Copacabana Palace

Rio de Janeiro

Legendary white-fronted beachside hotel full of beautiful people

What makes it special: Location, location, location. Of course, that's by no means all there is to the world-famous hotel, but its position standing tall at the centre of the famous 2.5-mile curve of Copacabana beach certainly helps define it. The imposing bright white frontage gleams proudly over the world's most famous stretch of sand, while the city's iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer looks over it from on high. Even at night, it is so well lit that it retains its dominance of a neighbourhood that it helped upgrade from seedy suburb to world-renowned destination.

A slice of history: Built in 1923, the hotel sought to bring an element of European-style glamour to Rio de Janeiro – and manifestly succeeded. From its early days, it has attracted the famous and the powerful to stay in its beach-view suites (standard rooms looking back over the city are also striking, and a tad more affordable), and its appeal shows no signs of waning.

What can guests expect: The Copa is as opulent and fabulous as one might imagine, thanks to ongoing and sympathetic renovations and modernisations. The suites are old-school luxurious, with genuinely comfortable sitting rooms, and the public space in which to see and be seen is the famous pool area. Here, the rich, the beautiful and the curious all mingle in (often quite minimalist) swimwear, with plenty of caipirinhas on hand from the attentive and coolly uniformed service team.

Sustainable surprise: The very relaxed, Carioca vibe is enhanced by three restaurants surrounding the enormous pool. The flagship – Ristorante Hotel Cipriani, under acclaimed chef Nello Cassese – featured on the extended list of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants in 2024, but is currently closed for a refurb. The Asian-tinged Mee is a more-than-adequate alternative. The spa, meanwhile, is discreet and well-appointed, while a mix of contemporary artwork and nostalgic photography lines the hotel's corridors. Finally, Copacabana Palace has become a quietly effective role model for sustainable practices in the hotel sector, under the visionary guidance of former GM (now Belmond Brazil MD) Ulisses Marreiros.

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