This has been reported previously in Portuguese-language press but the Daily Mail summarises the Hotel Price radar data quite well. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/a...s-expensive-hotel-city.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
It is hard for me to believe this is true, would definitely expect others like NYC, SYD, NRT to be more expensive!
It is true! Sydney was first. Rio de Janeiro has won this dubious honor for a few reasons: 1) The oil and gas industry is booming. Large numbers of expense account travelers are here serving the industry or trying to; 2) The build-up to the World Cup and Olympics is causing huge infrastructure projects with the usual influx of people; 3) The city went for years with essentially no new hotel construction so remains with 26,000 rooms. Each significant event overwhelms the hotel capacity; 4) Several hotels have closed for renovation, including Hotel Gloria, which will reopen next year as an uber-luxurious addition to the city; 5) More and more conventions are coming to the city; 6) Domestic tourism to Rio is rising as more Brazilians are now wealthier. There are more reasons also. As a regular traveler to such famed high-cost cities as Moscow, Tokyo, New York and London I am acutely aware that costs of travel here in Rio de Janeiro are generally higher than in any of those cities. I wish it were otherwise.
Decide when you're wanting to come and we'll find space. Just please don't choose Carnival or New years if you want decent prices.
Good service, pretty good beverages but very, very expensive!! However, it does come with an English-speaking driver and a decent car.
The one good part is that the currency has weakened substantially - making the costs a bit more bearable.
That is true, I just hope that this trend continues at least until the end of the year, when I am planning to visit. Sent from my iPhone using milepoint
Adding to that the government has begun reducing taxes, including a huge reduction in hotel levies during the Rio+20. We should see more decreases during the rest of the year. That can only be good for tourists as well as locals.
I was going to go to Rio at the first of the year but now I'm thinking I might not go. Sent from my iPad using milepoint
Don't give up until you check on prices when you want to come. I am prone to give too much information from time to time. Rio is a great place to visit and a great place to live. We have lots of positive and negative points. We who live here will be happy to help you find the most practical options for your preferences. Carnival, for example, is a time most people really love. the hotels are full and expensive then, but everyone is constantly in parties, so you probably won't be in your hotel much anyway. And the "blocos", the street parties, are free.
On my last two trip down I had one of my Brazilian business partner graciously host me at his home. Most hotels were sold out and the ones that were still selling wanted more than $1000 bucks for a standard room.
This makes me glad that we went with an apartment for our trip next month. Of course, we didn't have much choice with the UN Convention happening at the same time, but at least we were able to find a good place. It may not be earning points, but we have a nice apartment a block from the beach and a fairly inexpensive place to lie down for the night.
Will be in Rio for 2-3 nights in late September. Anyone point me to a good points redemption given paid rates are so high. I've got points in all hotel programs, plus UR and MR to boot. JW Marriott wants 105k for 3 nights. Seems like a lot to burn for 3 nights. Trying to do better.
The JWM is in a prime location but is small, and demand is high. That sounds about right to me fit a redemption. The nearby Sofitel is also in a great location and has an excellent French restaurant to boot. If you've Accor points that is worth a try. Otherwise there are two Sheraton options. The Sheraton Leblon, not in, but near Leblon, is the cheaper option, while the Sheraton Barra is a more expensive location. If you have LHW the two best hotels in the city are both LHW properties, Fasano and Copacabana Palace. Those are all the nice places that have redemption options AFAIK
awesome, thanks. I will start looking at the Sheraton and LHW options and post some comparisons once I finish.
Best room rates (all in) per night for my dates that I could find at each hotel as follows: Sofitel $297 or 10k pts/nt (at 2k pts per $60 voucher) Sheraton Leblon $306 MasterCard 20% off promo or 12k SPG (no C+P) Sheraton Barra $407 AAA Club Lounge room or 16k SPG (no C+P) Copa Palace $378 BAR Fasano $690 JW Marriott $605 AAA or 35k pts/nt Amazingly when I looked at the JW Marriott points redemption option it listed 5 diffferent rooms for the same 35k pts/nt, from low end Deluxe Atrium $637 to Ocean View Junior Suite with Club Lounge access $845/nt. So I booked the the latter!
Here is an example of the views you'll have. This photo I took from one of those suites a few years ago when i stayed there during renovations to my house:
