Where to Stay

Where to Stay/ live in Brazil

Brazil offers a wide range of accommodations. In the large cities there are modern high-rise hotels as well as apartment hotels (or rental flats for you Brits) known in Brazil as apart-hotels. The apart-hotels are often a better deal than regular hotel rooms, offering both cheaper rates and more space: a separate living room, bedroom, and kitchen. The drawback is that you sometimes don't get the pool and restaurants and other amenities of a hotel.

Outside of the large cities you will often find pousadas, essentially our equivalent of a bed-and-breakfast or small inn. Accommodation prices fluctuate widely. The rates posted at the front desk -- the rack rate or tarifa balcao -- are just a guideline. Outside of high season and on weekends you can almost always negotiate significant (20%-30%) discounts. High season is from mid-December to Carnival (mid- to late Feb), Easter week, long weekends, and July (winter vacation). Notable exceptions are Brasilia and Sao Paulo, where business just dies during high season and weekends and rooms are heavily discounted.

Hotel charges for children are all over the map. Most hotels will allow children under 6 years of age to stay for free in their parent's room, but over 6, the rates can vary from a 10% surcharge to a full adult supplement rate. Please note that these rates and policies are always negotiable.

Unlike North American hotels, Brazilian hotel rooms do not feature coffeemakers, irons, or ironing boards, although the latter can sometimes be delivered to your room upon request. Even in luxury hotels, the complimentary toiletries are usually very basic, so pack your own. On the other hand, a very generous breakfast is almost always included free of charge, the exception being five-star hotels, which charge for breakfast.

Accommodation taxes range from nothing to 15%, varying from city to city and hotel to hotel. Always check in advance what taxes will be added to your final bill.
A One-of-a-Kind Accommodations Service--The organization Roteiros de Charme (literally, charming itineraries) represents some of Brazil's finest bed-and-breakfasts and pousadas, varying from a rural ranch in the Pantanal to a lovely mountain chalet in the hills of Petropolis. What all the members have in common is that they provide unique and outstanding accommodations as well as high-quality service. Many of the pousadas are situated in historic buildings and furnished with original antiques; others are in exceptional locations.

Contact Roteiros de Charme at the Caesar Park Hotel, Av. Vieira Souto 460, Suite 501, Rio de Janeiro (tel. 0800/251-590 or 021/2525-2525; www.roteirosdecharme.com.br).