Orlando Vic

We have a cruise departing from Rio in mid-February of 2012 and are planning to arrive 3-4 days early for some sightseeing. This is right before Carnival begins. I have been unable to make reservations at multiple hotels. Out of frustration I emailed one of them and they replied that they were not yet taking reservations for 2012.

Is this normal? Does anyone know when 2012 hotel reservations might become available?

I must admit that I am nervous trying to get reservations so close to Carnival.

dgcpaphd

I suspect that many hotel owners are waiting a little longer to see how bad inflation gets during the remainder of this year before they set their hotel rates for 2012.

Brazil was expecting about a 4.5 inflation rate. However, here it is only the end of the first quarter and the inflation is already 2.44% through March 31.

Take a look at the below article and you might find the reason hotels prices are not yet announced for 2012.

"Friday, April 8, 2011 - 07:44 Brazil Fin Min Corrects: IOF Tax on Consumer Credit 3%/Yr

By Daniel Horch

SAO PAULO (MNI) - Brazil's Finance Minister Guido Mantega announced Thursday night another increase in the IOF financial transactions tax, this time on consumer credit: to 3% a year.

(The Finance Ministry late Thursday night corrected Mantega's original statement, that the IOF was being increased to 3.0% a month on consumer credit - not a year.)

"We are taking this measure to moderate the growth in consumer credit," Mantega said.

"Other forms (of credit), such as for business and investment, are not affected," he said. The intention is to "avoid an exaggerated growth in demand that could impact inflation."

March inflation, released earlier Thursday, rose 0.79%, bringing the first quarter's total to 2.44%: a rate well above both expectations and the 4.5% annual target.

Following that release, Mantega had said further measures to fight inflation would come.

Policymakers have been trying so-called "macroprudential measures" to fight inflation via credit restrictions, so as to avoid raising interest rates, but inflation has remained high.

On the currency, Mantega said, "there is no limit for the measures the government can take," and claimed the previous measures have been successful.

"If not for the measures taken already the exchange rate would be at 1.45," he said.

But Mantega's recent threats and measures have failed to impress currency traders.

Just a day earlier, he announced Wednesday night an extension of the 6% IOF tax on overseas corporate financing to include credit of up to two years, from just one year.

The market responded Thursday by driving the real up 1.86% to 1.584 to the dollar, its highest level since August 2008."

** Market News International Sao Paulo **

3544quebec

If you tell us what dates and what hotels you are looking at then we may be able to help. Carnival itself is Feb 17th-21st which is sort of mid Feb anyway. So if your days include any of these you'll be caught up in the minimum stay requirement over Carnival and booking engines might shew no availability if you try to book more than the minimum. I have reservations at the Intercontinental and Sheraton Rio for mid-Feb.

As usual if you provide detailed info you have a better chance of getting a real explanation. If you provide nebulous information in your queries on FT you'll end up with a lot of speculation.

Orlando Vic

O.K. detailed information here:
Dates: Feb 15-18 (3 nights)
First Choice is Orla Copacabana http://orlahotel.com.br

My observation is that this 2012 lack of availability applies to many hotels, not just my preferred first choice.

3544quebec

One problem you are going to have is that your dates Feb 15-18 overlap with the Carnival period (Feb 17-22) and many hotels will only allow a minimum 5 day reservation.

www.hotelscombined.com has about 15 hotels listed as available for those 3 days The Golden Tulip Regente and the Sofitel being the only 2 on the beachfront at Copacabana like the Hotel Orla. If I was you I would look to see if I could get a confirmed reservation at somewhere like the Sheraton which is available at $259/night on www.spg.com (cancel by Feb 13) and then see if one of your preferred hotels opens up in the meantime.

SoCal

I don't find the limited information from hotels at all surprising this far in advance. If they don't yet have information, you wait or you book what you can find now.

Note OP's dates are Feb. 15-18, which reduces availability and increases rates a bit. Sheraton near Ipanema (a hotel I find a bit isolate, but that's another matter) shows the same rate, but the one in Barra (even further removed from main tourist sights of Rio) zooms up in price, and Priority Club shows no availability. OP can certainly find some availability, albeit limited, through third-party sites such as Expedia, as well. I don't think that necessarily dismisses the observation that, right before Carnaval (and many people going for Carnaval do arrive early), some hotels may require packages/minimum stays they're still developing.

This is not a period of the year one will find bargains on hotels. It's a time of year many are willing to pay whatever the market price is. As one who is in Brazil, I'd suggest looking for another cruise date, a bit more removed from the peak period of Carnaval, if at all possible (unless, of course, one expects to take advantage of pre-Carnaval activities not available at other times). If you're taking the Star Princess cruise on Feb. 18 and can't go in January, or want to take the February 18 cruise because it is a repositioning cruise (goes to San Francisco, I think) then be prepared for higher prices, limited availability and, perhaps, a bit of a wait until you can get a room (seems awfully early, anyway). Maybe this is a case where a TA or the cruise line's help would be worth the cost?

BTW, we took the Star Princess from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso about 3 years ago. Very enjoyable.

SoCal

Quite apart from who's easily impressed and who isn't, and differentiating between limited availability (as of now, at least, which seems to possibly be the case) and no availability at all (which is clearly not the case), I'd at least urge OP to check out reviews of the hotels. I've been in the Sheraton (the one near Leblon), and found it a bit isolated, at least in terms of where one can walk (safely), as compared to other beachfront hotels, but if OP wants to book now and that's the best they can get, and the price is acceptable, I think they'd be okay. Now, if OP has deep pockets, Expedia does show availability at the Copacabana Palace. Good location, but not all of the rooms are fit for a rock or movie star. I did once, years ago, see Pierce Brosnan in the entranceway, but I doubt he was in one of the more basic rooms.

Orlando Vic

Many thanks for all the great suggestions and the insight about the escalating inflation. I still suspect that 2011 dates will open later this year, but that the closer to the beginning of Carnival we get, the more nervous I get. I plant to take 3544quebec's suggestion about getting a 3-night reservation at the Sheraton Rio Hotel and Resort and can get a senior rate for USD 210. However, that will be my 'plan B" and I will continue to look for reservations at my first choice hotel or some sort of SPG promo that may come out during the first quarter of 2012. Does anyone see problems with that logic?

l etoile

I removed several posts that were unhelpful and simply a matter of bickering between a couple of members. Please limit your comments to the question at hand and leave the bickering aside.

l'etoile
sr. moderator

Tenerife

Since my posting would have the same title as OrlandoVic's, I apologize for hijacking his thread to ask my question.

I am searching for a Rio hotel for 17-21 March 2012. Since those dates are long after Carnaval is over, am I simply finding no availability due to the hesitation for hoteliers to post rates this early? We are also booked on a cruise (Oceania Insignia) with no possiblity to change the dates, because we are using it as a repositioning cruise to get back home (and to enjoy lots of sea days).

Any suggestions for a middle-price 3-4 star hotel from those who are familiar with Rio? Doesn't need to be pure luxury, just comfortable, clean and near transportation and be in a relatively safe area. I may do a Sheraton reservation just to have a fall-back.

Thanks for any advice.