Fell over the hotel in one of the best locations in Ipanema - thought the price was a little steep especailly with the 5% extra tax added on top which is apparently required to pay the government (since learnt this does not exist and it is really a tourist tax) but decided to stay anyway. The hotel turned off the hot water at 6pm in the evening without notifying guests, when tried to call down to reception to report the problem the phone did not work. Next morning there was no food or drinks set out in breakfast buffet, had to ask for clean crockery and for a table to be cleaned. Coffee took 10 minutes to be refilled and in the end frustration took over and we left hungry. Upon check out we complained to the incredibly rude "manager"who found it a struggle to apologise before offering a 5% discount on our return visit. What an insult! Don't stay there - there are much nicer hotels in the same area

This is a clunky hotel and you would not want to spend your honeymoon here. There are lots of little annoyances; the unintentional shabby chic, the air conditioning on "full blast", sounds like the engine room of a submarine, but if you turn it down, it is possible to sleep OK. The rooms are dilapidated, but the really important stuff, namely an acceptable standard of cleanliness (clean bathroom, clean sheets, no creepy-crawlies) and an edible breakfast, are, in my opinion, fulfilled and the area is as safe as it gets in Rio. If you knew this hotel from earlier days, I can imagine how it used to be a gem and how it would be depressing be to see what it had become, but I am spared this. The staff were fine with me, helpful in fact, but friends of mine had quibbles over the bill, so you need to check everything. If you have the money to stay elsewhere in Ipanema, you might want to consider it, but actually, this hotel is probably the best in its price bracket for this area. I went here expecting a clunky, dilapidated hotel and got just that. I had a decent stay which gave me more spending money. If you come with a degree of stoicism, you can actually survive this hotel with no problems and save a bit of money.

Two years ago it wasn't so bad. Staff were friendly and engaging. They have all moved on. Now it appears the elusive owner of the hotel has loaded the place up with swarthy young men wearing ill-fitting suits who last only a short while before being replaced with others of similar ilk. The rooms are still dingy and close, and one room I was offered during Carnaval was so small and horrid I actually took a video of it to prove that such broom closets pass for hotel rooms. Be aware that for Carnaval, prices sky rocket. And you have to buy a 5 day package, at a cool $292 a night for a single. This is terrible value for what you get. The one bright light is Jose the bartender. He is a pleasure to talk to and he still makes a very good caipirinha.

I have stayed here at least 2 times before and have found it a reasonable hotel at average price at great location. This time, however, after 3 years, I came to find the hotel has been completely neglected by its owner and has turned into a very pricey slum!
The old and experienced staff has been replaced by very young and inexperienced staff (probably cheaper) that group themselves behind the counter all at ones giving a sloopy appearance of bad management. Although kind, most of them have no clue what they are doing there.
Besides the misarable conditions of the rooms due to lack of maintenance and investment, the cleaning personnel seems to not have a clue on how to treat guests, based on the way my mom was treated by one of them.
As a Brazilian and old Rio's citizen, I would suggest everyone to avoid this hotel. There are better choices in the same neighborhood.