Customer Reviews

Frommer's Brazil (Frommer's Complete Guides)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used this book for a trip to some of the more popular parts of Brazil (Rio, Iguassu, Bahia). For those areas, this book is pretty strong (thus why I selected it).

While much of the content was good, including restaurant and bar reviews that seem to accurately reflect reality (unlike some other guidebooks). I disagreed with some of the reviews listed as "overrated", but many of the tips and finds were very useful.

However, there were a number of inaccuracies in the listings that made using the book frustrating. Some of the establishments (restaurants, attractions, bars, etc.) listed as "open daily" were in fact closed some days. Others listed as taking credit cards didn't. Others had the wrong hours listed. I asked at a few of the establishments if they had changed things like hours or payment methods in the past year or so (when the book was updated), and all said they hadn't. This leads me to believe that the authors just got some of their information wrong.

If the information in the book were 100% right, I'd definitely recommend it. But based on my experience, I'd only recommend it if you can call establishments to verify their information while traveling in Brazil.

I was not happy at all with this book. It ought to be called "A Guide to Rio and Sao Paulo." There was sparse (if any) information about traveling anywhere else in the country. You shouldn't be allowed to refer to a book as a guide to an entire country when two-thirds of it is solely about two cities.

There also seems to be very little oriented towards someone who is not a fat, lazy tourist that wants to do more than just go to the beach and check out the popular restaurants. Brazil is a beautiful country. There should be more about getting out and enjoying it.

I only give it two stars because (1) Its written very well. Frommer's is generally good about that and (2) I'm assuming that IF I wanted to go to the south of Brazil that this would be a good guide. Based on some of the other reviews I've read here, that may be generous on my part.