Rio Olympics: Consider Favela Living Come 2016!

Simon Romero with the NY Times front page good news for those unsure if they could get a hotel room in Rio for golf's return to the 2016 Olympic Games: the favela's will be an option!

Yes that's right, the world famous hillside slums of Rio, replete with stellar views if you don't mind the stench, crime and climb, are starting to appear as an inexpensive lodging option for 2014's World Cup with more to come by '16.

Maria Clara dos Santos, 49, is preparing to take as many as 10 World Cup visitors into her three-bedroom home in Rocinha (pronounced ho-SEEN-ya), which commands a stunning view of Ipanema’s sun-kissed beaches in the distance. True, Ms. dos Santos notes, untreated sewage reeks on her street and steel bars on her windows are needed to deter break-ins, so she is offering guests a comparative bargain — about $50 a night to stay with her during the tournament.

“We can provide a level of human warmth and authenticity that places down below cannot,” she said, reflecting the growing popularity of favelas for their vibrant musical scenes, cheaper prices and absence of pretension compared with ritzier parts of town.

Sorry, no Marriott points.