Rio de Janeiro

While Brasilia is the official capital, and is fascinating for anyone with an interest in modern architecture, Brazil’s spiritual capital is Rio de Janeiro, with surely one of the most beautiful settings in the world. The Corcovado and Sugar Loaf mountains overshadow the city and the beaches include famous Copacabana and fashionable Ipanema. Tourists flock here in February or March for the annual Carnival, probably the most spectacular in the world.

Our preferred accommodation

means that the hotel is one of our Dream Destinations.

Arena Copacabana

City hotel - Copacabana
A beach-front hotel, with modern interior design. Small rooftop pool with great views, and pool-side bar, sauna and gym.
Belmond Copacabana Palace

City hotel - Copacabana
This iconic luxury property (owned by Belmond, formerly Orient-Express), steps away from Copacabana beach, opened in 1923 and has first class service. There is a large heated swimming pool, spa, tennis court, the renowned Cipriani restaurant, a pan-Asian restaurant (the vision of celebrity chef Ken Hom), casual pool-side restaurant and piano bar.
Casa Mama Ruisa

City hotel - Santa Teresa
An elegant guesthouse tucked in the hills above Rio within the bohemian Santa Teresa neighbourhood, overlooking Guanabara Bay. Originally a traditional family mansion, Mama Ruisa has been immaculately refurbished and there is a charming open plan dining and sitting room with high ceilings and clean walls, ringed by a veranda with excellent views over the city. Stairs lead down to a pretty garden and pool.
Fairmont Copacabana

City hotel - Copacabana
A large luxury hotel in a prime position on the Ipanema end of Copacabana beach. The hotel was designed with inspiration from 1950s Rio and has a restaurant which overlooks the ocean, a café, bar, spa and two swimming pools. Its position allows easy access to Ipanema with its stylish shops, restaurants and bars.
Hotel Arpoador

City hotel - Ipanema
This small hotel, in a prime position opposite Arpoador beach and nestled between the famous Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, is separated from the sand by only the beach promenade. The rooftop has a small pool and pool bar with a spectacular view of Ipanema and Leblon beaches, with Dois Irmãos mountain in the background. The restaurant is on the ground floor and has direct access to the beach.
Ipanema Residence

Private apartment - Ipanema
A light and airy apartment overlooking Ipanema bay, with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. A delightful open plan sitting room with a large dining room table. Close to shops and restaurants and a short taxi ride to Leblon.
Janeiro

City hotel - Leblon
An upscale hotel designed with the beach in mind. The trendy Leblon neighbourhood has an abundance of boutiques, bars and restaurants, and Ipanema beach is close by. The hotel has a panoramic pool with a small bar, a restaurant and a top-floor lounge bar with views towards the ocean and Corcovado mountain.
Porto Bay Rio de Janeiro

City hotel - Copacabana
A modern, ocean-front hotel in central Copacabana. There is a restaurant and a bar on the lower floors and a lovely roof terrace with a small pool and bar. The staff are extremely polite and helpful and the corner rooms offer fantastic panoramic views of the beach.
Santa Teresa Hotel

City hotel - Santa Teresa
A stylish hotel in Santa Teresa, previously an historic coffee plantation mansion. A lofty reception area is full of Brazilian artwork and the tropical décor is influenced by the Afro-Brazilian and ethnic Indian cultures. The pool and hot tub area has a long seated bar with excellent views over Rio. The main bar adjacent to the wonderful restaurant is perfect for a cool caipirinha.
Vila Santa Teresa

Country hotel - Santa Teresa
An elegant boutique property set within a five hectare private estate in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. The hotel is owned by the Monteiro de Carvalho family who have lived on the estate for the past four generations. There are spectacular views over the city and bay and communal areas include a lounge, library, dining room and pool deck.
Windsor California

City hotel - Copacabana
A stylish, contemporary hotel in a prime position on Copacabana beach, with comfortable rooms and a good restaurant. The rooftop has a small pool and bar with ocean views, and there is a sauna and gym.
Windsor Miramar

City hotel - Copacabana
A modern 5-star ocean-front hotel in Copacabana. There are 200 rooms, a restaurant serving Brazilian and international cuisine, a rooftop fitness centre, and a swimming pool with views of Copacabana beach.