Jaunted

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On a Cold and Grey Chicago 'Morning...

Each week, we choose a destination recently featured in a travel glossy or weekend section that smacks of poor judgement on the part of their editors. For whatever reason, it doesn't pass our smell test. We then nominate it as a dubious destination. Got a dubious destination to recommend? Send it to tipsATjauntedDOTcom




Ahh, there is no grander tradition among the wealthy than that of "slumming it'. But, as slums in more developed world become less slummy to cater to incoming hipsters, a dilemma emerges: Where to go for all of your slum tourism needs?

Happily, Brazil--a country that excels at catering to our darker urges--has come up with the answer, in the form of favela hotels in Rio de Janeiro's shantytowns. Located smack-dab in the middle of the city's rougher neighborhoods, this accommodation makes up in authenticity what it lacks in amenities. And safety.

Really, we have no problem with locals from that part of Brazil making money for themselves, but we question the motives of visitor who might want to stay there. It could very well be for the wrong reasons, like slumming, and if it's combined with a lack of common sense, the end result will not be a happy one.

Of course, we have no problem with those tourists getting mugged in the nicer parts of Rio.

[Image via jcfillizola/Flickr]    

Related Stories:
·   A Different View of Rio [The Guardian]
·   Previous Dubious Destinations [Jaunted]