Windsor Copa Hotel

The Windsor Copa is housed in a 12-floor building on a busy street that's one block from Copacabana Beach. Guests enter to a small lobby with upholstered furniture, black vinyl sofas, marble floors, an elegant rug, chandelier, wood-paneled wall, and potted plants. The look is a bit old world and classic. Guests gather here and in the restaurant, where black-and-white photos add a little character to an otherwise generic space. The hotel has a fitness center, but no other leisure facilities -- instead, guests gravitate to the beach and the hotel providing beach towels. The Windsor tends to attract budget-minded tourists, who appreciate the affordable rooms, free breakfasts, and proximity to Copacabana Beach. 

The Windsor Copa is situated on busy Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana -- the location is about as central as it gets for guests looking to crash close to the beach and all of Copacabana's bars, restaurants, cafes, theaters, and shops. It's one block from the beach and Avenida Atlantica at the northern end of Copacabana in the Posto 2 district. Buses run along the avenue outside the hotel and the Cardeal Arcoverde Metro station is a five-minute walk away. It's a five-minute drive to the top of Leme Hill and Forte Duque de Caxias (Leme Fort), a restored hilltop fort with historical exhibits and great views of the surrounding area. The spectacular sunset views at Arpoador and the nightlife near Ipanema are within a 10-minute drive of the Windsor, as is Praia Vermelha beach and the funicular up to Sugarloaf Mountain. The Centro is a 15-minute drive from the hotel and it home to attractions like the National History Museum, Theatro Municipal, Rio Cathedral, and Imperial Palace. Maracana Stadium and Christ the Redeemer statue are both within a 25-minute drive of the hotel, and it will take 30 minutes by cab to reach Rio de Janeiro/Galeão–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport.    

The 146 non-smoking rooms at the Windsor Copa are arrayed on 12 floors. The look is simple, with a white, grey, beige, and brown color palette and light-wood paneling and furniture. While the interiors in the rest of the hotel can have a slightly old school vibe, rooms feel modern and light. There isn't much of a view and rooms don't get as much natural light as Avenida Atlantica hotels due to the surrounded by tall buildings. They are impeccably clean, though, and quiet despite the busy Copacabana location. Rooms start at 172 square feet (16 square meters), so many are small. All rooms have safes, minibars, alarm clocks with MP3 jacks, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with satellite and English channels, but they lack coffeemakers. Some rooms have balconies. Bathrooms can be a little cramped, but all are clean and well-lighted with ample counter space and granite walk-in showers. 

Guests of the Windsor Copa enjoy a very good free breakfast buffet each morning. The spread features hot eggs, bacon, waffles, quiches, small ham-and-cheese sandwiches, pastries, cereal, fresh fruit, coffee, and juice. The restaurant serves authentic Brazilian cuisine for lunch and dinner, and twenty-four-hour room service is available -- all food gets solid reviews. As a mid-range hotel, the Windsor has few leisure facilities, though there is a good fitness center with wood floors and modern equipment including a weight machine, two treadmills, a stair-stepper, two exercise bikes, a big flat-screen TV, and wall mirrors. The hotel also has a business center, concierge service, baggage assistance, and 24-hour front desk. There is no on-site parking, but parking is available at a nearby garage for a fee. Guests can walk one block and then across the Avenida Atlantica to reach Copacabana Beach. The hotel provides beach towels, and the beach has volleyball and beach soccer. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.