Río de Janeiro - Arrival Day - Part II 🏨
Arriving at the Hilton in the Barra neighborhood exceeded my expectations! While the US based Hiltons were quite strict with the perks, this Rio based location had everything available - breakfast buffet, executive lounge and evening reception. I was warmly greeted by hotel staff and even provided a miniature bottle of cachaça, Brazil’s spirit.
After checking into my hotel, I rushed downstairs to catch the tail end of breakfast where I met my first Brazilian friend, Dandara. She worked the host stand and was the first person I had a conversation with every morning for the remainder of my stay.
The spread was incredible! Fresh fruit like mango and passion fruit, all kinds of breads - including the famous Brazilian cheese bread, all types of meats and even dessert! All included in my rate 😌
After breakfast, I did a quick tour around the hotel. The rooftop infinity pool was gorgeous and to my surprise the gym was open. The hotel was within walking distance of the mall, so I explored and decided on a whim to get my brows tinted. Why not? It was only $10 after the exchange rate conversion!
I learned very quickly not to say gracias! Instead say, obrigada for ‘thank you’. Prior to this trip, I didn’t study any Portuguese, because my plan was to focus on my Spanish, but I realized I had to learn some Portuguese during my stay. Dandara helped me with my pronunciation each morning!
I returned to the hotel and unfortunately was on the phone for over an hour (which turned into a MASSIVE phone bill) with the storage unit facility in Dallas. Due to some clerical error, they were ready to dispose of my belongings and vehicle! 😰 They finally agreed to allow me to sign some documents electronically and my first crisis in Río was averted!
To relieve some stress and celebrate, I went to the Hilton evening reception to enjoy more free food and wine. Overall, my first day in South America was a net success! 🥳
The beautiful rooftop pool
The view from the roof. Barra is beautiful!
I was so happy to have a nice gym that was open! Gyms in the US were still closed.