Hostel Yes Brasil

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The view from rooftop is the only thing cool

The hostel lies in the favela between copa and ipanema. The person is friendly but only speaks portugese. Kids with automatic riffles in the small street in front of the hostel is a normal sighting. There are signs forbidding almost everything, also stating how much it costs. Toilet paper and soap costs extra. I forgot a pair of underwear in the shower and found it the next morning soaked in chlorine on the floor, maybe used as a mob for the floor.

This hostel made my trip to Rio. 10,000%. It was one of my top travel experiences (and I have been all over the world). I would not trade this experience for anything. One important thing to note is that this hostel is in a favela (Cantagalo). I did not realize this when I booked the accomodation. Initially, I was extremely intimidated. It is natural to have fear about a place like this. After an hour or 2, my fears subsided. Gil (the hostel owner) confirmed to me that everyone is safe here, and nothing will get stolen. I had many epiphanies during this experience that you might find helpful. --Gil was correct about the safety. You are in more danger on copacabana beach than you are in the favela. If someone were to steal your stuff at the hostel, the whole town would help you figure out who took it. --There is so much richness in the relationships in the community here. The people here may not have a lot of money, but they have some of the strongest bonds I have ever seen in a neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone. People are laughing, smiling, and actually living. You will not see anything like this in America. --No pictures. Don't even think about it. I heard stories of people who took pictures. it did not end up good. These are memories that you will not be able to reference in a picture. You will have to find the words to describe this experience (something I am still trying to figure out how to do). --People in Rio will pay $30+ USD for a favela tour. I saw one of these tours during my time in this community. It is not the same. These tours are a giant flock of gringos walking the main streets of the favela. They are not seeing the real way that people in this community live. There is so much happening on the side streets that you will never see in a favela tour. My reccomendation.... instead of paying $30+ for a favela tour, book a few nights at this hostel and experience a whole different side of the world that you couldn't possibly imagine.

This Hostel is in a Favela, but it's amazing. In front of the door there are armed guys selling drugs, but they're nice and they won't bother you at all. It's super safe, so no worries about that. The location is great. The room was really nice, with a great view, and there's a balcony on top with a 360 degrees view. Really would recommend if you want to experience the real Brazilian life.