www.ipanema.com RIO DE JANEIRO HOTELS AND FLATS

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About online reservations:

When and how did you start offering reservations online?

Our Free Reservation Center was implemented after suggestions and requests from our webvisitors. We currently get about 20,000 hits a day, and have a tradition of listening to what people say. Travelers complained that they had a hard time booking hotels in Rio from abroad. They were not happy with the high rack rates, nor the limited choice they had access to. Others wanted more elements to choose the best alternative within their budget. Our Reservation Center started operating in April 97.

What do I have to do to book a room online?

You have to take two simple steps. The first is to fill out the reservation form, and press the Send button. We will confirm availability with the property of your choice, or provide the best alternative according to information you submit. You will receive an e-mail from us with all details of your prebooking. Your reservation is final as soon as you confirm your interest.

How long does it actually take to get a confirmation?

Your booking request is answered typically in less than 24 hours on weekdays. On weekends many hotels in Rio close their reservation desks, so we may have a final position only by Monday.

But I sent you a request weeks ago and never got an answer...

And you waited this long to tell us about it? Hello! Bookings for New Years and Carnival may take a couple of days to get answered, but weeks is ridiculous. Chances are we never got your request to begin with (don't ask me why). Please send us a new reservation request.

How much do you charge for a reservation? Do I have to prepay?

The reservation service is completely free of charge for travelers. You do not have to prepay, unless you are coming for Carnival or New Years. You will be paying directly at the front desk of the hotel of your choice.

You need my credit card information, right?

It depends on which hotel you choose. Some properties charge a no-show tax. This means they will charge the equivalent to a one night's stay to your credit card if you do not show at the hotel as scheduled, nor advise them about the changes in your travel plans in due time (usually 48 hours prior to your check-in).

But I don't have to submit my credit card number online, right?

If the property of your choice enforces a no-show policy, we will send you by e-mail a credit card form in their favor. You will sign it, and send it by fax to our Reservation Center in Rio, telefax 55-21-2512-5121 or 55-21-2513-3776. To avoid paying the no-show tax all you have to do is contact us by e-mail, fax or phone in due time.

But I don't have a fax machine! Now what?

If you do not have access to a fax at home or at work, we suggest going to a commercial copy center. They usually have a very helpful staff, and some (like Kinko's) are open around the clock. Some post-office also offer fax services. Please do not send your signed form as an attachment. We get loads of e-mail every day. Attached messages get stuck in our server for 24 hours, and then they are automatically deleted.

What guarantees do I have?

We will only confirm a booking after receiving by fax a voucher signed and stamped by the hotel. This document is kept in our files, and it is worth as a legal proof of your reservation. In case of an unlikely overbooking, for instance, the hotel has to find a room in another property of similar or better standard for the same price.

Are booking requests answered by a machine?

Each message is answered by an experienced travel professional, not a machine. We encourage you to make personal remarks, which are always taken into consideration. We try not to leave questions unanswered, and cater to people from all ethnic and age groups, religion, budget, and sexual orientation.

What is the advantage of booking a hotel through you?

Let's name a few... Our rates are usually considerably lower (and never higher) than the rack rates. We offer prompt and courteous service in English. We work with dozens of hotels and flats, so we can give you unbiased advice on where to stay whatever your budget. Our headquarters are conveniently located in Ipanema, and we are within easy reach while you are in town. We offer personal advice, and can help you with other travel needs, such as city tours, extensions, trips Off-Rio, car rentals, etc. We have a solid experience with incoming tourism, and our travel experts have helped people from all around the world. We care.

Is there a travel agency involved in the reservation process?

Our reservations are made through Ipacom Travel, a full service travel agency appointed by Embratur - the Brazilian Bureau of Tourism. This means you are dealing with licensed travel professionals, not a group of amateurs. Our travel agency is a appointed by ABAV and SNEA.We are proud members of IGLTA since 1998.

OK, I'm ready to make my hotel reservation now.

I´d rather learn All About Hotels before I book my room, please.

About Hotels and Flats

We offer lodging options in all price ranges, from five-star to economy to youth hostels and all-suite hotels. You will find charming inns with less than 50 rooms and a familiar atmosphere, legendary palaces, all-suite hotels that offer the opportunity of enjoying the city like a local... All properties are in recommended areas, and have been visited and reviewed by our team.

