Travel Information

Transportation to the Hotel

The Portobello Hotel is 100 km distant (1h 30min) from the Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport of Rio de Janeiro ("Galeão"). Taxi is the easiest, safest, and most comfortable way to get to the hotel. The Portobello Hotel recommends a private company called "Inovação Viagens e Turismo". They provide bilingual drivers and accept credit cards and cash payments. To schedule a pickup, please contact in advance: inovacaoviagenseturismo@ig.com.br. Phone +55-21-3789-2247.
The transfer price charged by Inovação is:

Beach

Brazilians only carry a towel, sun tan oil or sun block and a small amount of money to the beach. We suggest you to do the same. Avoid swimming far from the shore and be careful with overexposure to the sun. If your skin is sensitive, you should avoid the beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Remember, you are in a tropical country.

Business Hours

Most offices and stores are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Stores are also open on Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm while most of the large shopping centers open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm and Sunday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Banks are open from Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Climate

Most of Brazil lies on the South of the Equator. As a result there is very little seasonal variation. The climate is comfortably temperate in most of the country, and refreshing sea breezes often blow along the coast almost all year round. With the temperatures usually ranging from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 30 degrees Centigrade), casual spring and summer clothes are appropriate for almost every region and occasion. In Rio, Summer runs from December though March with temperatures ranging from 25° C (77° F) to 42° C (108° F) while winter runs from June though to August when temperatures can drop to around 20° C (68°F) in the day and cool 16° C (60°F) at night.

Clothing

Dress Casually. For men, slacks and sports shirts are sufficient; for women, casual attire is fine. Women may appreciate having a shawl or cardigan to handle the more heavily air conditioned buildings while a light sweater is all the necessary for winter nights.

Credit Cards

They are welcome in shopping centers as well as in large stores, restaurants and night clubs.

Communications

The International Direct Dial (IDD) code for Brazil is 55 and the city code for Mangaratiba 21.

Flying into Brazil

Two airports allow access to Rio de Janeiro. The Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport of Rio de Janeiro ("Galeão"), at 20 km from downtown, receives flights from all the largest Brazilian and foreign cities. The Santos Dumont Airport, located at the Guanabara Bay and near downtown, is used only for domestic flights. The other main hub for flying into Brazil is Sao Paulo. Both Rio and Sao Paulo are served by major airlines with flights from several cities in US and Europe.

Geographic Location

Brazil covers almost half of South America and the coastline runs along the Atlantic Ocean for over 7.408 kilometers (11.919 miles) of white sandy beaches. Mangaratiba is situated on Brazil's Southeast Region, inside a state called "Rio de Janeiro".

Hotel Safes

Hotels offer safety deposit boxes in their rooms, It is recommended that jewelry, air tickets, documents and money are kept in them. Keep only what is necessary for your daily use with you.

Language

Portuguese is the national language, although the Brazilian people give different accents and semantics to the Portuguese language spoken in Portugal. English and Spanish are the foreign languages spoken in most areas, especially in hotels, shops, restaurants and other tourist places. English and Spanish are part of the school curriculum.

Money

The currency in Brazil is the Real (R$). You can change Dollars or Euros at exchange shops or hotels front desk. However other currencies are not wildly available, so you are advised to bring Dollars, Euros or travelers checks. There are coins of one, five, ten, twenty-five, fifty centavos, and one Real and there are bills of one, five, ten, fifty and one hundred Reais. Foreign currencies and travelers checks can be exchanged at hotels, banks and tourist agencies. Most international credit cards are accepted.

Time Zone

In most of the country and in the main cities, the time is three hours earlier than Greenwich (London) Meridian Time.