Abraço Carioca Favela Hostel — Hotel in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

I have previously stayed three times in normal 3-start hotels on Copacabana, but this was a MUCH better experience. I have no clue about the safety of the place, but I (or anybody else I talked to) certainly did not feel insecure walking up to the hostel, typically all the way from Copacabana or further away, even doing this at 1am and/or after having a few caipirinhas. My guess is that this might be a safer option that the typical tourist places, such as the Copacabana beach itself. ||||The favela experience itself was great! The food in the favela was excellent; not only at the famous Bar do David (which was excellent although somewhat expensive for a favela; nevertheless, go there for dinner) but also the excellent and assuming Boteca da Favela next door (which only serves lunch). Also excellent breakfast.||||The hostel itself is a favela dwelling deep inside the favela (187 steps up). Great experience staying there. It's obviously a no-frills place, but (in contrast to some reviews I read) I certainly found the place more than clean enough. No problems there. The showers, etc., all worked fine. Also stunning view of Copacabana from the terrace and from the dorm room. Of course, this is a hostel, so the experience to a certain degree depends on the other guests, but also there I was lucky (thanks, Joseph, Manu, and Zoli).||||The wifi works pretty OK (and is remarkably stable), and if you need to work, the terrace is a very good to get work done. I certainly did.||||Location: Leme was a nice place, with many places to eat, and felt safe (again, probably safer to walk around the main street Gustavo Sampaio than Avenida Atlantica in the evening). From Leme, it is a 10+ walk up to the hostel. Which also means that it is a 8-min pleasant downhill walk to the Copacabana beach. Excellent location. There are also motor cycles at the base of Ladeira Ary Barroso which take you up to Bar do David for 3 BRL. A good option when you are tired. ||||This already is great. But maybe the best part of the place was the owner, Gabriel. He seems genuinely interested in showing interesting parts of Rio, including a showing us Rocinha and downtown Rio. He may also take you to nice samba places and/or bars. Who else does that these days? He is friendly and has a great sense of humour. Furthermore, and importantly, he is at the same time very professional. If he says that something will be done, it will be done. He was also an excellent help in organizing everything from hang gliding (200 BRL cheaper than my office mate from a normal hotel) to tickets to Maracana.||||All in all, an amazing stay, and I certainly would like to go back to this place, even being a guy in his...

I have previously stayed three times in normal 3-start hotels on Copacabana, but this was a MUCH better experience. I have no clue about the safety of the place, but I (or anybody else I talked to) certainly did not feel insecure walking up to the hostel, typically all the way from Copacabana or further away, even doing this at 1am and/or after having a few caipirinhas. My guess is that this might be a safer option that the typical tourist places, such as the Copacabana beach itself. ||||The favela experience itself was great! The food in the favela was excellent; not only at the famous Bar do David (which was excellent although somewhat expensive for a favela; nevertheless, go there for dinner) but also the excellent and assuming Boteca da Favela next door (which only serves lunch). Also excellent breakfast.||||The hostel itself is a favela dwelling deep inside the favela (187 steps up). Great experience staying there. It's obviously a no-frills place, but (in contrast to some reviews I read) I certainly found the place more than clean enough. No problems there. The showers, etc., all worked fine. Also stunning view of Copacabana from the terrace and from the dorm room. Of course, this is a hostel, so the experience to a certain degree depends on the other guests, but also there I was lucky (thanks, Joseph, Manu, and Zoli).||||The wifi works pretty OK (and is remarkably stable), and if you need to work, the terrace is a very good to get work done. I certainly did.||||Location: Leme was a nice place, with many places to eat, and felt safe (again, probably safer to walk around the main street Gustavo Sampaio than Avenida Atlantica in the evening). From Leme, it is a 10+ walk up to the hostel. Which also means that it is a 8-min pleasant downhill walk to the Copacabana beach. Excellent location. There are also motor cycles at the base of Ladeira Ary Barroso which take you up to Bar do David for 3 BRL. A good option when you are tired. ||||This already is great. But maybe the best part of the place was the owner, Gabriel. He seems genuinely interested in showing interesting parts of Rio, including a showing us Rocinha and downtown Rio. He may also take you to nice samba places and/or bars. Who else does that these days? He is friendly and has a great sense of humour. Furthermore, and importantly, he is at the same time very professional. If he says that something will be done, it will be done. He was also an excellent help in organizing everything from hang gliding (200 BRL cheaper than my office mate from a normal hotel) to tickets to Maracana.||||All in all, an amazing stay, and I certainly would like to go back to this place, even being a guy in his...

The plus of the hostel: amazing view!!||||The accident:||I spent in Abraco Carioca Favela hostel 6 nights!! It is not a big hostel (only 2 rooms and 12 beds) and only one guy from the staff - Rafael, who cleans the hostel and lives in the separate room, Gabriel, the owner, sometimes comes to the hostel, but not every day) and in that time the hostel was empty for a half. The atmosphere in the hostel is very friendly and relaxing.. And it was my big mistake that I relaxed too much in the last hour of my stay in this place!! I put money in my handbag and went out to drink a coffee on the terrace.... In this time in the hostel were only 3 people: i, the other girl, who was with me on the terrace, and Rafael, who was cleaning the dorm room, where I left my bag. After I came back to my room I decided to check the money in my bag, and found that 100 euros just disappeared (not all the money, but the most part)!!!! I checked all my baggage once more and went to the Gabriel ( the owner of the hostel) who had lunch with Rafael to tell about the lost!! His reaction was really weird to me: he wasn't surprised or worried or upset, and just answered that it is not his problem, and what I want from him, he is not interested in any details of what happened and said only "nobody says the truth, if he steals the money".. And then turned his back to me and continued his meal... ||Then I understood that only Rafael could take my money when he was cleaning the room and it was nobody inside the room besides him!! ||And I don't know why there are no another reviews about воровство. May be it is really the first time. May be Rafael's mother was ill and he needs money, may be he was just tired to see all these 'rich tourists'. May be before this he was stealing not so big money.. I don t know, but this is the classical type of thiefs from the staff: the last day and not all the sum. ||After some time I tried to talk to Gabriel once more, and he said that if I want I can go to the police (so good advice, when he knew that it is my flight in 2 hours!!!))) no other words or questions from him!!! Only "girl, byeeeee!!!" ||||Of course, it was my mistake!! But the only my mistake is that I didn't understand that Rafael is a thief (I have all facts to think so!!). and I even can't find words to describe Gabriel! (but I can say that he was very nice all my stay in his hostel before my money was stolen..)||||So, people, make conclusions about this hostel and...