Windsor Excelsior Hotel

The hotel hosts mainly international and local leisure travelers who want to be near Copacabana. The lobby is sophisticated but not over-the-top luxurious, and has brown and beige marble floors and light wood accents. Casual, comfortable beige cotton sofas, armchairs, and fresh orchids give the space a tropical feel. There's a pleasant rooftop swimming pool with excellent views which adds to the overall laid-back, calm atmosphere of the hotel.

The Windsor Excelsior is located right on the Copacabana-Leme Beach on Avenida Atlantica. Copacabana is among the most densely populated areas in the world, and has a large elderly population (it's nicknamed the Miami Beach of Brazil). The neighborhood offers bars, restaurants, and plenty of shopping options within fast walking distance.

Key attractions, including Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue, can be reached in around 20- to-30 minutes by car or taxi. Ipanema is a 15-minute walk away and the nearest metro station, Siqueira Campos, takes five-minutes to reach on foot. Buses run along the Avenida Atlantica and the Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana. The Galeao International Airport can normally be reached in half an hour or so, whereas the domestic airport Santos Dumont is just a 15- to 20-minute taxi drive away.

The Windsor Excelsior offers rooms and suites in six different categories, most of which were renovated in 2012. The most expensive Deluxe Rooms and Suites face the ocean, and those on higher levels have phenomenal sea-views (corner rooms have especially stunning vistas). Rooms and suites are clean and comfortable, with pastel interiors and wood laminate floors. All come with writing desks, large flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. Dated bathrooms are fitted with showers, and most have granite floors and countertops as well as hairdryers and basic toiletries. The Executive Suites have green marble bathrooms with jetted tubs, sauna, and even crystal chandeliers. 

The Windsor Excelsior has one of Copacabana's best rooftop swimming pools of any hotel in its category. The medium-sized pool is surrounded by lounge chairs and plants and has gorgeous sea and mountain views as well as an adjacent bar. Next to the pool is a well-equipped, modern fitness center with multiple cardio and weight-training machines, as well a sauna and a steam room. The hotel has a bar and a restaurant at the lobby level that serves a free hot buffet breakfast, and both a la carte and buffet options at lunch and dinner, as well as 24-hour room service. 

The beach across the street from the hotel has an attendant who distributes towels and can help direct guests to free lounge chairs and parasols. The hotel also offers laundry service, but there's no parking on-site. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, for a steep fee, much to the discontent of guests. 

English-speaking staff provide concierge services and can organize tickets for city tours, samba shows, and soccer matches in the famous Maracana Stadium (note that games are normally on Wednesdays and Sundays). Guests arriving just before Carnival season can also arrange to attend the samba rehearsals at top-notch schools such as the Mangueira or Vila Isabel.