The hotel itself was great for the price, not exactly high end but luxury for a couple of backpackers! Nice buffet breakfast. The area is a pedestrian shopping street, a bit dodgy and seedy after dark, theres lots of sex shops and stalls and plenty of shady people wandering round. It's no real reason not to stay there just don't take valuables out and keep your wits about you and you'll be fine, we didn't have any troubles. Wouldn't stay there for more than a few days though.

The attractive facade to the building belies a rather plan, no frills interior but the rooms are clean, the breakfast plentiful, if uneventful, and the price and the location - close to the Praca de Republica (with the underground, airport bus office and excellent Sunday market - miles better than anything Rio has to offer) - can't be beaten.

The area feels a little dodgy after dark but actually puts me in mind of the rough end of Oxford St (by Tottenham Court Road tube) i.e. it's not that bad and on one occasion we were advised by two mendigos (street people) to take care of our bag, which just goes to show how you shouldn't judge people by apprearances.