Rio: index of all posts, by subject

Carnival

1. Samba schools parade: the full schedule and ticket prices
2. Rio street carnival 2009 - the schedule of the best street blocos (parades)
3. Rio's best samba schools: complete listing of grupo especial escolas
4. Winners of 2009 Carnival parades are announced: Salgueiro is #1!

New Year's

1. Rio's mayor hires Madonna to sing at the Copacabana New Year's Party

Dining and bars (botecos)

1. Roberta Sudbrack: the best chef in Rio?
2. Terzetto Café: great breakfast spot in Ipanema
3. The best restaurants in Rio according to the experts
4. Bráz, Carlota... São Paulo restaurants open Rio outposts
5. Where to eat bacalhau (cod): the best Portuguese restaurants
6. Le Pré-Catalan at the Sofitel: when hotel dining is done right
7. Bráz, São Paulo's best pizzeria, opens outpost in Barra da Tijuca
8. The best cafés, pastry shops, finger foods and chocolates in Rio
9. Academia da Cachaça, in Leblon: the best spot for pairing cachaças and traditional Brazilian food
10. Aquim: elegant restaurant with great food in Leblon
    

Hotels

1. The best hotels in Barra da Tijuca
2. Sheraton has the best spa in Barra da Tijuca
3. The Ouro Verde, in Copacabana: and old classic has gone downhill
4. La Maison, in Gávea, is one of Rio's best places to stay
5. La Suite, an exclusive 7-room guesthouse with stunning views
6. The best hotels in Leblon, Rio
7. The best hotels in Ipanema, Rio
8. Hotel Fasano Rio, in Ipanema: the best in town
9. The best hotels in Copacabana, Rio
10. The best hotels in Santa Teresa, Rio
11. The hotel Santa Teresa, in Santa Teresa, Rio: a full report with photos

Fashion and Shopping

1. Best shops in Ipanema: Lenny, Mara Mac, etc.
   
2. Fashion Rio, the biggest fashion event
3. Rio's best beauty addresses
4. 2009 Oi Fashion Rocks: Versace, Marc Jacobs, Lenny et al on the runway, Diddy, Mario Testino, Donatella and Mariah in attendance
   

Attractions/ Sightseeing

1. Rio Ferris wheel opens in Copacabana
2. Artists Nuno Ramos and Vik Muniz open shows in Rio
3. Corredor Chopin: new art hub nextdoor to the Copacabana Palace hotel
4. Museu da República museum shows contemporary art
5. Yves Saint Laurent at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB)
6. Livraria da Travessa, in Barra da Tijuca

The best hotels in Rio - a complete listing by neighbourhood

The best hotels in Leblon, Rio

The best hotels in Ipanema, Rio

Hotel Fasano Rio, the best in town

The best hotels in Copacabana, Rio

The best hotels in Santa Teresa, Rio

The best hotels in Barra da Tijuca, Rio

The hotel Santa Teresa, in Santa Teresa, Rio: a full report with photos

The spa at the Sheraton Barra, in Barra da Tijuca, Rio

The best hotels in Leblon, Rio

Leblon, for those who don’t know, is the Southern half of the same beach which, to the North, is called Ipanema. They’re separated by a narrow canal.

Leblon is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Rio, because not only it the beach great but it also has great boutiques, tranquil residential streets, some of the best casual bars in town (such as the ultra-famous Bracarense) and a street called Dias Ferreira where several of the top restaurants of Rio are located (more on that in a later post).

Here are the best places to stay in Leblon:

Marina Palace
Rua Delfim Moreira, 630
Tel. (55-21)2172-1000
This is run by the same owners as the Marina All Suites and is just across the street, also facing the ocean.

Ritz Plaza
Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva, 1280
Tel. (55-21) 2540-4940

Marina All Suites
Avenida Delfim Moreira, 696
Tel. (55-21)2172-1100
This is considered the hippest hotel in town by many. Rooms are actually on the small side, except for the oceanfront suites named after precious gems, each decorated in a different style by famous local designers. There’s a pool on the rooftop, a very nice business center/internet room and a cool restaurant/bar called Bar d’Hotel, which is hopping most nights. My tip? Go there for drinks and to take in the ambiance, but not for dinner: the food is not great but very pretentious. As their site says, “Options include medium rare filet mignon with foie gras and balsamic, salt flower, apples and caramelized potatoes; Duck confit with hoissin sauce and shitake pasta; Fig ravioli with tomato and thyme sauce, and Goat cheese ravioli with pesto rugula sauce and almonds. All deserts are mouthwatering: Hot apple Tarte Tartin with cinnamon ice cream, Nutella crepe and creme Brullé to mention a few.”

The Bar d’Hotel is also where the generous yet not-so-great-tasting breakfast buffet is served.