Yes, we do! We don't like to get our news second-hand, so our team visits in person virtually all hotels and flats that take reservations online. We look under the beds, turn on the shower and flush the toilet, take a peek into the closet and refrigerator... You will find our impressions at Insider's Hotel Reviews, or simply press on the lists the name of the hotel you are interested in. You will find details about the accommodation, location, services, amenities, and other aspects of the hotels or flats you're interested in.

If you prefer not to choose a hotel yourself, give us your favorite area, features and price range. And special needs, too. We will do our best effort to get you the best deal around. Tick your favorite features on the reservation form, and let us do the hard work for you!

If the hotel of your choice is booked solid, we will suggest the best alternatives within the price range you requested. Our reservation form is designed in a way to give us a pretty good idea of your expectations. There's also a field where you can add details you find relevant.

We get a lot of feedback from travelers. Good words, and sometimes serious complaints about hotels. We always try to clear out what happened. If we are not satisfied with the turning of events, we may even remove the hotel from our lists of recommended options (i.e. hotels by area and price range). We do not like to do this, but our commitment is with the traveler.

Definitely not. This may happen for several reasons. It is our policy to recommend only the hotels and flats that we have already visited. Maybe we simply haven't visited yet the property you were thinking about. You are welcome to suggest or ask questions like this at the reservation form.

Obviously the features vary a lot from hotel to hotel, and the details are in our insider's reviews. Some basics are always there, though. All hotels we work with offer air-conditioned rooms, a must in Rio. Other staples are a phone, a double bed or a set of twins, a chair or couch, a closet with a safety box, private bath, small refrigerator, and a color TV. TV's always offer the open channels in Portuguese. Most properties today also give free access to cable channels including 24-hour news and movie channels in English and other languages. Some systems feature as many as 50 channels.

There's always a fee for using your hotel phone. Make sure to ask first, as some hotels really overcharge. If you use ATT Direct or other card system to make your international calls, use any of the payphones in the street. And you may also buy a phone card (buy one with a lot of credits) and call direct from payphones. Before your country code dial "0021".

The small refrigerator comes basically with overpriced drinks and snacks. Buy your favorites at the supermarket or bakery around the corner, if you want to cut down costs. Some all-suite hotels have full-sized refrigerators, and cooking facilities.

The first is the cost. You may find hotels in Rio expensive when compared to properties in small-town USA, or even Miami. The rates are slightly lower than what is charged in NY or L.A., if it's any consolation. The second is that rooms do not come with two double beds, like many properties in the US. In fact most hotels do not allow quadruple occupancy. If you are a party of 4 the best way to go is to book two rooms, or a two-bedroom apartment. The third is that the water fountain next to the toilet in the bathroom is a bidet, the best thing since sliced bread, once you learn how to use it. The faucet in the middle controls the way the water flows, and the two others open cold and hot water.

It's no big secret... Our reservation service has been around for quite some time now, sending thousands of guests to dozens of hotels. We always ask hotels to offer us their best corporate and discount rates, and gladly pass them to you without any markups. We also keep an eye for promotions and specials, like weekend packages, and low-season discounts.

Hey, anybody that comes up with a claim like that is obviously trying to take you for a ride. What we guarantee is that we do our best effort to negotiate the lowest rate available with hotels - and most times we succeed.

Probably not. The discount rates quoted on our pages are available to clients recommended by our Reservation Center. This means travelers who actually requested a booking with us, and received a final confirmation. You cannot expect the hotel to offer its best rates to clients off-the-street.

Rates quoted online are per room, with either single or double occupancy. Most hotels allow triple occupancy, but charge an extra for the third guest. Quadruple occupancy is usually not allowed. We may try to arrange connecting rooms at selected properties.

Some hotels do not allow us to publish online their discount rates. It's as simple as that. This policy is not uncommon when it comes to luxury or 5-star properties, that have agreements with international operators. In this case, instead of the rate you will see a please ask link that will take you straight to our Reservation Form.

Not really. We cannot cancel a booking requested by a third party. If it's any consolation you are not the first to be in a situation like this. Now that you know better, keep a bookmark to our website, and contact us the next time...

OK, I'm ready to make my hotel reservation now.

About Carnival and New Year's

Yes, we do! For high season periods we recommend requesting your reservation as much as 6 months ahead, to avoid any disappointments. The best lodging values get booked solid very fast, some as early as August or September!

