How I Found A Great Hostel In Sao Paulo For $50 A Night

How do you find a cheap and safe place to stay in a foreign city where you know no one?

Ahead of my trip to Brazil, I browsed Kayak with a focus on price and location. There are places as cheap as $30 a night, but they involve sharing a room with multiple other travelers without a safe to lock important items. I settled on Pousada e Hostel São Paul, for about $50 per night, because it is within walking distance of the city's main attractions in addition to seeming both friendly and clean.

After a couple of days in the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, I knew I made the right choice.

This is Julio, who helps run the place. Whenever I see him, he greets me with a smile and "Bom dia!" before asking me if I need anything.

The hostel has a common area and a little kitchen, with simple seating areas both inside and outside.

This is Rodrigo, who does most of the handiwork in the building. He doesn't speak English but is happy to work through my broken Portuguese.

My room has four beds, but I'm the only occupant.

The best part is that I can walk pretty much everywhere from I want to go.

Nearby is the municipal soccer stadium - I went to the thrilling championship of the state of São Paulo on Sunday - as well as Avenida Paulista, which is where most of the city's financial and cultural institutions are located.

It's a 10 minute stroll to Rua Apiscuelta, where a lot of hip Paulistas hang out on a stretch of restaurants, bars, lounges.

The Bourbon Shopping Mall, home of the ridiculously priced Apple products, is a bit of a hike but manageable.

Here I am about to head to the streets.