Xperiel

Thanks. I just booked them both and will decide on one of them a week before our arrival. They both look great. 
 
OK thanks guys I'll try to find a nice apartment for rio. I don't see any that I fancy that are located at IPanema beach front. But I'll look more throughly as it seems that there is quite a consensus regarding hotel's strict policy of hosting in Rio. Thanks again for taking the time to write. 

Thanks. I just booked them both and will decide on one of them a week before our arrival. They both look great. 
 
OK thanks guys I'll try to find a nice apartment for rio. I don't see any that I fancy that are located at IPanema beach front. But I'll look more throughly as it seems that there is quite a consensus regarding hotel's strict policy of hosting in Rio. Thanks again for taking the time to write. 

I doubt anyone will be able to give you s better insight than @Tomcal's above. You should take it and forget about hotels.

Xperiel, I read your post yesterday and hesitated to respond prior to those members who've visited Rio and Sao Paulo more than I.  
My response would have been the same as the men who've previously posted.  The hotel in Rio that we used and that did not frown upon our receiving guests (announced or unannounced) was not luxurious but comfortable.  But, during the past six or so years-- its policies have been altered; thus we visitors have rented a variety of apartments.

If you want to stay at a reasonable higher end hotel in Sao Paulo, stay at the Intercontinental or Renaissance, both in the Paulista area and convenient to shopping and the subway.  If you want to bring in guests, plan on having the guests register at the front desk and be sure they have their Brazilian national ID card or drivers license to present as there is security in both of these hotels in the lobby who will direct guests to the front desk to register.

This isn’t foolproof. When I have booked through AirBnB recently in Ipanema and Copa near Ipanema Beach, I encountered quite a few listings that restricted visitors. Of course, I did not stay at any of those places! The best advice is to, before booking: (1) review the house rules of each rental, and (2) contact the host to confirm the visitor policy. My personal policy is that if the visitor policy is not liberal enough for me, I won’t book. 

In my own little experience, any airbnb in a strip of 300/400 meters from the beach in Copacabana or Ipanema will be safe and you will be able to have visitors without answering any questions. All building usually have 24 hours staff, your visitors will be announced to you if you do not bring them, with no issues.

Lagoa is scheduled to reopen December 1st in a new location not in the same neighborhood where it is now! but things change so just check prior to leaving for SP! 
Again look thru Airbnb listing in the price range and style you like. There are two individual homes i use in SP. both great neighborhoods one has 3bed/3baths the other 2, i found them in Airbnb 2 years ago...and no i i am not giving out the info on them! did that once in Rio a couple years ago and couldn’t get the place when i wanted it because someone on this site had already booked it!  so you are on your own!