City Hotel
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
9.5
Rosewood Hong Kong
A vertical estate on the Kowloon waterfront whose art-filled interiors, harbour-view rooms and formidable dining set Hong Kong's current standard.
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City Hotel · ££££
Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — South America
9.0Editorial score
Editorial research. Profiled through in-depth editorial research; Browntravels has not yet stayed at this property. How we review
Rio's white Art Deco monument on Copacabana beach, hosting a century of carnival glamour around South America's most famous hotel pool.
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.
Why stay here
- A century of legend directly on Copacabana beach
- South America's most famous hotel pool scene
- Starred dining and the classic Pergula poolside
- Front-row carnival and New Year fireworks position
Things to consider
- Copacabana's busy promenade sits right outside
- City-facing rooms miss the ocean magic—book beachfront
Rooms & Suites
239 rooms and suites blending Deco heritage with contemporary comfort; ocean-view balconies in the main building are the classic choice.
Dining
A Michelin-starred pan-Asian flagship, refined Italian, the beloved poolside Pergula and a bar famed for caipirinhas.
Spa & Wellness
A spa with sauna and treatments, rooftop tennis, a fitness centre and the iconic semi-Olympic pool at the heart of it all.
The Browntravels Verdict
Rio distilled into one address: beach, glamour and a hundred years of stories—stay ocean-front and join the legend.
Last updated 5 August 2026
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