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Which are the best luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro? Our list includes Emiliano Rio, Gran Meliá Nacional, Grand Hyatt, Hilton Copacabana, Hotel Fasano, JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro, Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort, Sheraton Porto Alegre Hotel, and Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema.
Rio de Janeiro is a famous seaside city in Brazil with a glorious beach. This fantastic city sits between beautiful mountains and white sandy beaches and is renowned for its rhythms and its people wide open smiles. Famous landmarks include its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and the 38m Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Mount Corcovado. Sugarloaf Mountain, the sprawling favelas, and the world’s largest Carnaval festival also make this a must-visit city.
It is worth noting that the best luxury hotel in Rio de Janeiro does not include the Four Seasons Rio de Janeiro as there is no Four Seasons hotel in Rio de Janeiro. You can see the best Four Seasons in South America.
1. Belmond Copacabana Palace
“At the Copa Copacabana, The hottest spot north of Havana”… I wonder if it is possible to stay at this hotel and not have a jiggle to the catchy 1970’s tune?
Situated on the promenade facing the magnificent Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, this art deco icon has 239 rooms, including 101 suites, a half Olympic size swimming pool with a sunbathing area, a tennis court, and the best spa in town. Three restaurants at the Hotel offer elegant surroundings, exemplary service, and gourmet cuisine. Known as one of the best restaurants in Rio, Cipriani offers exceptional Northern Italian cuisine.
Belmond Copacabana Palace is the best hotel in town and yet room rates remain remarkably cheap at just $361 USD per room per night. Stay there dance the nights away. “Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl…..”
2. Emiliano Rio
Emiliano welcomes its guests in the heart of Rio with a prime location on Copacabana Beach. Combining modern elements with a bit of a 1950s touch, the result is a stylish blend of beach resort and city hotel.
Folding articulated panels filter the sun through floor-to-ceiling windows in the 90 modish rooms, which feel downright cozy thanks to woven wall fabrics and natural woods. Many rooms offer stunning views of the sea with warm wood flooring and touches of marble and gold. Ring up the on-call butler for caipirinhas on your glass-railed balcony.
Emiliano Restaurant offers contemporary cuisine, enlivened by locally sourced, organic ingredients, and a living wall that brings the rainforest inside, while the rooftop restaurant is a more informal setting for light seafood and healthy fare.
In addition to the extensive spa and gym, guests will enjoy relaxing on the roof deck by the infinity pool, with a panorama spanning from Leme to Copacabana Fort.
3. Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro
Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro is a hotel born from a collaboration between the Fasano family (of restaurant fame) and Philippe Starck (of design fame). This new hotel is uniquely situated at the heart of Ipanema Beach, with decor that is elegant and understated with signed pieces of the 1950s and 60s. A meeting point for locals and travelers, the hotel features the lobby lounge, Londra with live music, and most prominently, the Fasano Al Mare, Rogerio Fasano’s gastronomic restaurant dedicated to traditional Italian seafood.
This casually elegant hideaway offers 89 rooms and suites with private terraces, Wi-Fi, and plasma televisions. Facilities include a rooftop infinity swimming pool, spa treatments, beach service, and a decidedly stylish ambiance, thanks to Starck’s and Fasano’s thoughtfully chosen furnishings.
The rooftop is an area that is our favorite bit of the hotel and is accessible only for hotel guests with spectacular views over Ipanema Beach and features a pool, fitness center, sauna, massage, and a pool bar for drinks and light meals.
4. JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro
JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro is conveniently located on the beachfront. This Copacabana hotel features elegant rooms and suites, upscale amenities and a variety of dining.
The JW Marriott Rio offers a free towel and beach chair service for guests on Copacabana Beach. After a long day in Rio, visit the Moonlounge Rooftop Bar & Truck and indulge in international street food prepared with fresh and local ingredients.
Maintain your workout routine in the fitness center, located on the rooftop, or go for a swim in the rooftop pool.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum and Titanium members can choose between the complimentary breakfast in either the hotel’s Executive Lounge or the hotel restaurant. The restaurant’s buffet is almost always better than the breakfast in executive club lounges.
That said, the breakfast at this lounge is fairly decent with cut and whole fruit, cereals, bread, pastries and muffins, jams, sweets, cheeses, and cold cuts. There are also two heated dishes with scrambled eggs and bacon in one dish and chopped-up sausages and chip-style fried potatoes.
During the day, there is free tea and coffee from the machine, soft drinks from the fridge, and fruit, biscuits, and nuts. In the evenings, the lounge offers complimentary wine and local beer as well as a couple of hot dishes, canapes, and desserts.
The executive lounge’s look is pretty nice for a lounge with a shiny wood floor, a triple-height ceiling, and an enormous triple-height window overlooking Copacabana Beach. There is a variety of seating, including wooden cafe-style tables and chairs, high-tables with stools, and a bench with chairs with views out to the beach.
You can see what we have experienced in terms of food and drink at the club lounge at JW Marriott in London which will give you an idea of what to expect. This is undoubtedly one of the best club lounges in the city, with a substantial hot and cold buffet at both dinner and breakfast, plus evening canapes and alcoholic drinks.
5. Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro
Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro overlooks the natural reserve and has a spa retreat for relax and rejuvenation and inspired gastronomic options. Step out of the resort and explore Barra da Tijuca, one of the most exclusive areas in Rio, famous for paradisiac beaches and urban attractions.
This luxury 5-Star, 436 room oceanfront hotel is about 30 minutes drive from popular tourist attractions in Rio, but as a result, it provides less crowded beaches, safer surroundings, and beautiful views of the Ocean and Marapendi Lagoon.
