The Maze Inn is a very special place. Situated in a "calm" favela, which aparently it has been since the police moved in and decided to placed their HQ there, it is an old church (or someother kind of antique very tall building, I couldn't appreciate the contorns very well at night) and it is half in ruins. The owner, an Englishman called Bob, runs it like a hostel/pousada but it is also a kind of art galery, which turns into a jazz club once a month and it is also blessed with other interesting things like what looks like a little library full of dusty children books, plenty of holes on the floor to keep you on your toes, al fresco (without roof) rooms and outstanding views through huge windows in the form of missing walls. I have to say I liked it. It is a charming and exciting place. No need to go on a theme park ride when you can feel the same knot on your throat by climbing up to the top floor through a spiral staircase without the case, and with steps full of carcoma that complain at every movement and make you feel 350kg heavy. Not least exciting is to get there walking through the narrow passageways between lines of favela houses. Not all is rousy in the Maze kingdom though, local mayor wants to remove his permit and some locals we met were complaining that they never saw this "gringo" that lived there though he was claiming to be helping the community. This is what his supporters say about these claims: http://jazzrio.info/newsletter/mailing-view/50.html Well, I think I´ve already commented on the H&S claims. Charming it is very, safe it is definitely not. This is what the Guardian wrote about it, with a somehow romantisied view (in my opinion): http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/nov/24/guardiansaturdayreview.riodejaneiro And finally, this is what my friend Gabi, the carioca who invited us all, thinks about the place: One of the golden security rules of Rio is never go by yourself to a favela, specially at night... Well, The Maze in is the place to break it! This amazing art gallery and bar (and also a B&B) is hidden on a calm favela in Catete, at the south zone of Rio. Every first friday of the month, this place turns into a jazz club, where cool locals and well informed foreigners meet to listen great jazz, bossa nova and samba. All that with great caipirinhas and an amazing view of Rio. And if you are a musician, dont be shy to talk to the musicians and perform with them, is highly recomended by then
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