The disappearance of a British journalist has taken a new turn after police revealed she had briefly stayed at a second hostel in Rio de Janeiro before disappearing.

Charlotte Alice Peet, 32, was reported missing in Brazil after last being seen on February 15 at a beachside bar in Leme.

After leaving her previous accommodation in Copacabana, authorities confirmed that she had checked into a hostel in Rio de Janeiro's Botafogo neighbourhood.

CCTV footage shows Peet handing in her bed sheets at the hostel reception while carrying a black travel rucksack, a smaller black bag, and a blue plastic bag, dressed in a white top.

Other clips show her arriving at the hostel and spending time in a common area with other guests during her stay.

She stayed at the hostel for a week, checking out on February 24, as reported by local media.

Before the hostel footage surfaced, Peet's last confirmed location was Morro da Babilonia, a hill in Rio de Janeiro's Leme neighbourhood that separates Copacabana Beach from Botafogo.

Investigators report that her UK phone number is still active, receiving calls and messages, while her Brazilian number is set to reject incoming calls.

Officers believe her disappearance may be voluntary, though no direct contact has been established.

Peet, a freelance journalist who has contributed to publications such as Al Jazeera and The Times, had not informed her family about her trip to Brazil.

Her father, Derek Peet, said: 'I wouldn't say it was normal; there was something on her mind, obviously, otherwise she would have told us.'