Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel

The Copacabana Palace has faced its namesake beach since 1923, a white wedding cake of a building that predates and effectively created glamorous Rio. Its guest book runs from Josephine Baker to rock royalty, and the centenary restoration polished the Franco-Brazilian interiors—crystal, marble, jacaranda—without dimming the tropical exuberance that makes the house feel unmistakably carioca.

The semi-Olympic pool remains the city's most celebrated social stage, ringed by loungers and the Pergula restaurant's all-day theatre; a rooftop tennis court and newer suites overlook the whole sweep of Copacabana's mosaic promenade. Ocean-facing rooms in the main building deliver the classic view—surf, sand and Sugarloaf light—while tower rooms trade romance for space.

Dining runs deeper than nostalgia: a starred pan-Asian room and celebrated Italian join the poolside institution, and the Copacabana bar mixes Rio's best caipirinhas. Service blends Belmond polish with genuine Brazilian warmth, at its best during carnival's legendary ball. A living monument that still throws the city's best party, it remains Rio's essential address.