Where to Go, Where to Stay?

Almost nine years ago, when we started renting apartments in Rio, about 80% of our requests were for Copacabana, and no one knew Botafogo. Nowadays, the majority of our requests are for Ipanema, and we get quite a few for Botafogo as well. Not to say that Copa is no longer a contender, but people have gotten more savvy as the internet has grown. For me, it is a question of preference, and budget. If you have the money to stay in Ipanema, I say, "Go for it!" But if you are planning to stay a month, then it is going to be expensive, so you may choose Copa or even Botafogo. I have people who are requesting an apartment for a year, and for them, it has to be somewhere that is affordable and convenient. Most of the time, they end up in Botafogo, since for the money, you can get a larger apartment in a safe area. Speaking of safety, used to be people chose Ipanema because it was safer than Copacabana, not any more! You have to be careful no matter where you are in Rio. The recession has caused people to resort to crazy stuff, so I recommend more than ever to only carry the money you need and never resist an assault. It is cheaper and safer just to give them the goods and walk away unharmed.