Accommodation in Brazil
Where to stay is one of the biggest decisions travellers need to make and the price you pay is always a trade off between demand and location. Do not expect to get a Rio beachfront apartment cheaply.
The Brazilian accommodation market can be roughly divided into hotels, pousadas, hostels, campgrounds and our good friend the motel. Each are different but many sections of the market overlap.
Below are a few general points to consider and remember.
Last minute vacancies - Yes, it is possible to find last minute accommodation but in delaying your decision you weaken your negotiating position over pricing and location. In short, beggars can’t be choosers. Personally I wouldn’t want to be looking for a room in Rio de Janeiro a day before new year but it is rare for tourists to sleep on the streets and people usually find a room somewhere.
Going to a popular location for a weekend without a booking? It is better to arrive a day early if possible. Arrive on the Thursday, not the Friday to improve your choice. Make this a day earlier again if it is a long weekend.
Low season - Outside of summer and the high season finding a bed should be relatively easy. You probably won’t need to book ahead. Exception to the rule here is Gramado in Rio Grande do Sul. Arriving in a small mountain village after a long weekend doesn't necessarily guarantee empty hotel rooms. Remember to check ahead and confirm that 3,000 botanical students haven't booked the town's hotels solid.
Not all pousadas will offer breakfast in low season and this should be reflected in the room rate. The owners simply don´t want to go through the hassle of setting up and cleaning up for what may only be one or two guests in what is their peace and quiet time.
Carnival - For Carnival and New Year almost all accommodation providers, usually force you to book 4 to 7 days over the whole holiday period. It may seem a little unfair to make you pay for 5 nights when you only want 1 or 2 but 95% of people who stay during these periods intend to stay for the whole period anyway.
Keep your dignity – Some people enjoy bargaining and see it as a sport. There is some merit in asking for a better price when you feel the quoted rate is a little on the high side but I can’t believe people are prepared to engage in protracted bargaining desperately trying to save $R1.00 on a $R20.00/night room rate. A hostel receptionist on a monthly salary much less than your entertainment budget is looking at a person who has just spent $R5000 on airfaires and associated costs to get to Brazil but now wants to haggle over a dollar.
Having sat and watched as a group of 8 backpackers hard bargain an increasingly dispirited receptionist at 9.00pm in an effort to save themselves $R1.00 each I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed to be in the same travel demographic as these people.
Be clear on room rates – The opposite to the above situation is ensuring the rate quoted is the rate paid. Be particularly careful during the change over period between high season and low season prices. Get prices quoted by any company representative written down. I’ve personally experienced being told one price at the bus stop and charged another at the hotel reception. Not a common experience (only once actually) but unless you are clear on price you’re either set for an argument or a higher bill. Usually both.
Ask if there are any additional taxes on your room. Typically not for hostels and pousadas but the big hotels in Rio often quote the 10-15% tax separately.
Café da Manhã – almost all types of accommodation come with breakfast. The more expensive the room the better the breakfast should be. If it is not stated that breakfast is included assume that it is. Only at the bottom end of the market (camping grounds, some of the cheaper pousadas) will you not get breakfast. Cheap room = cheap breakfast. It may not be much more than a bread roll and orange juice so don’t go expecting a 5 star banquet.
Demand - Brazil is the most populous country in South America. Along with Argentina it is the main driver of the continent's tourism market. Everybody wants to visit Brazil in summer and everybody want to stay near the beach. Therefore demand for beach accommodation during the Brazilian summer drives prices up. The coastline near the major population centres of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro experiences the highest demand and therefore highest prices. Expect to pay more in these areas and for all beach locations to double or triple in price during New Year and Carnival periods.