Stayed here for ten days in May. Got mugged and lost my phone + wallet, so I had to use their phone…read moreto make several calls back to the USA. Wasn't easy, but eventually, I made it back home. 2 months later, I get an email from the hostel. Attached was a low-res screenshot of some charges and an invoice for ~$100 USD. They claimed I owed them payment for the international calls I made at the hostel. Additionally, they made a couple of claims to justify my debt: (1) I had no social media, and (2) they "did try to communicate our awareness of the cost" (their exact words). (1) is not true. I had social media, but how am I supposed to access it without either my phone (for 2FA login purposes) or my email (requires my phone to login)? So that is a moot point. (2) is also not true. Every time I asked to use the phone, for anything, the person working said of course, and handed me the phone. No one in the hostel ever mentioned anything to me at all, in my ten days there, about the cost. Paying for phone usage was nowhere on their website or in their terms, and I never saw something like that enforced or even talked about. So that is also a strange thing to lie about. To top it all off, they found my dad's boss online, and then contacted him to try to get me to pay? Very unprofessional behavior. *Despite all of this*, and despite no real way to enforce a flimsy charge like this, I paid the invoice. In exchange, I would strongly encourage anyone reading this to *stay literally anywhere else in Rio*. The hostel really isn't good enough to make up for such poor management. At first, I thought it was strange that Brazilians would act so miserly. And I have nothing personally against the non-working Brazilians I met, who were all very nice. But when you find out the hostel is, in actuality, owned and founded by a certain (((other))) group of people, this management makes way, way more sense.

Voted the #1 hostel in Rio as well as Latin America...and I can see why…read more One friend arrived before two of us and he described Discovery Hostel as a house. When we arrived, I could see what he meant. You walk into a reception area which is in the living room area. You'll find that other people staying here will hang out and talk in the living room. There's a kitchen which you're able to use or store your perishables. The kitchen serves a complimentary breakfast during the early morning and has a bar with cheap drinks during the evenings. The rooms are clean. What I loved about the rooms was that there is a nightlight and power outlet at each bed. I stayed in the all female room which had two bunk beds (3 beds high) and a private en suite bathroom. My only gripe was having to stay at the top bunk (they're difficult to get up and down). This room is the only room with an en suite. Other than that, there are other male/female dorm rooms and I believe two private rooms for two people. Staff is helpful and friendly. Take advantage of their help for events and activities. Events and activities are updated daily at the reception board. You pay a bit more for some of the activities, but it usually includes transportation. We went to Marcana for a futebol/soccer match which turned into a hostel outing. Another night we went to a club in Lapa. WHAT TO KNOW: *Cash only!! You cannot pay anything by credit. *Price is right. We each paid 164 Real (About $55) for 3 nights. *Check-in is not until 2pm and they do make you wait until then. *Complimentary wifi...though it was a bit spotty for me. *Bring your own towel and lock for your storage locker. If you forget either, you can purchase a lock or rent a towel. *Short walk to Lapa and the colorful Escadaria Selaron steps. *Metro station located half a block away so sites like Copacabana, transportation to the Christ statue, etc. is just a ride away. *A cat lives at the hostel so beware if you have allergies.

It's a nice little hostel right next to bus lines and the metro station. The receptionist are even…read morehelpful in regards to giving great advice on non touristy things to do in the area. Also if you ask nicely a receptionist would even turn your room a/c on early as the rooms can get extremely hot and the fans are just not enough. I was in a small four person dorm and felt as if I was going to melt. Also, if you'd like to save money get water from a neighboring store as the water at the hierro can be a little pricey. Even the food! Download Rappi or just walk around to the different food places in the area. Although, they'll all be kinda pricey as well. I did LOVEEEE that the hostel was so close to Ipanema beach and if you enjoy sunsets like I do, this is the best area to see them. While there were minor things I didn't like about the hostel (the smoking on the balcony) I still really enjoyed my stay here nonetheless.

this hostel is dirty, has air conditioning only downstairs in the lobby, and has the smallest rooms…read morein brazil. the owner also rents flats/apartments in ipanema and leblon. i rented an apartment through him for 11 months in sao conrado. the contract was in his name. this was done because he was the fiador and i am a foreigner. the flat belonged to a friend of his. he is the one that suggested i move into the flat. i paid for the insurance and the rent. the flat caught on fire in january 2014. 90 per cent of my belongings were destroyed. ricardo moura did not help me. he was supposed to go to the fire dept. to find out the cause of the fire. i waited until may and he still hadn´t gone. he did not ask the landlady to return my deposit nor did he go to the insurance company to claim the 30 thousand euros in clothes, home appliances, cameras, tripods, computers, paintings, instruments that were destroyed. he will appear to be a nice guy, talking in english and spanish and about how cool rio de janeiro and the cariocas are, but beware! ricardo moura will not be there for you when you really need him or if something goes wrong! so don´t make the mistake to trust him, do business with him, stay at his hostel or his flats/apartments. he even suggested that i made another contract with him to rent another place in the same condominium!

If you are looking to be in a chill neighborhood, right by the beach, but also want to be in a…read moresociable environment, this is the place for you in Rio de Janeiro. Stellar multilingual sociable staff and amenities. Would certainly return for another stay in Rio de Janeiro.

This place is absolutely spectacular if you are traveling to Rio for the 1st, 2nd or 3rd time. They…read morehave a great bar that's open till 11pm and the BEST BARTENDER IN RIO, PANDA!!!! Panda makes the best caipirinhas, if nothing else, stop by this hostel get a drink from Panda and fall into a rabbit hole of amazing conversation! UR THE BEST PANDA!!!

Great hostel! The rooms are great and the common area is the best! Near to a lot of places and with…read morethe subway you are close to everything you need in Rio!

Pros Great location close to metro stop and impanema…read moreneighborhood amenities Ok but not great breakfast Friendly and helpful front desk people Fun and chill indoor and out door hang out space Cons Uncomfortable beds that sag in the middle and are falling apart due to age Tiny rooms Bathroom has unkempt cement floor Cold showers (we asked the front desk to look into this.... Still cold showers) Rio is a magical place and I'd recommend paying a bit more for to get something decent relative to Bonita