Pestana Rio Atlântica

Pestano Rio Atlantica makes the most of its beachfront location with gorgeous views of Copacabana Beach and the ocean from most of the rooms and the rooftop pool. Inside, the hotel has a modern design that focuses primarily on a black and red color scheme in the lobby. The glossy white floors and black front desk would feel a bit bland without the larger-than-life black-and-white photo installments of people displayed in the lobby. The restaurant maintains the modern design with wooden floors and cream contemporary chairs. Though it’s a chic design, there’s some wear around the edges of the public spaces, and many guests note cleanliness issues in places like the pool or spa. There’s a definite bustling vibe here with a clientele of mostly business travelers using the business amenities and young couples. There’s been complaints of overcrowding at the pool and beach facility, and long queues at the front desk or waiting for the reportedly slow elevator. 

This trendy hotel stands tall above the sea, right on the beach in the center of Copacabana. It has a prime location on the busy Avenida Atlantica which is lined with restaurants, bars, and shops. As far as attractions, Christ the Redeemer is a 40-minute drive away and Sugarloaf Mountain is a 30-minute drive. Downtown takes 20 minutes to reach by car. There’s a bus stop that’s two minutes away on foot that guests without cars can utilize. It’s a 47-minute drive to Rio de Janeiro–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport. 

Room decor is almost chic, but overall it looks a bit unremarkable and a tad tired. The rooms have wood laminate floors and furniture, cream or brown couches, white bedding, and chain-like abstract artwork on the walls. All rooms come with desks, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, safes, free Wi-Fi, minibars, and iPod docking stations. The rooms lack coffee- and tea-making facilities. They have city or sea views and some have balconies. Bathroom designs vary with stone or white marble, but all have shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and toiletries. Take note that guests have made complaints about maintenance issues with the air-conditioning and cleanliness issues in rooms. 

Pestana Rio Atlantica has plenty of features to satisfy both leisure and business travelers. For one, the hotel provides a free beach area with loungers, towels, and water. This is complemented by a rooftop pool surrounded by loungers, cabanas, and serviced by the Deck Bar, a pool bar with lovely views of the ocean and beach. The hotel offers a spa for beauty treatments, massages, a sauna, and hot tub. The gym has free weights and cardio machines which guests can use while enjoying views of the ocean. As for dining options, Cais da Ribeira offers a free breakfast buffet of pastries, cakes, eggs, cold cuts, and cheese. It also serves Brazilian and international buffets for lunch and dinner. The lobby bar offers drinks and snacks, and room service is available for limited hours. There’s no shortage of fully-equipped meeting rooms here -- 26, in fact -- plus there’s free Wi-Fi throughout and a business center with desktop computers. Parking on-site costs a fee.