Rio de Janeiro - Hotels & Apartments

[Steve 99]

Just double checking on Pestana Hotel being girl friendly. I am booked there in a couple weeks. Got a high floor ocean view room. Too expensive but haven't been to Rio in years so why not.

[PoonyD]

No longer visitor friendly. I called and spoke to someone at the hotel. He told me that you are only allowed one guest and she has to be on the reservation and registered with the hotel. No other visitors will be allowed.

[Bkgnj1]

Hey thanks for this info I checked it out. While it is well situated in Copa, the reviews contain slow wifi complaints. Ultimately ended up going with the leblon Sheraton. That might be the best value available taking proximity, star rating and GF on my dates.

The Mercure Rio Boutique Hotel Copacabana is a small hotel located next to the JW Marriott. It's girl friendly (in fact it's friendly to every fucking thing). I don't remember the WiFi being a problem but since I wasn't working I can't guarantee that it would be acceptable to you. I did use my computer while there and I don't recall issues.

I would only recommend the larger ocean view rooms in the front of the hotel, they are large and nice enough. The other rooms are much smaller but functional.

This is an old building with small and slow elevators, the lobby was constantly freezing and the check-in process was antiquated.

The restaurant was surprisingly good with an exceptional free breakfast buffet with free made to order omelets.

When I said that this hotel was friendly to everything: They weren't concerned with bringing girls to the room, 2 girls were ok. It is pet friendly with a shower for your pet in the lobby and they welcome gay and transgender couples, have a sign expressing this. This doesn't bother me but I'm giving a heads up to anyone who has a problem with it.

[Bkgnj1]

Thanks a lot for this info. I cancelled Astoria and booked the Sheraton in leblon instead. Only point of going with Astoria was the GF part, and if that's not there then f it.

I posted a few days ago that I emailed them and the guest policy changed. You are only allowed 1 guest and she must be the same guest the entire stay. Plus you have to pay 84 Brazilian reals a day for that guest.

.

[PoonyD]

Hi,

I am traveling next week to rio. Booked the Astoria palace as the only conclusive GF hotel near Copa, but have heard horror stories about the internet there, and I'll need to work during my time there. Can hot spot phones but don't want to be in that situation if I can avoid.

Combed through all these threads and didn't find anything conclusive about a GF with useable internet. Someone mentioned Royal Rio Palace but reviews there indicate shit wifi as well. I have another 24 hours or so to cancel Astoria palace before penalty so wondering if I should pull the trigger on a bigger name in hopes of better wifi and then concede the GF part. Any feedback highly appreciated. Newbie to rio so hoping to be near Copa per recommendations here. Thanks in advance.

I posted a few days ago that I emailed them and the guest policy changed. You are only allowed 1 guest and she must be the same guest the entire stay. Plus you have to pay 84 Brazilian reals a day for that guest.

[Houston Player]

Hi,

I am traveling next week to rio. Booked the Astoria palace as the only conclusive GF hotel near Copa, but have heard horror stories about the internet there, and I'll need to work during my time there. Can hot spot phones but don't want to be in that situation if I can avoid.

Combed through all these threads and didn't find anything conclusive about a GF with useable internet. Someone mentioned Royal Rio Palace but reviews there indicate shit wifi as well. I have another 24 hours or so to cancel Astoria palace before penalty so wondering if I should pull the trigger on a bigger name in hopes of better wifi and then concede the GF part. Any feedback highly appreciated. Newbie to rio so hoping to be near Copa per recommendations here. Thanks in advance.

The Mercure Rio Boutique Hotel Copacabana is a small hotel located next to the JW Marriott. It's girl friendly (in fact it's friendly to every fucking thing). I don't remember the WiFi being a problem but since I wasn't working I can't guarantee that it would be acceptable to you. I did use my computer while there and I don't recall issues.

I would only recommend the larger ocean view rooms in the front of the hotel, they are large and nice enough. The other rooms are much smaller but functional.

This is an old building with small and slow elevators, the lobby was constantly freezing and the check-in process was antiquated.

The restaurant was surprisingly good with an exceptional free breakfast buffet with free made to order omelets.

When I said that this hotel was friendly to everything: They weren't concerned with bringing girls to the room, 2 girls were ok. It is pet friendly with a shower for your pet in the lobby and they welcome gay and transgender couples, have a sign expressing this. This doesn't bother me but I'm giving a heads up to anyone who has a problem with it.

[Bkgnj1]

Hi,

I am traveling next week to rio. Booked the Astoria palace as the only conclusive GF hotel near Copa, but have heard horror stories about the internet there, and I'll need to work during my time there. Can hot spot phones but don't want to be in that situation if I can avoid.

Combed through all these threads and didn't find anything conclusive about a GF with useable internet. Someone mentioned Royal Rio Palace but reviews there indicate shit wifi as well. I have another 24 hours or so to cancel Astoria palace before penalty so wondering if I should pull the trigger on a bigger name in hopes of better wifi and then concede the GF part. Any feedback highly appreciated. Newbie to rio so hoping to be near Copa per recommendations here. Thanks in advance.

