I had the pleasure of being able to Visit rio a few years ago through a friend who is in the Travel Business,we had the choice of two hotels and chose the Gloria, I loved every minute, we stayed in the original building, the room large and yes the paint need a little touch here and there but the beds were clean and the room looked out over the front of the Hotel and one night we eventually got to sleep after listening to a concert for free that was playing in the park opposite,
the food Breakfast was substantial. the only draw back was the ala carte resturant was not open every night but on the times it was open it was wonderful to be served by such attentive staff, i was told off for daring to pour my own wine as the waiter insisted that it was his job to serve us, Wonderful.
Ok the neighbourhood is a bit of an eyeopener the girls waiting for buisness in the Best Western window just down the road and the locals from the appartment blocks sitting in the street cooking at the side of the pavement, but not once did we feel threatened.
This Hotel to me is the Original Rio not the plastic trendy stuff that is further up the coast

We unfortunately flew with Aerolineas Argentinas Airlines to get to Rio. It is the absolute worst airlines I have ever flown with. They constantly cancel flights, which is why we ended up at this hotel for one night. They cancelled our flight and had to put us up in a hotel. They placed us at Hotel Gloria. It is one of the oldest hotels in Rio. Our room was dark and dingy with worn out carpet and the walls needed a paint job. The biggest beds they offered for a standard room was a double bed, which is a problem if you are used to sleeping in at least a queen sized. The bathroom's bathtub door did not extend all the way over, just half way, so water does end up wetting the floor. The rooms are surprisingly large. The food at the hotel for both dinner and breakfast was not that great. The staff is very friendly and helpful though. I would never have chosen to stay here.

The only good thing about the hotel is that it is located just a few minutes from the Sugar Loaf mountain.

I stayed at the Hotel Gloria while I was at a conference in the summer of 2004. The hotel reminded me of a movie setting from the 1930s. The staff were very professional and courteous. The room was nice...not great. There was a little beach out front, but I didnt feel it was best for tourists. There was also this very interesting church sort of behind the hotel. I would recommend taking a peak at it with a group of people and without valuables (this is true of anywhere in Rio). The restaurants were nice and there were also several nice hotels near Gloria. The one draw back to the hotel is its location. It doesnt have the nice beaches and if you wander to far off the path you are in an area that you dont want to be.

This hotel is not for everyone. It is old, and although well maintained, its amenities are not modern. However, anyone who appreciates historical charm will appreciate it. There are lovely views, pools, alcoves and tons of period kitsch. It is the grand old dame of Rio hotels and the dame is a little temperamental. The location is superb (unless one prefers to be in the beach suburbs of Copacabana or Ipanema); many attractions are in walking distance, others are a 10 minute taxi trip away (Centro, Santa Tereza, ferries). I would highly recommend the hotel to those who come to experience 'real' Rio, as opposed to the beach culture.