Varandas do Vidigal — Hotel in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

This is probably the best hostel I have ever stayed at. First of all, you step into the "lobby" and are looking out over what has to be the best view in all of Rio. It is truly breathtaking. Second, the staff is just wonderful. The hostel is run by Armando and his wife Ruth (and an accompanying group of 3-4 others) and they will go the extra mile for you for just about anything. But the piece that truly sets this hostel apart from others is its location in Vidigal. I cannot express enough about what a cool place it was to visit, and about how silly you are if you chose not to go here because you are scared of the label "favela." Vidigal is one of the most exciting and vibrant communities I've ever stumbled into. It is incredibly lively--it doesn't matter whether it is 3AM on a weeknight or 9AM on a weekend, there are always people out and about, and bars, shops, and even beauty salons seemingly available at all hours! It's chaotic and steep (like, really steep), and moto-taxis zoom around every corner (if you aren't willing to take the 15 minute hike to the hostel a moto-taxi will take you there for about USD 1) but the community is quite clean and the people are very open.||||In terms of access to the rest of the city, it's really not that much of a problem. With the new subway system in place, you can easily get to where you want to go just by taking a quick 10 minute bus ride (or 20 minute walk) from the base of Vidigal to the nearest stop. Leblon and Ipanema (beaches that are way better than Copacobana) are right around the corner.||||Go to...

I stayed at this hostel during few days of Olympics. This hostel is very chill place with the big open common space to hangout and the great view. Don't miss the sunrise. The staff is great. They let me do yoga with few other guests. It was very welcoming for me to utilize their space and do some Zen thing in the morning with an awesome view of the city. The rooms are spacious and quite bright. The breakfast is decent and I am glad it's little earlier that suits my need. The hostel has a good vibe and great place to meet travellers. It's the perfect place to explore the favela and hike to two brothers. Staying here gave me good view of the favela life and I felt very safe. I would definitely stay at this hostel again. ||||Lastly, Ruth is very gentle and sweet person. It was the pleasure talking to her. Great...

This place is absolutely beautiful. It is located in the favela called Vidigal, it feels like a local experience and the view is phenomenal. Most people would want to go to the typical viewpoints such as the one with the Christ statue. However, the best view is located near this hostel. A steep, but fairly easy walk to Dois Irmaos which means the two brothers, is an absolutely amazing view of Rio de Janeiro. It is a nice little hike and you have two sides of Rio de Janeiro you are able to see. ||||Armando the owner of the hostel is the most wonderful, warm person. He can help you with anything you need and makes sure that you have a great time during your stay in Rio. A man with a genuine kind heart...