I was a little worried about this hotel after reading some of the reviews on this site and deliberated for a while on this choice. I can now assure all readers that all my worries were put to rest after a great stay in the ocean suite (3rd floor rm 301) 301 and 302 are great suites with spectacular ocean views. The balcony is huge and the suite is spacious with a huge bathroom. It has been recently updated. The staff of this hotel were very pleasant. The manager on duty at check in was very accomadating to our needs -went the extra mile to get us rooms as quicly as possible after a long flight. Our rooms (adjoining) were not ready and were only avaialble later that night. He upgraded one of the rooms to an ocean suite.-spectacular views and recently renovated room. Also the staff were extremely pleasant and attended to all our needs- made good restaurant recommendations. The Breakfast Buffet was very good and included fresh fruit, light Omelettes and great waffles. The roof top pool has a great view but our ocean suite had a nicer view. Some parts of the hotel were dated -carpet in corridors and the carpet in the double room was a little tired but the ocean suite did have a laminate floor. I overlooked the tiredness as it was a great location with spectacular views. There are not to many hotels on Copacabana or Ipanema beach with huge balconies enjoying a panoramic ocean view. We enjoyed dinner at Marius crustacea (expensive but excellent seafood) and a brazilian steakhouse in Leblon. Adjacent to the hotel is a great italian restaurant - Don Catello. With regard to safety- we were fine- Copacabana and ipanema were pretty safe. We walked with our teens from 'the Ipanema market to Ipanema beach and the all the way to Copacabans-no problems and did not feel unsafe. We had a great holiday staying at the Pestana and went on to Iguassu ,Buenois aires, Santiago , Machu Picchu..

We arrived early morning (7.30am) in Rio and had arranged a taxi transfer from the airport via UK based company - as virgins to Rio we had read so much about BAD Rio. We found this re-assuring particularly because of the arrival time and after a long journey. Initial Reception. Check in was very efficient with complimentary ticket for a drink on arrival. We were allowed to use the hotel facilities - roof top pool and bar etc. despite the room not being officially available until 2.00pm Public Areas - very nice lobby and helpful desk staff. Bar was good and used by guests and in the evening Live Music was played (quiet bossanova) by local artists. We visited a number of other hotels along the front and the Atlantica was the best bar area. Lifts were fine and operational and corridors were well lit and clean. Dining Room - spacious and well laid out can be a bit hectic at busy times. Breakfast was excellent - fresh fruit,cereals, yoghurt, cold meats cheeses as well as hot foods-scrambled egg sausage and bacon. In addition a chef is on hand to cook eggs,bespoke omlettes as well as waffles and tapiocas. Accommodation - we were given an upgrade to a suite (313) which was spacious having a lounge and separate bedroom . However it was rather tired, dark and dated in terms of decor but it was kept very clean. The plus was the front view onto the ocean and beach. Pool Area The big selling point of this Hotel for us. Fabulous views and whilst busy did not seem overcrowded. Drink and meals prices were reasonable for this standard of Hotel. Service at the pool area was very good and very friendly staff. Beach The Hotel has an area of Beach directly opposite and has complimentary towels and sun beds - staff very friendly and will keep an eye on your stuff when you are in the water. There are beach traders who approach you with goods but all we came in contact with were good natured and were not persistent or threatening. The kiosks around the beach are worth a look for both food (particularly shrimps) and drinks and are a lot less expensive than the hotels Other services Football We organised to go to the football at the Maracana through the hotel using a guide this was approximately ?40pp and included air conditioned transport door to door, supervision in the stadium and tickets for the game. There was also a preliminary game and the experience was fantastic (and I have watched football throughout Europe) My wife who is not a big live football fan enjoyed the spectacle immensely. Guides We used a guide through the hotel - minimum four hours at approx ?30p/h including car and costs- He was excellent in his knowledge of the city and the cultural and political developments and put us at ease about the city and use of public transport etc. However you have to be clear what you want to accomplish and remember it takes time to get around the city particularly when traffic is heavy. I would use this service to ask the guide to take you to places other than the tourist hotspots they can be done easily using public transport which we found to be excellent, cheap and safe - if only ours was as good! Location Excellent - central on the waterfront at Copacabana and within easy walking distance of Ipanema, ATMs, subway station and local buses. Also plenty of local juice bars, restaurants and convenience shops to the rear of the hotel. Taxis are readily available - use the yellow cabs -regulated and cheaper than the hotel ones - just flag one down or go to a rank. Overall Hotel Even If you have not been to Copacabana before I would suggest that a cheaper room without a view is not a problem as you are likely to spend so little time in it as you will be at the beach, pool or exploring the city. Safety We had been advised to use a guide in Rio however we felt safe travelling independently during the day on public transport and in the evenings using yellow taxis. We also walked extensively around the Copacabana and Ipanema areas without any problems other than a few hustlers who were inoffensive. So, take advice on the route you need and the rest is the normal precautions you would expect in any large city. We found that it added to our enjoyment of this wonderful city and friendly people- particularly the tram ride from Carioca to St Theresa. One other tip is to have a small pocket book of Portuguese phrases to point at as English is not widespread even in the tourist areas.

Having read some of the reviews on this site I just wondered if we had picked the right hotel for our stay in Rio, well let me assure you that all our worries were immediatly put to rest from the very moment we stepped from our car. The staff of this fantistic hotel are SECOND TO NONE!! They attended to our every requirement, no problem to big or to small! The Breakfast Buffet serving the freshest of fruit to the lightest of Omelettes and wonderful waffles, the evening meals in the restaurant were simply sublime, and the bar was airy and fresh & with excellent staff, and the roof top pool is just a suntrap,Ok the carpet in the room was a little tired but you are in Rio, why worry about Carpet? there is so much to do and lots of it so close to the Pestana, if you ever go there a must visit restaurant is the Copa Cafe, looks like a coffee shop from the outside, but the inside holds a nice bar, and upstairs is a seductively lit restaurant with food to die for, very reasonably priced and as close you wil get to fine dining at 1/2 the price you will pay anywhere else.All in all we have had a fantastic holiday staying at the Pestana and would have no hesitation recommending this hotel to anyone(except the future mother-in-law, just don't want her to have such a great time!!) . To all at the Pestana, We THANK YOU!!