Copacabana, United States
Central and walkable location a block away from Copacabana beach
Neighborhood full of restaurants, bars, and shops
Renovated rooms are clean and comfortable; some have balconies and sea views
On-site restaurant and bar
Rooftop swimming pool and small bar
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Free chairs, umbrellas, and towels for use at the beach
On-site fitness center and steam room
Free transfer from the hotel to the international airport
24-hour room service
Noise from the street
Fee for parking
Small pool
Slightly worn furniture in the dark lobby
The Windsor Palace is an upper-mid-range hotel that has a central Copacabana location. This 18-floor hotel -- just a block from the beach -- underwent a renovation in 2014 and has 85 clean and spacious rooms with some balconies. A rooftop swimming pool, adjacent fitness center, free ride to the airport, and free Wi-Fi throughout are nice bonuses, but there's a charge for breakfast. Overall, this hotel is a good pick with cleaner and fresher rooms than what's usually found at this price point.
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Scene
Multistory hotel near the beach
The Windsor Palace underwent a renovation in 2014 but the lobby area is small and a bit dark, with furniture that's already showing signs of wear. Framed prints of birds add a touch of color to the walls. The front facade looks a bit tired, but is accented with international flags. Upstairs, the rooftop pool deck is landscaped with small palm trees and flowering bushes. The hotel serves both local business clients and tourists alike.
Location
One block from Copacabana Beach
The hotel has an excellent Copacabana location. It's just a block away from the world famous beach, and three blocks from the nearest metro station, Siqueira Campos. The neighborhood offers a lively Copacabana scene: restaurants, bars, tourist shops, supermarkets, Internet cafes, money changers, and a surprising number of pharmacies (as Copacabana has a record number of retirees). The Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue -- can be reached in about 15- to -20 minutes. The domestic airport of Santos Dumont can normally be reached in 15- to -20 minutes. The hotel provides free transportation to the airport but charges for parking.
Rooms
Renovated in 2014
The hotel has 11 floors of frontal rooms with spacious, furnished balconies and partial sea views. This is quite rare in the Copacabana hotel scene (if balconies exist, they are normally tiny and offer standing room only). Renovated in 2014 the rooms have a fresh look thanks to light wood laminate floors and dark wooden headboards. All rooms come with 40-inch flat-screen TVs, minibars, free Wi-Fi, and safes. Clean bathrooms are spacious, but a bit outdated with granite floors and countertops. Showers, toiletries, and hairdryers are standard. Past guests have complained that rooms on lower floors pick up street noise.
Features
Rooftop swimming pool, sauna, and restaurant
The Windsor Palace offers a small lobby level restaurant that serves a hot buffet breakfast, and a la carte lunch and dinner, along with a full bar. 24-hour room service is available. Upstairs, the pool bar offers drinks and snacks, though the pool is on the small side. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The lobby includes free desktop computers and a printer (charged) for guests' use. Next to the pool is a small fitness center that has modern LifeFitness cardio equipment (but no weights) and an adjacent steam room. Free towels, chairs, and umbrellas are available for beach goers, but the hotel has no attendants on the beach.
