Best hotel in Ipanema ...Paulo took care of me .. great customer service . Very friendly and…read moreprofessional I will Stay here every time

It's often tough to find a modern, safe, well-situated, independent hotel for less than $300/night…read morein Rio or São Paulo. I rolled the dice when I booked Mar Ipanema and I'm happy to report that it turned out to be quite a charmer. The hotel's right on Rua Visconde De Pirajá which is a major shopping street with plenty of juice bars, restaurants, clothing boutiques and shoe shops as soon as you step outside. Ipanema beach is just two blocks away. Location-wise, the hotel's pretty unbeatable if you want to be in the Zona Sul area of Rio. Rooms are clean and sparse. I found mine quite comfortable and quiet (ask for a room that faces the back of the hotel if you're a light sleeper). When I departed for a run or breakfast it was cleaned promptly (which I love). Breakfast is included in the room rate and is served buffet style downstairs in the pub/restaurant, Armazém Devassa. Highlights include fresh watermelon juice and scrambled eggs that are not made from powder (hey, it's the little things). Wifi is very spotty (but if you travel to Brazil often for work, you're used to this) at the Mar Ipanema. There's no gym, but why not take a walk or run along the beach? The staff speaks English and is very accommodating. Overall, I'd call Mar Ipanema pretty good value for Brazil (where I generally think hotels are overpriced relative to their amenities) and I'd stay here again gladly.

We just completed a weeks stay at this hotel/resort in Rio de Janeiro. I have mixed feelings…read moreregarding our stay and will outline a few key points here. The hotel staff was extremely friendly and helpful and most went out of their way to ensure we had a good stay. Several of the staff recognized us and would greet us by name, which was very nice of them. I was also very pleased that a good majority spoke enough English to be able to adequately assist us. We spoke to the concierge desk several times to have them help us with some things, and they were more than willing to give information to provide assistance. They even helped us book a private tour of the rainforest, which was absolutely wonderful. Where I feel that things were lacking was in the upkeep of the rooms and some of the facilities. Small things go a long way to making your stay seem more enjoyable. Such as replacing old and tarnished fixtures in the bathrooms, replacing warped flooring when moisture or humidity has caused it to bubble, and ensuring there are not piles of dust and debris along the baseboards. Also, the breakfast buffet, which they added to our room for free, could have been much better if the food was hot. The pancakes and French toast were cold every day. However, being able to have an omelette made fresh and how you wanted it was a nice touch and one of the best parts of breakfast. The pools could really use some updates as well. The tiles are visibly aged, and the grout was rather dirty looking. Also, the wooden stairs that they lift each evening that lead to the beach should be replaced as they were very rickety and felt unsafe. The ultimate question is, if I were to go back, would I stay at the same hotel? My answer is no. I say this, not just because of the need to upgrade some things and do some deep cleaning, but also because the location is not the best. I thought we would be able to leave the hotel and be within walking distance of many things. That is not the case. While you could walk from the hotel to some of the areas along the beach, it would be quite the trek and through some areas you probably shouldn't be walking in. All in all, we had a wonderful vacation, but simply wish we had booked better accommodations.

This was our first visit to Rio, and we really enjoyed our stay at this Sheraton!…read more We picked this hotel because it's the only one in Rio that is actually beachfront without needing to cross a road or street to get to the beach. We were ushered right up the Sheraton Club level for check-in, and we had a spacious vice-presidential suite with a large living room, two bathrooms, and a separate bedroom. We were also greeted with sparkling wine and traditional Brazilian sweets in the room. The staff - especially the club level staff - were amazingly helpful and friendly! They contacted me by email before check-in and were able to arrange a complimentary late check-out at 7:00pm (!!) since our flight was not until 11:00pm. The club lounge was truly wonderful. Snacks and soft drinks are available all day with an extensive hot breakfast in the morning and hot appetizers with complimentary wine, cocktails, and caipirinhas in the evening. The hotel has several restaurants and a wonderful (and amazingly inexpensive) spa that we visited twice for massages and other treatments. The pool is lovely with plenty of seating and bar service. You do receive two complimentary poolside cocktails per guest per stay as well. Down a small staircase from the pool is the beach which had Sheraton chairs and towels available as well. They also have tennis courts and bicycles for rent. The elevators are a bit slow even though there are six of them, and the hotel is a bit tucked away from the rest of Rio. However, the hotel operates a complimentary shuttle approximately hourly which will take you to a large shopping mall in Rio. I highly recommend this hotel for your stay in Rio!

The accommodation, the views, and the service was nothing short of amazing. We came for 7 days and…read more6 nights for carnival, and stayed in this central location across from the Copacabana beach. The room is simplistic with fascinating views. The rooftop bar has an amazing celebratory vibe and amazing hand crafted drinks make freshly with real abundant fruit. There is small rooftop pool that allows no more than ~5 people comfortably. A gym with a shower also on the rooftop. The hotel also included free continental breakfast which I do miss the guava paste, cheese bread, and cheese options. The elevators on the other hand were relatively slow but managed during full capacity. Caution: The only reason for my star reduction is due the event below. During our stay, two of our acquaintances in the same room both had their wallets stolen during breakfast time (and their wallets were in separate hidden locations). While we can never be certain how it occurred, there was cleaning staff in their room during the window that they were away and their room was just opened during that window as well. The hotel staff was not incredibly helpful with their concerns about the items and did not show the video. All that to say...KEEP YOUR VALUABLES IN YOUR SAFE, KEEP YOUR PHONE HIDDEN, AND BE CAUTIOUS OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS WHEN IN RIO.

