Romance in Rio: 8 of the best hotels for couples in Brazil's steamy city
Romance is alive and well in the steamy city of Rio, whether you prefer a mountainous retreat at Tuakaza complete with secluded balcony overlooking the rainforest or grabbing a gown and holing up in one of Janeiro’s swoon-inducing oceanfront rooms and not leaving for 24 hours. There is an inevitability in the powers of Rio to seduce even the most cynical of travellers with its charms, and hotels here offer couples looking for a special place to celebrate an occasion, a honeymoon hideaway or simply a romantic getaway, plenty of reasons to stay. From couples’ spa treatments to the intimate gifts for sale at Mama Shelter’s reception, here's our pick of the best romantic hotels in Rio de Janeiro.
Hotel Emiliano
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9Telegraph expert rating
If you're staying at Hotel Emiliano, opt for the sea view and be wowed by the panorama before you and the sound of crashing of waves. Anyone looking to hit all the classic Rio high notes will find plenty to fawn over here at the southern tip of Copacabana beach; the full stretch of the famous sands sweeps out from below all the way to Sugarloaf Mountain. Pop on personalised flip-flops and head to the magnificent rooftop pool that L-shapes in front of the sun-loungers to deliver a stunning tropical refuge. You don't even have to lift a finger here; friendly and informed staff are eager to please, and the on-call butler, room turn-downs and beach service add to the sense of luxury. Read expert review From £280 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• An insider guide to Rio de Janeiro
Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9Telegraph expert rating
Fasano has single-handedly revolutionised the city’s hotel scene with its superior service and understated cool, making it the place to see and be seen. Elegant to the hilt, the signature dark-wood panelling makes the building as attractive from outside as in. Entry to the guest-only rooftop infinity pool is so sought-after that São Paulo's high-flyers book rooms on weekends just to facilitate a Saturday afternoon's lounging across the state border. The impressive suites are the last-word in luxury – sampled previously by both Beckham and Beyoncé. Relaxing in a Sergio Rodrigues chair watching the sun set (or indeed rise) over Ipanema beach from rooms' oceanfront balconies is something magical. Read expert review From £283 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels in Rio de Janeiro
Mama Ruisa
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8Telegraph expert rating
Put simply, Mama Ruisa is a gorgeous slice of late 19th-century Brazilian architecture, wrapped by an inviting veranda and filled with a treasure trove of art. Outside, there is a simple, attractive swimming pool filling the garden. The main lounge is a lesson in style, too, with pieces by classic Brazilian designers such as Sergio Rodrigues and Brunno Jahara. This being a century-old mansion, there is little uniformity to the rooms. Each is individually styled, dedicated to a different starlet from Carmen Miranda to Josephine Baker; be sure to try and book one on the first floor where the rooms are lighter and the views better. Read expert review From £99 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best restaurants in Rio de Janeiro
TuAkAzA
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7Telegraph expert rating
This hotel was built in the 1960s as a private residence, with the original design the work of Zanine Caldas, Brazil’s famous 'master of wood'. Huge trunks and planks of ipê and massaranduba wood thrusting up and jutting out of the hillside demonstrate the origins of his nickname. All of the rooms – there are six in total – have balcony views that are nothing short of breathtaking, and rustic beauty is found inside thanks to the repurposed furniture hewn from wood, giving the sense of sleeping in sturdy treehouses. The location isn't convenient up a long and winding hill, but once settled the idea of leaving soon becomes superfluous. Read expert review From £175 per night
• The best luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro
Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8Telegraph expert rating
Janeiro may be 18 floors high, but with only five rooms on each, a real sense of spacious calm pervades – it is Brazilian lifestyle impresario Oskar Mestavaht’s first foray beyond his Osklen clothing label into the Rio hotel scene and is suitably stylish from top to bottom. The overriding mood is that of an ultra-modern take of classic 1970s luxury, right down to the wonderfully retro phone perched on the sturdy dark-wood desks that run the length of the room. Behind the glamour, Janeiro is also a brilliantly thought-out slice of boutique that gives upmarket Leblon a hotel to shout about. Read expert review From £221 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best things to do in Rio de Janeiro
Hotel Arpoador
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8Telegraph expert rating
A low-key carioca cool can be found throughout Arpoador, right on the Ipanema beachfront. The long reception feels more like the entrance to a spa, its wicker-chaired seating area brightened by soft cushions, while upstairs, curvy, wood-panelled corridors are punctuated with portholes looking out to the beach, with muted, sandy tones doing their bit to bring the outside in. The rooftop bar provides one of the best spots in the city for a rare midsummer sunset over the ocean. Many of the long, slender rooms maximise the sea view, and beachfront balconies are large enough for a hammock that will accommodate two. Read expert review From £115 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best budget hotels in Rio de Janeiro
La Suite by Dussol
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8Telegraph expert rating
The secluded Joatinga hills is the setting for this mansion hotel, a stylish pioneer that set the standard for boutique hotels in the city (and a backdrop for hundreds of fashion shoots over the year). Interiors are a mixture of contemporary touches such as the imposing Baccarat chandelier and a wealth of ever-changing antiques create an exotic, homely atmosphere. Every room is unique but all have balconies with staggeringly beautiful views, and they are named after the colour of the imported marble used in their bathrooms; you won't find a television in any of them but iPod docks come pre-loaded with playlists full of Brazilian music if in need of a dance. Read expert review From £141 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best beaches in Rio de Janeiro
Mama Shelter Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7Telegraph expert rating
Mama Shelter is a laid-back option that fits naturally with the colourful charms of the Santa Teresa's bohemian vibes. It doesn't feel like an ordinary hotel; a feeling enhanced by the wildly colourful murals around reception and the incongruous ‘naughty’ items for sale on the (top) shelves. Huge windows mean that higher rooms look out over the hillside and down to Guanabara Bay. The location is far from the beaches and many of the staple Rio attractions but leafy strolls and lively treats are on hand, including classic neighbourhood bars Mineiro and Gomes. Read expert review From £50 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
