Local Expert
Lucy Bryson
I was born in rainy Manchester, UK, but made my escape to sunny Rio de Janeiro in 2006. Since then it's been hard to keep me away from the city, although I've also travelled elsewhere in Brazil and…
I was born in rainy Manchester, UK, but made my escape to sunny Rio de Janeiro in 2006. Since then it's been hard to keep me away from the city, although I've also travelled elsewhere in Brazil and South America. I'm a trained journalist and editor and have managed to fund my trips through combining my twin passions of travelling and writing - recent writing credits include updating chapters for Fodor's Brazil, Footprint Brazil and Footprint South American Handbook. I live high on a hillside in Santa Teresa - Rio's 'arty' district, and my one complaint is that I never seem to get time to visit the beach! Despite my lack of tanning time, I love Rio, and and have no intentions of returning to my wet and windy home city any time soon!
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Hostel at the heart of the party
Lapa is Rio’s party central, and if you want to stay right at the heart of the action, your best bet is Sambavilla Hostel. The hostel is located right next to the famous Lapa Arches, where partiers gather in their thousands at weekends. Samba Villa offers bed, breakfast and internet for the bargain price of R$20 - making it one of the cheapest hostels in Rio. Accomodation is dorm-style, but all rooms have A/C, and the downstairs bar is a popular Lapa meeting place. Open to the public, there are regular live music performances here, and friendly staff are always onhand to whip up a tasty caipirinha.
The hostel opened less than two years ago, so fixtures and fittings are all spanking new - no saggy mattresses here!
Be warned though, Sambavilla is not the place to stay if you want to get a few nights’ rest and relaxation. This is very much a party hostel, and with the street festivities carrying on past dawn, you’ll need to be in the mood to join in. To find out more, you can visit the hostel’s website at www.sambavilla.com