[The Cane]

Given that the Promenade Princess Copacabana Hotel is splashed all over the place on booking sites that I have come to ironclad trust over the years, I decided to do some research of my own. I went to several of those sites and looked for available rooms based on several different time frames, including well into next year. No matter what dates I put in and no matter what site I used, nothing came up. Always no room at the inn! This was the clue for me that this property indeed is no longer a functioning hotel. So then, I decided to call the hotel directly. What I got was a non-functioning number. So it appears that Mr. Houston Player is 100% correct, and "bullshit" must indeed be called on Expedia and all of the rest of them! I was wrong and he was right.

It's the first time I have encountered anything like this where every site (reputable or not) is getting it wrong by continuing to list a hotel property that is no more. If it was a relatively recent occurrence I would understand. But according to HP the transition occurred at least a couple of years ago. But did it (see this site purportedly last fact checked and updated on July 30,2022 (just three days ago): https://jetbluecheckinforgood.com/be...io-de-janeiro/)? In any event, I was wrong in this case to say that the representations of the booking sites should be given the benefit of the doubt over the word of Mr. Houston Player. I don't know why they don't just remove the hotel from their listings! In my own defense, I do stand by my statement that I said it was a long time ago that I stayed there, and made no representations about what the property is today. You have to do your due diligence to find that out, and when you do, you will learn that the Promenade Princess Copacabana Hotel is no more.

[Questner]

Many thanks for your feedback!

So if you book for two, there shouldn't be any additional fees if you keep bringing someone else to the room?

I paid no extra fees. Booked for 2 with breakfast. Again I was on good terms with the staff, was discreet and have not registered visitors.

Thanks for below recommendations for Sheraton in Leblon.

[The Cane]

I call bullshit bait and switch on Expedia. This hotel was converted to apartments a couple of years ago. It will never be available as a hotel again. Cane's original information was solid as I stayed there many times however it is sadly out of date.

First of all, I made no representations about what the place is now. I clearly said that it was a good while ago that I had stayed there. Things change. So, it behooves anybody making plans to inquire to see how things are now. And second, are you ready to call "bullshit bait and switch" not only on Expedia, but also on Hotels.com, Kayak, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Agoda too? All reputable sites that present this property as a hotel currently today? I recall when I stayed there that it was an "aparta-hotel", which I liked. So, it's certainly conceivable to me that at least some of the property could have been converted to apartments. But, it's also more than quite conceivable that hotel rooms are available too given that so many legit sites are representing that they are (I only listed a few as there are many, many). My bet would be on them as it's their business to know. Something is smelling like some bullshit alright. At any rate, it certainly looks like something worth investigating as a hotel option.

https://www.hotels.com/ho783852992/p...aneiro-brazil/

https://www.kayak.com/Rio-de-Janeiro...ana.116428.ksp

https://www.travelocity.com/Rio-De-J...el-Information

https://www.orbitz.com/Rio-De-Janeir...el-Information

https://www.agoda.com/promenade-prin...4-54067cfe03fe

[PoonyD]

I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on royal rio palace myself but I would really appreciate if anyone here can confirm that they are still guest friendly. I have emailed them several times to ask but no reply. I have done both in English and Portuguese. I just want to make sure they still in fact are guest friendly. Due to the fact that a lot of previously guest friendly places changed their policies. Also thank you to all the guys posting these last couple of weeks in this particular thread. Nice to get some current info.

[Houston Player]

I've stayed at this place before and it was quite clean, but that was a good while ago too. I stopped staying there because it started to get a bit too pricey:

https://www.expedia.com/Rio-De-Janei...el-Information

Thank you for your feedback!

Hotel looks nice, but no availability at my planned time. Also, if it is too pricey as you mentioned than it's not worth. You will normally spend most of your time outside.

I call bullshit bait and switch on Expedia. This hotel was converted to apartments a couple of years ago. It will never be available as a hotel again.

Cane's original information was solid as I stayed there many times however it is sadly out of date.

[Stef1988]

I've stayed at this place before and it was quite clean, but that was a good while ago too. I stopped staying there because it started to get a bit too pricey:

https://www.expedia.com/Rio-De-Janei...el-Information

Thank you for your feedback!

Hotel looks nice, but no availability at my planned time. Also, if it is too pricey as you mentioned than it's not worth. You will normally spend most of your time outside.

[Stef1988]

Royal Rio Palace. Rooms are 10/10 super clean. As for a pool it's a noisy crowded place to snap photos, and I won't plan on using it. My standard is an open Olympic size pool (anyone can suggest a GF property with the best pool, please post).

Many thanks for your feedback!

So if you book for two, there shouldn't be any additional fees if you keep bringing someone else to the room?

[Xpartan]

The Rio Sheraton in leblon has a great pool and girl friendly.

Second that. Great pool, fantastic views from the lounge, plus picturesque and arguably the only swimming beach in Rio that has this semi-private feel. And I believe all rooms have at least some ocean views. They also have a free shuttle to Copa and Rio Sul.