Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel

The Copacabana Palace is one of Rio's most famous buildings and has long been considered a symbol of the city. It opened on 13 August 1923 on Avenida Atlântica, facing Copacabana Beach, the project of Octávio Guinle, who built it with Francisco Castro Silva. The French architect Joseph Gire designed its façade, drawing on the Negresco in Nice and the Carlton in Cannes.

Its history mirrors the city's. The hotel ran a casino until gambling was banned in Brazil in 1946, the Golden Room opened in 1938 with Maurice Chevalier, and the pool was added in 1934. The Guinle family owned it until 1989, when it passed to James Sherwood's Orient-Express group; it took the Belmond name in 2014 and became part of LVMH in 2018. After facing the threat of demolition in 1985, it was protected as cultural heritage at federal, state and municipal level. Its guests have included Walt Disney, Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles, Josephine Baker, Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and Madonna, and Belmond itself mentions stars from Brigitte Bardot to Ella Fitzgerald.

Today the hotel has 140 rooms and suites, from rooms of 26 to 44 square metres to Signature Suites of up to 832 square metres for as many as 14 guests. The centrepiece is the half-Olympic outdoor pool, and there are rooftop tennis courts, a fitness centre, a boutique and a private area on the beach. Note that, according to the official website, the Pool Wing is closed for renovation until November 2026 and the spa is also closed for renovation, so check what is open when booking.

Dining is a major draw. Mee, the hotel's pan-Asian restaurant, holds a Michelin star, Pérgula serves Brazilian cooking beside the pool, and the Pool Bar offers light bites and cocktails. The Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Cipriani is currently closed for renovation. The hotel also has 13 event spaces, including the Teatro Fernanda Montenegro, and appears in The World's 50 Best Hotels 2026.

The Copacabana Palace suits travellers looking for history, glamour and a beachfront location, and couples marking a special occasion. Belmond gives the drive from Santos Dumont domestic airport as about 15 minutes and from the international airport as 30 to 45 minutes, and valet parking is available.

From the door, Copacabana Beach and Roberto Burle Marx's wave promenade are directly across the avenue, and Churrascaria Palace and Galeto Sat's are also in Copacabana.