Any one who is a newcomer to travel in Rio de Janeiro needs to learn about some important things when you are on your vacation. One crucial lesson to take note of is the distinction between hotels and motels when it comes to Brazil. From an American view, you likely would think that the real difference is price and quality of these kind of rentals and you may keep this option for some time as you stroll the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. But you will soon realize that to Brazilians, there is a difference. A big difference.
What exactly is this difference you ask? Well, to put it blunt and very simple, hotels are for sleeping and motels are for having sex. There really isn't any other way to put it and this is a easy fact in Rio de Janeiro as well as the rest of Brazil. So if you are taking a holiday here, it is definitely something that you should become aware of. If you're sipping that martini in a quaint little bar of Copacabana or Ipanema and a person refers to a motel, you'll understand specifically what they're discussing
One may be questioning as to why this is. While in the United States, motels tend to be rest stops for tourists who are looking for reasonably priced quarters for the night. Just a place to rest. In Brazil, you need to look at things from a cultural viewpoint. Most people live in close quarters. It's not usual for Brazilians to have their own apartments, rentals or flats. Usually people can't pay for these kind of accommodations alone, so it's very usual to live with their families.
Now this may possibly change after some time as Brazil becomes economically more influential. As apartments and flats are popping up all over Rio. But then again, not likely since this principle is so imbedded in the culture. Privacy is certainly something hard to find. Usually people in Brazil who are travelling on business are going to gravitate toward hotels anyway. Though, as infrastructure becomes more enhanced, you'll have more people who have lower budgets. This lower middle class will likely be the kind that may make full use of motels as a more cost-effective alternative and bring about a cultural shift.
On the other hand, right now, during the time of this writing hotels mean sleeping and motels mean having sex. Simple enough right? Shouldn't be any more errors as to the function of this type of real estate. Hopefully this has solved some misunderstandings to anyone who might be coming to Rio de Janeiro and help them avoid a potentially uncomfortable situation of which accommodations to use. But then again, perhaps you should look at some apartments instead.
What exactly is this difference you ask? Well, to put it blunt and very simple, hotels are for sleeping and motels are for having sex. There really isn't any other way to put it and this is a easy fact in Rio de Janeiro as well as the rest of Brazil. So if you are taking a holiday here, it is definitely something that you should become aware of. If you're sipping that martini in a quaint little bar of Copacabana or Ipanema and a person refers to a motel, you'll understand specifically what they're discussing
One may be questioning as to why this is. While in the United States, motels tend to be rest stops for tourists who are looking for reasonably priced quarters for the night. Just a place to rest. In Brazil, you need to look at things from a cultural viewpoint. Most people live in close quarters. It's not usual for Brazilians to have their own apartments, rentals or flats. Usually people can't pay for these kind of accommodations alone, so it's very usual to live with their families.
Now this may possibly change after some time as Brazil becomes economically more influential. As apartments and flats are popping up all over Rio. But then again, not likely since this principle is so imbedded in the culture. Privacy is certainly something hard to find. Usually people in Brazil who are travelling on business are going to gravitate toward hotels anyway. Though, as infrastructure becomes more enhanced, you'll have more people who have lower budgets. This lower middle class will likely be the kind that may make full use of motels as a more cost-effective alternative and bring about a cultural shift.
On the other hand, right now, during the time of this writing hotels mean sleeping and motels mean having sex. Simple enough right? Shouldn't be any more errors as to the function of this type of real estate. Hopefully this has solved some misunderstandings to anyone who might be coming to Rio de Janeiro and help them avoid a potentially uncomfortable situation of which accommodations to use. But then again, perhaps you should look at some apartments instead.
About the Author:
Rio Exclusive is a Cresi licensed rentals and real estate firm with offerings that include a penthouse for sale in ipanema. They also have available hotel rentals in a rio luxury hotel in Copacabana and Ipanema.
