Casa Babilônia

AMAZING PLACE! I was skeptical at first, and to other Westerners, don't judge it by the first look. I learned the facts quickly. The place is extremely safe, and the owner and team are wonderful. They really want to help. Ask them anything and they'll go out of their way to help make your time in Rio a success. The living area has an ocean view, and it's close to Copacabana beach. Just awesome. Thanks, Babilonia Team, for everything. I'd definitely come back and recommend it to everyone.

The 12-bed men's dorm wasn't as clean as I'd have liked, though at this price, that's what you'd expect. The bathrooms were nice and clean, and the hostel terrace is incredible, with a great sea view.

I only visited, I didn't stay overnight. The layout is nice and the location is great. Babilonia is a safe, comfortable favela in Rio, and I'd recommend visiting. I saw a green roof, solar panels, and a very clean kitchen, so I'm sure it's a lovely place to stay. I'm giving it less than five stars because the owners aren't Brazilian, and the business model feels a little exploitative.

The area seemed safe enough. If you don't want to walk up the hill to the hostel, you can take a moto-taxi for 3 or 4 BRL. It's one of the cheapest private-room options I found so close to the beach, though it still cost about 50€ a night. I was disappointed with the place and what you get for the price. My private room wasn't very clean when I arrived. It looked like only the sheets had been changed: there was a used towel on the wardrobe, hair in the shower, and a dead mosquito on the wall. Toilet paper has to go in the bin, but they don't empty it every day. There were signs everywhere saying things like "Don't leave your things in the bathroom", "5 minutes showers", and "Air conditioning only at night". I didn't use the kitchen much, but it wasn't always clean, and I couldn't even find a bowl. The staff didn't speak English, so they couldn't really help me. There was a nice French lady working at night who helped in my case.