Location is #1, few steps away from Copacabana Beach, surrounded by best restaurants and shops and…read moresafe due to the presence of police officers in the area. The hotel is average hotel in Copacabana district with decent daily buffet breakfast. Staff were nice and helpful, the downside is communication, staff has no or little English language skills. We stayed here for a week in the month of March, humid but we enjoy our stay.

We arrived early afternoon & probably not at the best time since line for check in was long & took…read moresome time, they need a better checking in system, people were all over. After checking in we settled down & quickly headed outside for food & drinks on Copacabana beach. As for the hotel, they provide breakfast, the early morning was better since more options, later towards the end of breakfast not so much with the options. While dinning u get nice beach views. One day we had some down time so we went to the Spa for massages, great massage, nice area u get to relax, drink tea & eat fancy chocolates by end of your massage. I would say one of the best things at this hotel is the roof top pool, Just wow, the views during any time are just lovely. They have a bar area for food & drinks, we had drinks caipirinha were good but pricey compare to else where, beers were not bad but I didn't like that they had no Brazilian beers. We spend a nice amount of time at the pool just relaxing & enjoying the amazing views of Copacabana beach. Hotel is a great location right across from the beach, they have a cafe across the street that is part of the hotel, we had drinks & food here one day not bad. During the day this is where u get the hotel towels for the beach, the hotel has a designated area for guest which was nice. After the beach visit u can rise off in the showers before entering the hotel, nice & convenient. There was some construction during our visit which disrupted sleep some mornings since the construction was a bit loud, not terrible but of course just more annoying than anything else. Overall we had an enjoyable stay, great pool & a great location make this a good hotel stay.

Rio Othon Palace is a very nice four star hotel that I stayed at one time. The hotel is well…read moremaintained, clean and has everything you'd want. There is a rooftop pool, fitness center, and restaurant. It is not a luxury hotel but is considered expensive for locals. For Americans, rooms can be had for a s low as $100 a night. The best part of this hotel is its location. It is right in the heart of Copacabana Beach surrounded by restaurants and stores. My room was fairly high up so I got beautiful views of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the beach as well.

Pretty decent hotel with a few definite pluses but no wow factor…read more The showers are great, location behind famous Copacabana palace and 1 block off the beach very good, friendly staff, cool rooftop gym and pool (both with a view). The breakfast is basic for Brazilian standards, rooms a bit dated (but beds were comfortable), and there's no late checkout (but free bag storage). Overall not a bad choice at all, also considering the reasonable price.

This is the second time, that I have stayed at this hotel. I stayed at this hotel for 2 weeks in…read moreNovember of 2020, and for two days in November of 2021. During my last trip I was given a room on the 17th floor which included a bath and sauna inside of the room. The location is great (two blocks from the beach in Copacabana), and the restaurant has fine food. The receptionists speak english, and are vey helpful. In recent years it has surpassed its main competitor (Copacabana Mar Hotel) in service and professionalism of employees. The hotel also has a nice pool at the top of the hotel, and some of the rooms have great views of the mountains, and ocean. I highly recommend this 4 star hotel for your stay in Rio de Janeiro. Larry Carli

Note: this hotel is now The Fairmont…read more All in all, this hotel has the typical luxury standards and feel of a Fairmont hotel. However, they have a two tremendous advantages: 1- the view of the ocean (the out of this world Copacabana beach from is something you can only find in magazines. Simply amazing. This view is available to a large number of their rooms and suites, as well as from their outdoor pool and outdoor restaurants and bars. 2- the hotel is located right next to a military (beach front) station. Which adds a lot of security comfort. The restaurant food is excellent. Service is also excellent. The only drawback was their rooms. They are nice and spacious- however I felt they needed to be upgraded to match the rest of the amenities.

This is now a Fairmont Hotel. I recently stayed at this hotel during my vacation for three nights…read more Aesthetically and location wise, this appears to be a five star hotel. When you walk in you get that wow factor and the views from the pool are breathtaking. However, their customer service on ALL levels severely lacks the standards presented at five star establishment. Upon arrival our room was not ready, no biggie, we were early. We then went to the restaurant near the pool to get something to eat while we waited. Needless to say, we sat there for over 30mins before even being acknowledged. Once we received attention from a server, there was an extreme disconnect in service delivery (i.e. getting water and refills, checking in to see how things were going). I would love to say that this was just a one time experience during our stay, but it was definitely a trend. Once we were notified that our room was ready, we were taken to a room that overwhelmingly wreaked the smell of mildew and mold, to the point my allergies and my friend's allergies began to flare up. Upon calling the front desk, we were sent to three different rooms with the same layout we paid for (a family suite), one of the rooms had someone in it, and the other two wreaked of mildew & mold. It was quickly identified that the rooms ending in 25 clearly have a mold/mildew problem. The resolution from management was to move us to a much smaller room, with a partial view for no charge. There was no service recovery or concessions provided to us for having to stay in a much smaller room, being sent to multiple rooms and our accommodations not being met. Instead we were told that the room we were in had a view and was essentially the same price as the family room. Although, we paid for and preferred the space over the view. The customer service is not in alignment with a five star hotel. If you want an awesome view with a disconnect in customer service this is your place.

