I stay 5d at this hotel, I had a good experience there, clean room, good breakfast, good rate for exchange. I just want to comment about noise level at the rooms, you can hear everything even the elevator engine and the shower of the others, I remembered a travel in a military submarine. The other fact is the expensive internet service, it must be free as the 99% of other hotels that I have hosted. Location is fine because Cinelandia metro station near.

The Asturias is one of ten Windsor hotels in Rio, including three in centro, six in Copacabana, and one in Barra da Tijuca. This moderately priced hotel is in Cinelandia. It is very close to a Metro station, only one block from the financial heart of Rio in Avenida Rio Branco and but a short walk or cab ride from Santos Dumont airport. Rooms are clean, comfortable and nicely appointed. The wrap around rooftop terrace has a small swimming pool, gym, and bar for those afternoons when you don't feel up to fighting the crowds on Ipanema Beach. Enjoy fine vistas of Santa Teresa, the Arcos de Lapa and Flamengo Park. Staff are attentive and helpful, and may allow late checkout and baggage storage if you are catching a night flight home. Cafe de manha is excellent with service by white dinner jacketed/black bow tied waiters The downtown location of this 22 storey, 166 room hotel means the early morning roar of an awakening Rio de Janeiro will seep in through your windows. No matter. It's time to get up and on with another day in the cidade maravilhoso.

We did not realize that, when travelling to Rio, Rock in Rio was going on, which explained the lack of available hotels. The Windsor Asturias was one of the very few, and, therefore, we decided to stay here. My impressions are as follows:

(a) location: only good if you have to do business downtown. We arrived on a Saturday evening, and we decided not to leave the hotel that night because the area is really dangerous on weekends and in the evenings (we had both things at the same time!). However, it is great if you want to visit some of the "historical" sites, and Lapa and the Bairro de Santa Teresa are just around the corner, and there is a conveniente metro station just around the corner, which goes directly to Copacabana and Ipanema;

(b) room: the room was pretty big, and it seemed quite new. Good enough to rest and sleep, with plenty of TV channels, comfy beds and new bathroom;

(c) common areas: as this is a business hotel, they are nothing special. However, there is a nice plunge pool on the roof top, with impressive views over the city, and a tiny steam room;

(d) breakfast: get up early if you do not want to wait in line to get breakfast, which is really good (in fact, we were quite surprised to see such a good breakfast here!); and

(e) staff: as in any other business oriented hotel...therefore, not rude, but not overwhelmingly friendly.

Conclusion: a good hotel, with good facilities, at reasonable prices (taking into account that this is Rio). It is close to Lapa (good for partying at night) and to the metro, and, therefore, you can move around the city very easily (metro is clean, fast, efficient, safe). However, do not expect anything fancy or special.

I had never stayed at Rio de Janeiro centre before, and this experience was really great. The hotel is quite new, well located, near Santos Dumont airport (regional flights only) and the historical centre, with many historical attractions (Teatro Nacional, Biblioteca Nacional, Confeitaria Colombo, Arcos da Lapa, Cinelândia...), as well as the the Metro station, within walking distance. The location is very convenient for business trip and excellent for turism, but only on weekdays. On weekends, the city centre becomes dangerous for pedestrians. Excellent breakfast buffet. Considering that Rio de Janeiro has the highest hotel prices in Brazil, the Asturias is quite fair.