Floridarob says, I don't get anything out recommending Carlo. To be completely candid, however, Carlo and I are currently discussing a possible venture together on the non-tourist side of the business. If it develops, it won't have anything to do with his work as a travel agent, in which I am not involved in any way. And just to make it crystal clear, I do not get commissions from Carlo, or any of the hotels, businesses or guides I've mentioned over the years. (Probably I've been seriously dumb not to, but that's another story altogether!)

[HotdadENYC]

RE: Options in South America

 

Trilingual, you have obviously amassed a wealth of information about travel options in South America, and I certainly appreciate that you take the time to share that information with us.

 

From airline to hotel to other activities, travel is all about choice and we all have our personal preferences and preferred vendors. But I often think having a multitude of opinions about a professional or company helps me make up my mind.

 

To put it another way, I am more inclined to use your information to supplement other information I have (such as the more traditional guide books or guide web sites).

 

I don't think that you are being too pushy with Carlo or any of the hotel recommendations. You call it as you see it. There is no doubt in my mind that you would be as vocally critical of any provider that didn't live up to expectations.

 

Finally, regardless of destination or the circumstances surrounding a particular trip, I have learned a few things in my many years of travel.

 

In addition to keeping ALL of my papers safe (passport, visa, etc.), as well as having duplicate copies stashed somewhere, I also ask to review my hotel bill the DAY before I am checking out. That way, I have an opportunity to review the bill, at may leisure, and since its during the day, if there is a problem, I stand a better chance of getting it corrected with a manager or supervisor. Once you leave, it is far more cumbersome to correct some types of problems, even if you have utilized a facilitator.

 

Happy travels

 

hd NYC

[joel304]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

As a dedicated reader of this forum, I offer two thoughts:

 

1. Carlo actively solicited business from this board, and maintains (I surmise) a keen interest in pleasing the M4M's and continuing to profit from our desire to sleep with hot boys in a beautiful environment. The Rio scene is growing in leaps on this board alone. I can't imagine that a dedicated businessman that went out of his way to discover and cater to our group, would drop the ball as business is steadily increasing. I believe that the negative experience noted above is an anomaly. I would welcome Carlos' response to the complaint.

 

2. Tri, the opportunities for you to profit from this are endless. Unless you don't have any desire to do this, I think that you should consider this over a cool cocktail of your choice. Just an unsolicited opinion. Perhaps a guesthouse catering to Americans? The M4M's appear, as a whole, to have significant disposable income?? Oh, the lawyer in me :-)

[+ Lucky]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

"To be completely candid, however, Carlo and I are currently discussing a possible venture together on the non-tourist side of the business."

 

That explains a lot. Perhaps you should disqualify yourself from using M4m for further endorsments of Carlo.

[joel304]

RE: Is the Royal Rio off the radar screen?

 

If the consensus is that Carlos is the "one to use," how can Tri not mention him to potential clients from this board? I believe that his disclosure of their possible arrangement is testimony to his integrity.