The second-most-populous city in Brazil, and the home to some of the world’s most iconic beaches and annual festivals, Rio de Janeiro is a city popular with international tourists, and gaining even more momentum as the calendar turns into 2024.
For luxury travelers wanting an exceptional experience in Rio, here are the five best luxury hotels, with their most outstanding suites, for a stay.
1. Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel
2. Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro
3. Hotel Emiliano
4. Santa Teresa Hotel RJ
5. Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
1. Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Forbes Travel Guide inspectors report, “While a long list of A-list celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich, Princess Diana, and Robert De Niro have graced the white marble interiors of the glamorous Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro, the hotel itself is also a star. It appeared in the film Flying Down to Rio, in which Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire danced across the ballroom floor. The French Riviera-inspired hotel was built in 1923 and reigns supreme from its perch on Brazil’s famous Copacabana Beach. It evokes a bygone era with its attentive service, 1920’s architecture, and retro glamour. The art deco grand dame has 239 rooms, many of which overlook the beach, as well as three restaurants, a piano bar, an outdoor swimming pool, and a private beach.”
Conde Nast Traveler says, “This Belle Époque stalwart opened as South America’s first European-style resort in 1923, modeled on the beachfront hotels of the French Riviera. Since then, any visiting royalty or celebrity worth his Atlantic sea salt has stayed in one of its 236 whitewashed rooms (and their headshots line the hallways). Even if you’re not checking in, the bar near the semi-Olympic-size pool, with its bossa nova soundtrack and fresh fruit caipirinhas, gets our vote for where to drink away the afternoon. If you’re here on Sunday (and hungry) head to Pérgula, which overlooks the pool.”
Penthouse Suites
The seven 1,076 sq. ft. Penthouse Suites are located on the 6th floor. There is one city view and six ocean-view suites. The floor is closed off to only guests staying in these suites. Each suite boasts a king bed with a separate living room and a private terrace and a personal butler. Interiors are finished with works of art and fine French fabrics. Large marble bathrooms feature a bath and a separate shower. The penthouse floor also has its own private, black-tiled swimming pool and wet bar.
More suites at Copacabana Palace.
2. Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro
Forbes Travel Guide writes, “Located on Rio de Janeiro’s Avenida Vieira Souto on the eastern end of the glamorous, sexy Ipanema Beach, Brazil’s Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro is all Italo-Brazilian sophistication with a glass exterior, a rooftop white marble pool, and a section of private beach. Designed by Philippe Starck, the luxury boutique hotel has leather-and-wood-dominated interiors, imaginative lighting and whimsical Starckian ear-shaped mirrors in guestrooms. Other notable design flourishes include the enormous piquiá tree stump used for the lobby’s reception desk, billowing, floor-to-ceiling curtains that divide the lobby from the hotel’s hip restaurant and bar, and an abundance of glass walls that reveal the ocean.”
The Telegraph adds, “Leader of the new school of Rio accommodation, Fasano has single-handedly revolutionized the city’s hotel scene with its superior service and understated cool, making it the place to see and be seen. If the understated luxury isn’t reason enough to justify the price tag, then its prime location most certainly is.”
Deluxe Seafront Suite
The 1,399 sq. ft. Deluxe Seafront Suite features a balcony, spacious living room, private bar, wooden floors, chairs by Sérgio Rodrigues, and mirrors in the shape of ears designed by Philippe Starck and inspired by Dalí, today known as seeing ears. In the marble bathrooms, high-pressure shower and Havaianas sandals.
More suites at Hotel Fasano.
3. Hotel Emiliano
The Telegraph’s top-rated hotel in Rio “breaks up the bland concrete monstrosities of Avenida Atlântica with an intricate, organic series of panels that control the amount of sun streaming in of a morning. Woven fabrics adorn floors and walls along with wonderfully rough-hewn marble and the overall effect combines with lots of natural wood and the restaurant’s vast, living tropical wall to incredibly relaxing effect.”
Conde Nast Traveler adds, “The exterior is a little odd, with all sorts of folds and windows, but indoors is super chic: There is a Burle Marx-inspired vertical garden, midcentury Modern chairs and sofas, and a chic brass bar. It feels like the perfect middle ground between the classic scene at the Belmond Copacabana Palace to the north, and the excessive party vibe at the Fasano, just south.”
Ocean Master Suite
Suite located on the 10th floor the 1,350-sq.ft. Ocean Master Suite features sea views from virtually every angle, including the bathroom, which features two showers. Sliding doors are used to change the layout, and there is a small kitchen and guest toilet.
More suites at Hotel Emiliano.
4. Santa Teresa Hotel RJ
Forbes Travel Guide writes, “Rio de Janeiro may be famous for its beach scene, but Santa Teresa Hotel RJ – MGallery Hotel Collection offers an entirely different experience high in the hills of the city’s charming bohemian quarter. The luxury hotel was once an 18th-century coffee plantation and is now a chic, eclectic boutique hotel with unbeatable views of the city, the mountains, and the Bay of Rio below. Neo-colonial décor and interiors feature design materials such as recycled tropical woods (jacaranda, cinnamon, ipe) and local golden slate. The 42 design-forward guest rooms and suites have played host to a slew of globetrotting celebrities, including Richard Branson, Snoop Dogg, and Alanis Morissette.”
The Telegraph adds, “The neighborhood’s cobbled streets are a joy to explore on foot and the hotel is near the best of its bars and restaurants, but the location isn’t for everyone. While the return to service of the iconic Bonde tram will help link the hills to downtown without the need for taxis, Ipanema is a 30-minute drive (considerably more in traffic). Santa remains an essential experience for visitors looking to explore a less sandy side of Rio.”
Royal Suite
With 1,755-sq.ft. of space overlooking Christ the Redeemer and Guanabara Bay, the Royal Suite is decorated with pieces by renowned Brazilian designers. It offers a living room, grand piano, king size bed, bathtub, and balcony for the views.
More suites at Santa Teresa Hotel RJ.
5. Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana
Forbes Travel Guide writes, “The oasis of luxury provides a more subdued getaway along the raucous waterfront — especially from its striking elevated infinity pool that looks out over the ocean. The Fairmont brand’s first property in South America boasts 375 rooms and suites, along with two swimming pools, a spa and sauna, four restaurants and bars, and meeting spaces. While modern, the hotel gleans inspiration from Copacabana’s golden years and the beauty of Brazil, from Alessandro Gruetzmacher and Christian Cravo’s framed Rio photographs adorning the guest room walls to flooring that mimics Copacabana’s undulating black-and-white-striped sidewalk.
Fairmont Gold Signature Suites
The two Fairmont Gold Signature Suites each offer over 2,000-sq.ft. with seven balconies and full ocean views. There is a separate bedroom, living room, and dining room.
More suites at Fairmont Rio de Janeiro Copacabana.
