The GE research center in Rio is pretty close to the international airport, so I was expecting to be staying in a character-free airport hotel. But I figured I'd ask my hosts what they'd recommend nearby anyway, and the response that came back was excellent: there's nothing near here. Stay in Copacabana or Ipanema and take a cab.
For those of you not up on Rio's geography, those are the city's most famous beaches. Both of them seemed pretty convenient to the main road north, so I aimed for Ipanema, since my brain associates it with a far superior song. But looking for deals, I found a better one in Copacabana.
Which is how I came to be staying a block across from the beach, falling asleep each night to the sound of crashing waves. The hotel also has a rooftop terrace with a bar and Wi-Fi, along with a sweeping view of the beaches, sugarloaf, and, from the right angle, Cristo Redentor. Staying in a major tourist area has one big advantage—everybody at the hotel and nearby restaurant speaks English. The second you step into a cab, however, that's no longer true. Everyone is happy to try to help and gives you a big thumbs-up when they can. But not everyone can.
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