What I liked about the hotel:…read more Staff: Very friendly, helpful, and professional (with the exception of one experience, details below). Big thank you to Daniella and Francisco just to name a few of the positive staff experiences. Breakfast: Delicious breakfast with a variety of options to choose from. Rooms: Modern and spacious. What I didn't like about the hotel: Cleanliness: The floor in my room was dusty and grainy/sandy when I arrived. The bathroom had a lot of hair in the shower from the previous guests, and there were small flies in the shower. Location: Although situated between Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, it was still a bit of a walk to either beaches. The good restaurants are a bit of a walk from the hotel in Ipanema (about a 15 minute walk to the first set of restaurants by the metro station A & B entrance). Wifi: Poor wifi signal in room 702. I had to stand by the door to get a slow connection (no connection while sitting on the bed). Staff: My experience with one staff member on the last day was terrible. I needed to connect to Wifi to order an Uber, but the lady at the front desk, said that once checked-out there's no way of connecting back to the wifi and that there's nothing the hotel can do to help me, which made me feel unvalued as a guest. One of the staff members did step in and offered to connect my device to his mobile data so that I can order an uber to the airport.

I was very impressed with this hotel from beginning to the end. Very welcoming staff, bi-lingual…read morein both Portuguese and English. Very helpful and took their time to answer your questions and explain things. We caught a taxi from the airport, about $R100 one-way, lot's of traffic, took about 25 or 30 minutes. We were greeted upon arrival. The gentleman handled our bags and check-in was pretty smooth. There was one hiccup with my check-in, but the manager resolved the issue quickly. I requested a quiet room. We had a King size bed (even though on the website it said Queen). No complaints!! The bed was comfortable and I slept like a baby. The room was a good size. Plenty of closet space to hang your clothes and store your suitcase out of the way. There was a mini fridge stocked with ice cold bottled water, free of charge. The bathroom was nice, large, 2 sinks, and plenty of counter space. Breakfast in the morning was delicious. They had tons of fresh fruit that was ripe and delicious, an assortment of breads, and sweet breads and chocolate cake! Ham, cheese, lunch meats, spreads, jams, fried eggs that were very runny and wet, and hard boiled eggs, and scrambled tofu. There was this cool sandwich press to heat up and toast your sandwich. The only complaint was that they did not have the traditional Brazilian pao, bread rolls traditionally served with breakfast. Fresh squeezed orange juice, watermelon juice, and a pretty good green juice too. Coffee was hot and they offered re-fills and cleared used dishes right away. There were free bike rentals as well. You sign a waiver and they give you a lock. Cool to ride the bike along Copacabana Beach and explore. They offer free towel service and beach chairs at the beach. However the directions we were provided to get there were completely wrong. We were told to go a very long, roundabout way to reach the post. However, upon return, the guy at the post gave us quicker directions and we were back at the hotel much quicker. My only feedback would be to hand out a page with easy directions to follow, with a drawing of the streets, so you know where to go! Other than that, great service. Very new, modern, sleek hotel. Staff was professional and really did a great job. You will not be disappointed.

If you're traveling to Rio, Copacabana Palace is the place to stay. The service, amenities, and…read moresmall touches all add up to a restful and restorative stay. The resort has something for families, singles, events, conferences, couples and more. Located directly on the beach there is no where better to stay. We booked with Chase Sapphire Reserve and had quite a good amount of specials. A resort credit, an upgrade, late checkout, and free breakfast. The suite had beautiful high ceilings, spacious bathroom and living room, and we were met with a bottle of champagne upon our arrival. Concierge and hotel staff took care of everything for us from restaurant bookings to attractions to attraction and spa bookings. I can't say enough about the friendly and helpful nature of everyone we encountered. We enjoyed breakfast each morning with a beautiful buffet of fruits, pastries, meats, cheeses, fresh fruit juices, eggs, sausage, and more. We also could order off the menu for specific items. Coffee, sparkling wine, and juices included. The pool was the perfect temperature(its temperature controlled), and well attended with bathrooms right there. Outside on the beach the hotel has its own tent, chairs, and towels. Complimentary beach bag and flip flops upon your arrival. Turndown included fresh water and treats, and I loved the scents of all their products. Great restaurants on site as well as nearby.

This is what you call an EXPERIENCE. My stay at the copacabana palace changed my life and I will…read morenever again settle for anything else. The vibe is pretty old school, but the staff are all pretty young, so they really make the place feel more alive! Breakfast is pretty good and they have lots of options, 24hr pool, and tennis courts! What I really liked was that they had a section reserved right on the beach, where you can sit, leave your stuff, and even get a massage! Will definitely be back! They have my heart!!