Nice hotel on a side street in the neighborhood of Flamingo. Two blocks to the beach and one block to the ocean. Quiet and ample.

Good location: near to a subway station, to downton, Lapa and Flamengo/Botafogo litoral (nice place to walk or run, not good to swim). The hotel has a super dinner, the rooms are ok, specially when located in an higher floor.
* I have been there very often in the last 3 years, short trip business.

The problem for my wife and I was that we actually booked into a different Windsor hotel (in the centre). We were told that other guests needed our rooms so we were transferred (the hotel ordered and paid for the taxi). When we got to the Florida, we had to wait 20 minutes to get served by an over worked reception area. The hotel then insisted we paid for our stay for 3 nights upfront and tried to charge us R300 (around 150 Stirling) too much before eventually agreeing the correct price we had booked on the internet. They then placed us in a twin bedroom as opposed to a double room that we had booked. This was not corrected for our entire stay, although they did 'create' a double bed by pushing the single beds together and placing a sheet to keep them together - 4 hours after we asked. The Florida was the only hotel of the 5 we stayed in within Brazil that charged for the internet - R24 each day (13 Stirling). It’s a shame as the rooms are quite good and the location allows easy travel around the city.

We stayed here over the new year period as it was cheaper than the hotels nearer the action but it was very close to Catete metro and only 4 stops to Copacabana.

It was close to lots of shops, bars and restaurants, not posh expensive ones but real ones that the locals use - and we like that. It's just around the corenr to a nice little park with a couple of museums and only a short walk from Flamango Park and beach.

The breakfast was one of the best in our 3 month trip around South America with lots of choice. It was very busy but they never ran out of anything and were quick to serve coffee with a smile.

There is a swimming pool on the roof with views of the city. Unfortunately, a taller hotel has been built right next to this one which blocks the view of Christ the Redeemer.

The staff were very professional and friendly and it was a pleasure staying here.

My only real gripe is that you have to pay to use their wifi and it's not cheap either! I can't remember that last time I've had to do that.