For Carnival and New Year's, hotels in Rio work with prepayble packages with a minimum stay of 4 or 5 nights. Rates are considerably higher than those quoted on our pages. Hotels will only confirm a booking upon full prepayment. Deposits are usually non-refundable. These rules are tough, we know, but they are set by the properties, not by us.

A package means a prepaid hotel reservation, with a fixed number of mandatory nights. Some packages include breakfast, some do not. Packages may have fixed dates, and when they do hotels will not alter them. Packages do not include transfers, airline tickets, or any other extras. Credit cards are the most convenient method for prepayment. Personal checks are not accepted, and money wires take too long to arrive.

We wish, but unfortunately not. These are not our rules. If you need fewer nights than the mandatory period, use them in your favor for an early check-in, a late check-out, or both. All hotels and flats in Rio are traditionally booked solid for high season events, so they are not willing to negotiate these directives. It's the facts...

Guests with special needs & stories

Yes we do, and they are even listed separately for your convenience. Visit Business Class Hotels for tips, details, rates and free reservations. These are the properties where you are most likely to find a good business center, a plug to hook up your laptop, a bilingual secretary...

We would love to! Most hotels and flats offer special discounts for children staying with their parents. Children under 5 are usually free, and some properties extend this courtesy to children up to 10 years old. We may also suggest a suite with a sofa-bed, or some other convenient alternative. Use the comments field on the form to advise us about the age of your child or children.

That depends a lot. If you are staying in a 5-star or luxury property the answer is a flat no. Other hotels may or may not let you take your guest up. If they do, they will usually ask you escort to show or even leave some document at the reception. Many hotels also charge a flat rate in a situation like this.

Even hotels with more liberal policies draw a line. If the escort you picked up has a reputation or is not properly dressed, forget it. Keep in mind we pick out the properties we work with. A hotel where everything goes is really not our idea of a safe place to stay. Consider taking your escort to a honeymoon motel instead.

Yes, many. Explore Rio Gay Guide for tips on what to do, see and expect. We will be happy to help you find gay and lesbian friendly hotels and properties in areas of special interest to alternative lifestyles. We are proud members of IGLTA, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.

No there aren't. There aren't any nude beaches in Rio, either, and topless is not even that common (Cariocas love a tanline). If walking around in your birthday suit is part of your Rio fantasy, it may have to remain there, in your dreams.

The only hotels in Rio with non-smoking floors are deluxe properties, so get ready to spend accordingly. If you are budget-minded and have a very sensitive nose, bring sprays, scented candles, whatever.

Sorry, but gambling is illegal in Brazil since the 40's. Consider Las Vegas instead.

One of the most common complaints is when the guest writes dozens of postcards on the last day, and gives them to what's-his-name at the reception to mail with $20 bucks for the stamps (and even generously said keep the change). But the cards never arrived... duh! Next time buy the stamps (choose something colorful), and put the cards in the mail boxes yourself. Don't say we didn't warn you. There are post offices in malls, and main commercial streets.

The second complaint is usually from horny single men. They sometimes book single rooms and want to take ladies up without paying the extra. Sometimes the hotel will simply not let them bring in their escorts (they do draw a line). And sometimes they score, and later complain that they were stolen of the cash or jewels left in the safety box (obviously not by the escort so carefully chosen yesterday, but certainly by the poor cleaning woman who desperately needs the job). Our advice? Take your escort to a honeymoon hotel, instead, and avoid a number of headaches.

Of course there's always an odd complaint, like the some gentlemen who wrote a very serious message claiming that his white socks got dirty whenever he walked on the corridor of the hotel (we suggested sandals). Or the guy that kept complaining about the sloppy room service, yet stole all towels they dared put in the bathroom (the hotel charged him). And a guy even called us names because he had booked one room for double occupancy, and the concierge refused to let him and his buddy take up a couple of working girls they'd just picked up off the street (he ended up changing hotels).

Other travel services

Yes, we work with the best tour operators, car rental agencies, vans and special taxis. Ask us about special weekend trips, extensions, adventure travel and other topics of your interest. We will gladly help you secure your tickets for domestic flights and international flights leaving from Rio and Brazil.

Yes, they are - right in the heart of Ipanema, of course! You are very welcome to visit our travel agency. Our convenient location on the main street is steps away from the Peace Square, just two blocks from the beach. See you in Rio!