i've been living in brazil for almost a year, so i don't expect much out of hotels here, but this one was bad. the rooms were very old and needed much updating. my parents' room had a broken air conditioner and a broken toilet seat. our room had tiny little bugs in the bathroom and in the bed the first morning we woke up there. i complained to the desk and all they did was send housekeeping to clean the room. the bugs did go away, as far as i could see. however, the cleaning on the other days we were there was done in the 10 minutes that we went to breakfast, so i'm not sure they could have done more than make the bed and replace the towels.

the only good thing was the location. it was right across from the beach, as close as you can get in copacabana. the copacabana neighborhood was run-down and dirty, but ipanema was close by and much nicer. we were a short cab ride from the botanical garden and many restaurants.

if i went back to rio, i would definitely spend more on a nicer hotel in ipanema beach.

This hotel is amazing! Not only for the location..the staff is great! They gave me an upgrade for ocean view. I had a problem with my transfer out and they helped me calling the company. They organise tours to Corcovado and Sugar loaf and also special tours like hangliding, rafting etc. All you want they can provide. The hotel is good, they have beach service, the location is great (next to Ipanema). The only problem is housekeeping. They never put shampoo or soap and during the day they are very slow when you ask something. I would stay there again only for the people like Mr Salvit (front desk), Aline and Monica. If you need help, contact them!

RIO IS AMAZING! I had the most amazing time ever in Rio during Carnaval, the city is so full of energy, it's amazing. This hotel could not be in a better location. Directly on Copa beach and a 12 minute walk to Ipanema. The hotel was actually a lot nicer then i had expected. The rooms are fine... nothing to brag about, but then again if you are to Brazil for the hotel room......... enough said. It was clean, had hot water, mini fridge and cable. The breakfast was really nice and FREE! eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese, bread, meats... honestly way more then we were expecting since it was free and all! There are also little markets around the hotel where you can buy fruit, bread, meats etc. For dinner we went to some Charrasuco (sp?) around the corner. It's like a buffet but you pay by the weight of what you eat. We had great big dinners (beef, chicken, pork, desserts) there for around $10US a person... CHEAP!
In short this hotel was great! Some people need to lighten up!

I had seen some mixed reviews of this hotel so I wasn't sure what to expect. However I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed my stay at the Regente.

The location is great - right on Copacabana beach and a few minutes walk from Ipanema beach. We wandered up and down the beachfront every evening, stopping at the beach-side cafes for caipirinhas. Never a sign of trouble (our guide book had me slightly worried about muggings but I never felt under any threat at all). There was also an evening market very close by, and plenty of restaurants in short walking distance.

Our room did not have a beach view but to be honest I wasn't bothered as I realised I would have had to pay more to get the view! The room was a reasonable size and was comfortable and clean. Hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful, even chasing our travel company by phone when the transfer to the airport did not turn up on time. Breakfast was okay - just the usual hotel breakfast range of dishes, but I felt they were good quality.