If you're going to the carnival in Rio, how ahead should you book a hotel/hostel and make preparations?

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Helo M

If you don't want to spend a lot and stay safely in a nice rental apartment (which i highly recommend) i would say 6 months before... you can find in yahoo brasil called "imÃ³veis" this is the service you wanna look for if you can figure out your way to surf a brazilian site... good luck and enjoy your stay... and most importantly keep safe!

tozarondanose

you can already book for carnaval 2008, so 6-12 months ahead and you'll have the best rates. good luck and have fun.

tchau

Bill H

If you try to book too early, some of the smaller hostels might not be ready to take your reservation. This year I helped a guy who was able to find a place with just two weeks lead time, but I wouldn't recommend that extreme either. I say get your hotel reservations around the same time you book your flight.

ferhan bugay

For brazil you can visit...
http://www.hotelpictures21.com/showgallery.php/cat/743

Mrs. Gerard Butler (Nata)

When i went to carnaval in Rio, I booked everything seven months ahead. It's very famous and expensive so everybody and their mother wants to go. Besides it will give you a lot of time to paid everything off and get ready, search the extra places that u want to go and stuff. Hope you enjoy it, and don't forget carnaval for us brasilian is all year round!

Nikita (Australian)

I turned up in Rio 3 days before Carnaval and found a hotel to stay in as all the hostels were booked out a long time in advance. It was touch and go for a few hours as I went with my friend from hotel to hotel and hostel to hostel looking for accommodation. I found a great hotel (Hotel Canada) that was very central and one block from the beach - Av Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, 687.

That said, if you know when you will be there, book now for 2008 as they will all take bookings already. I checked a year in advance with a few places and they were willing to take my booking, some without paying until closer to February.

The preparation you need to make far in advance - I suggest 8 months - is to book a flight as they book out VERY quickly. If they are already booked out by the time you try you can always fly into Sao Paulo or another city even as far down as Buenos Aires and bus it overland. I bused it from BA and while I was on a very comfy first class bus it was so long. Not recommended unless stopping on the way.

If you want to watch the parade in the Sambadromo on one of the good nights you will need to book early. A travel agent may have a good package. For all other tourist activites like the football at Maracana, climbing Sugarloaf Mountain etc, book it from Rio as you will get a better price and there is no need to book it early.

So, to sum up, as soon as you know what you are doing, get the bookings out of the way. I suggest minimum 8 months before Carnaval (around June).

Professor

I would say as soon as possible. For many reasons:

1 - The longer you make a reservation, more time you'll have to pay this reserve and the price is cheaper.

2 - Searching before the others allows you to find many vacancies in many different hotels, which is an easier way to look for a good prices and comfort in the same location.

The rest is up to you. I hope you can come to our city and enjoy this marvelous event that is carnival!

MeL

I would say at least 3 to 6 months before!! so you can have a fews choices for your budget!!
good luck!!!

pestilpen3

It depends. If you really want to spend the time of your life, one year will be recomended. Stay at the Copacabana Palace (the annex is less expensive), attend its magnificent ball, get your seats to the Sambadrome (both Sunday and Monday) in advance, sector 5 or 7. You'll remember it for a long time, at least while you still pay the bills. By the way, why this Brazilian nick, Bicho? Maybe you already know the answer to the question you posed?

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