TAKE YOUR PICK: STAY AT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST GLAMOROUS LANDMARK HOTELS OR IN A NOTORIOUS HILLSIDE SLUM

It has welcomed kings and queens, and famous celebrities from Orson Welles to Mick Jagger. It was one of the world’s most glamorous addresses in the first decades since it opened in 1923, and although it lost some of its appeal in the 1970s, it was brought back to life after a takeover by Orient-Express in the 1980s. Its architecture was inspired by the palace hotels of the French Riviera, but its location couldn’t be more Rio — the famous Copacabana Beach. Copacabana Palace remains a Rio de Janeiro landmark and one of the world’s greatest hotels.

Admire the city’s marvellous setting from the fantastic rooftop pool, and dine at the renowned Cipriani Restaurant where fine Italian cuisine is served in opulent surroundings. Just over a year ago a spa was added, now the city’s most sophisticated urban sanctuary which includes a fitness room and a hair salon in addition to the saunas and relaxation areas. Step outside and you’re standing on the calçadão, the famous wave-patterned pavements that take you to Ipanema and the hip Leblon neighborhood. If you prefer to lay on the Copacabana sands, the hotel can provide umbrellas, sun lounges, and security services for your belongings.

A completely different experience is staying in the city’s notorious favelas, the hillside slums. Who’d want to do that? Apparently there are many people. Ironically, the favelas are located in some of the city’s best sites, the hills offering the best city views towards the beaches. The Maze Inn opened in the middle of one of those poor neighborhoods in 2005, and the man with such an idea was a British journalist who turned into an artist with his own gallery, and who claims that the favela is one of the safest neighborhoods of the city. Constantly patrolled by men in black, things have gotten much calmer in the area, and you sense more of an authentic neighborhood life than any imminent danger. Inside the building are ten rooms and balconies offering city views towards the Sugar Loaf Mountain. On some nights, it hosts popular jazz parties which have attracted hundreds of guests from all over town. No, this is not the place for everyone, but it’s a side of Rio that some actually prefer over staying at Copacabana Palace.  It’s only a matter of whether you’re in the mood for the chic or the shock.

-See the complete Rio de Janeiro city guide.
________________________________________
Back to UCityGuides.com – The Ultimate City Guides
or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels