Belmond Copacabana Palace

I'd choose the Copa over the Fasano any day — the Fasano felt too modern and dark for my taste.

We stayed at both the Copacabana Palace and Fasano during our South America trip, and honestly, there was no comparison. The Copa has this timeless elegance that the Fasano just couldn't match. The Fasano felt sterile and overly contemporary, while the Palace had warmth and character that made us feel like we were part of Rio's history.

Undeniably grand yet supremely relaxed, the Copacabana Palace is everything a hotel of its caliber should be.

The balance between grandeur and relaxation is what sets this property apart from other luxury hotels in the city. While competitors like the Fasano lean heavily into modern party vibes or others into stuffiness, the Palace manages to feel both prestigious and welcoming — a rare combination in the luxury hospitality world.

Pool unusable due to construction noise, and some rooms affected by active construction as well.

We came here specifically for the pool experience and relaxation, but the ongoing construction made it impossible to enjoy. The noise was constant and disruptive, affecting both the pool area and some guest rooms. For a property of this caliber and price point, this kind of disruption shouldn't happen.

The Copacabana Palace isn't just the most iconic hotel in the city — it's arguably one of the most famed properties in all of Brazil.

This Art Deco palace presides over the Copacabana beachfront with 239 rooms and two Michelin-starred restaurants. Its legendary status isn't just marketing — it's earned through nearly a century of hosting celebrities, dignitaries, and discerning travelers who recognize true hospitality excellence.

Top tier Brazilian hospitality — the staff made our stay exceptional from check-in to checkout.

How could anyone not rate this place 5/5? The service was phenomenal across the board. Luisa and Beatriz at the front desk accommodated every request, Kauam personally walked us through our room, and Ari at the Pérgula breakfast provided spectacular service with an olive oil masterclass. The history-filled guided tour was the perfect cherry on top of an already amazing stay.

This hotel felt very much 5 stars with wonderful amenities, though the pricing varies significantly by view.

The location right in front of Copacabana Beach is incredibly convenient, and having four different restaurants within the hotel means you never have to brave Rio's streets at night if you don't want to. We did their special champagne experience dinner, which was absolutely fabulous. The pool area is excellent, and the whole property exudes luxury.

I stayed here almost a week and while the service was amazing, two major issues ruined the experience.

The staff truly is incredible, but the food was really bad — I'm talking crunchy potatoes in chicken soup bad. Even worse, there was a loud event every single day we were there, including a wedding with music until midnight. For a luxury hotel, having constant disruptions from conferences and events just isn't acceptable.

I'm convinced some reviews are fake because this was absolutely not 5-star quality.

The hotel staff felt like they were micromanaging us the entire time. The food at Pergula was mediocre and severely overpriced for what they were serving — breakfast tasted old with just a couple of decent baked goods. I had a great massage, but overall this feels more like a pretty 4-star hotel masquerading as luxury.

I couldn't sleep because the bed was too soft, and the hotel went above and beyond to find me a firmer bed.

What impressed me most wasn't just that they solved the problem, but how they handled it. They consistently checked in to ensure I was sleeping well afterward, and I even received a thoughtful letter and gift as an apology. Our server Edson prepared soothing teas for my mom's cough and refreshing mint tea for me — that kind of personal attention you just don't get elsewhere.

We paid $800 a night and it felt like we were living in The White Lotus — the interior decoration is absolutely stunning.

I chose this hotel primarily for the location right across from the falls, but what blew me away was the design. There's a perfect photo opportunity everywhere you turn, and the Art Deco details are immaculately maintained. Our rooms were spacious with excellent AC, and having private beach access in Copacabana is worth the premium alone. The bird park included in our package was such a fun bonus.

Beautiful hotel but they didn't honor our American Express package, which was a major disappointment.

The property reminded us of the Four Seasons with its lovely staff and nice breakfast buffet. The pool and spa are truly magnificent, and overall it was a memorable experience. But when a hotel pretends to be part of a program they have no interest in delivering, it really undermines the trust factor.