This resort hotel offers sweeping views of the lagoon with mountains in the background. The beaches in this area are also less crowded, and to get into Rio, Uber, and taxis are cheap.
The downside of this hotel is that the pool area is rather small, but there is a beach across the street, so you will not be short of places to sunbathe or swim. The poll area might be smallish for the resort size, but it is rather lovely with lots of parasols, wood decking, and plenty of loungers. The beach here is absolutely stunning and wide, with a golden sand beach.
The rooms are fairly generic Hyatt, but they have nice views over the greenery of the reserve, the lagoon, and the beach.
The Grand Hyatt club lounge is excellent with a huge balcony area with seats and tables on as well as plenty of seats inside too. The lounge looks out upon the verdant, green reserve and the lagoons.
Breakfast is laid out on a large table backed by windows with fantastic views, so this is a fantastic place to help yourself to the buffet, which includes; cereals, yogurt, cut and whole fruit, cold cuts, cheese, smoked salmon, and olives. There are also hot bowls with scrambled eggs and bacon.
In the evening, there is a happy hour that offers complimentary wine and liquor, and appetizers. Food includes two hot items, one is soup, so this offering can be filling enough but is not a restaurant substitute in terms of variety or quality. Delivery of food and drinks is also reportedly slow.
While this lounge is pretty lovely in design with the big windows and balcony, and the food is good enough, you will probably need to eat out in the evenings.
6. Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema
Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema is a 5-star hotel located in a stately building directly in front of Ipanema Beach, one of the most sophisticated neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition to its excellent location, the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Ipanema hotel offers various options for those looking to relax, such as a massage room, sauna, outdoor swimming pool, and a fitness center with stunning ocean views.
The hotel offers 223 rooms, plus views over the best landscapes in Rio de Janeiro: Arpoador, Ipanema and Leblon beaches, the majestic Morro Dois Irmãos, and the modern city; a breathtaking combination.
Enjoy the charm of Rio de Janeiro with French elegance. The tan lobby feels like an extension of the beach. The newly renovated rooms are expected to be excellent (although the hotel is currently closed, so we can not yet judge where the future version of this hotel comes in our top ten best listings. Perhaps position 6 is too harsh?
7. Gran Meliá Nacional Rio de Janeiro
Gran Meliá Nacional Rio de Janeiro is a luxurious tower by the beach. Set right in front of São Conrado beach, this urban resort offers an outdoor pool, a spa, and a fitness center. Beach services, including beach lounge chairs and beach umbrellas, are available. Guests can enjoy exclusive drinks and sophisticated tapas at the Bardot Pool Bar and also enjoy one of the 2 contemporary restaurants, Sereia and Amaro.
8. Sheraton Porto Alegre Hotel
Sheraton Porto Alegre Hotel is a Rewards Category 4 high rise hotel in Rio de Janeiro. The rooms are air-conditioned but have no balconies but offers a good base to explore Porto Alegre.
With 170 comfortable rooms and suites offer high-speed Internet access, plush bedding, flat-screen TVs, a work desk, and thoughtful amenities. Stay in shape with their free fitness center and swimming pool. Food-wise, try the Porto Alegre Bistro or 24-hour room service.
There is a Sheraton Club lounge on the 15th floor with a continental breakfast, which also offers hot eggs and a happy hour in the evening. Between times, this club lounge is reportedly locked. If you are looking for good-value food, you might prefer to buy food at the mall attached to the hotel, which is really nice and has a good food court and a few restaurants. This is probably better value and offers more variety than the food and drink in the club lounge. It is probably not worth paying to upgrade your room to include a club lounge because this mall provides an excellent alternative.
There is an additional Marriott hotel in Rio de Janeiro which is the Hotel & Spa do Vinho, Autograph Collection, which is also a good Marriott choice.
9. Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort
Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort is a Rewards Category 4 Marriott Bonvoy hotel located between trendy Barra da Tijuca and famed Ipanema Beach.
The nice thing about this hotel is the colorful, tropical setting. There’s also a complimentary shuttle that will take you to local beaches, Leblon, and Rio Sul’s shops, which is needed as there isn’t anything much in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. In fact, you are unlikely to want to go for much of a walk due to a busy road and a nearby favela,
The renovated Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort is the city’s only beachfront resort with an extensive recreational area, spa, and amenities. Its lush, landscaped grounds are set above a white-sand beach fronting the tropical South Atlantic and flanked by towering mountains. Often, there is live music by the pool, guitar playing, and singing, which adds to the party atmosphere.
There is a pizza place on the grounds by the pool, and they have a BBQ buffet which is worth a try.
538 guest rooms and suites feature comfortable “Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience” beds as well as private balconies overlooking the sea. This is a much better choice for tourists than the other Sheraton in town because of the balconies and resort atmosphere.
Club Level accommodations include access to the Sheraton Club Lounge and an exclusive area for breakfast. The club lounge can be found on the 26th floor and offers breakfast and evening canapes, and alcoholic drinks.
10. Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana Hotel
offers the largest number of ocean view rooms in the city, two outdoor pools overlooking Copacabana Beach, beach service with exclusive activities, a wellness spa, fitness center, restaurant, and three bars. Unfortunately, it gets fairly bad reviews and, at least for now, is not a great hotel choice in Rio de Janeiro.
This Hilton is located near to most of Rio attractions, at the edge of Copacabana and Leme districts, facing the ocean and within walking distance to Shopping Rio Sul.
They have an executive lounge that can be found next to the VIP reception on the ground floor. You get free water during the day and alcohol (wine and soft drinks mainly) in the evenings with limited snacks and one or two hot items. Not a huge spread. The breakfast is good, and the club lounge has good views, but this appears to be a conference hotel lacking in love, and it does not offer one of the best club lounges in Rio de Janeiro.
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