Central Praias Suíte 3

I stayed there over the New Year and was really impressed by the service and cleanliness. It's close to everything, which I loved. I'll be back!

I've stayed here two years in a row, and there'll be more. It's one of my best experiences: attentive people, a cozy, family-like atmosphere, and everything just right.

The location is a long way from downtown, though it's near Praça de São Cristóvão, a few food kiosks, a couple of soccer courts, a bus stop, and an Extra supermarket. If you're a woman traveling alone, I wouldn't walk downtown from here. If you'll rely on Uber, check the costs first and see whether staying downtown makes more sense. I did feel safe on my own, though. I booked three nights in suite 2. My first impression was good: the room has a modern setup, smelled of disinfectant when I arrived, and the owners were friendly and attentive. I met the husband in person; I only spoke with his wife on WhatsApp. There were some practical issues. The minibar was unplugged, so guests have to turn it on themselves, and it takes a while to cool. The electric shower was either too hot or too cold, with no comfortable middle setting. A large ceiling vent was partly covered with a piece of wood, and the little tilt window wasn't fully sealed. The small kitchen sink had a very wide drain, while the plastic bathroom drains couldn't be closed. On the first night, I found a large cockroach in the wardrobe. I called the owner, and it was removed. They offered me another suite, but I thought it wouldn't make much difference, so I asked for some SBP and stayed put. Later I noticed ants around the minibar, spiders on the ceiling, and the next day a very black spider came out from behind the wardrobe. I also spotted a moth on the floor from under the bed, and dust on the top and inside of the wardrobe, in places that aren't easy to see. It didn't seem like a thorough clean was done very often. I could understand that in a place close to nature, but this isn't one. They also started work on the gourmet area above the rooms on the second floor, replacing the tiles. Guests could have been told in advance, especially since some people travel for work. It was uncomfortable having to prepare food while work was going on, though they stopped as soon as I went upstairs. The air conditioner started dripping after I left it on all night and water covered the floor. I asked a staff member for a floor cloth and was handed a BLACK one he was using for the renovation. I laughed from nerves at that point. I told the owner too, and her husband brought a bucket and a mop-style squeegee. He said the AC pipe was probably clogged and had cleared it. They charge a card machine fee: 6% for one-time credit, which added R$20 to the price. I'd never seen that before, but okay. On checkout day I needed to leave a little after the 11 a.m. deadline because I had a ride back to Rio, and that person wasn't leaving Cabo Frio until evening. I asked the owner to extend checkout, but she said guests were arriving that same day. After the cockroach, I felt the room should have had extra attention before another guest came in. The quick turnaround only reinforced my impression that the cleaning was superficial. That's why I rate the stay three stars. I'm not writing this just to complain, but to point out what could be improved.