Copacabana

Emiliano Rio

★★★★★

Emiliano Rio is the intimate, design-focused alternative to the grand hotels of Copacabana. It belongs to the Emiliano group, a Brazilian family-owned company whose hotel in Sao Paulo's Jardins district set the standard for contemporary Brazilian luxury, and it stands on the seafront at Avenida Atlantica 3804, towards the Posto 6 end of Copacabana, a short walk from Arpoador and Ipanema. With only 90 rooms, according to the hotel, it is much smaller than its neighbours and feels more like a private residence than a big beach hotel. The architecture and interiors were developed with Studio Arthur Casas, one of the leading Brazilian architecture practices, with Oppenheim Architecture, and the emphasis is on Brazilian design: clean lines, warm woods, natural stone, furniture by Brazilian designers and works by Brazilian artists, which the group highlights as part of its commitment to valuing national architecture and art. Rooms are calm and generous, with high-quality linen and bathrooms, and the ocean-facing ones look straight out over Copacabana beach. Dining is a real strength. The Emile restaurant, led by the Argentine chef Bernabe Simon Padros, serves an ingredient-driven menu that highlights Brazilian produce, much of it from the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the Emiliano Rooftop, the hotel's top-floor venue with its pool, is one of the most stylish places in Copacabana for a drink with a view of the beach. The Santapele spa offers treatments using Brazilian ingredients, and its Ocean SPA Suite extends the spa into a room overlooking the beach. Service is personal and discreet, and the hotel also runs special experiences such as dinners on full-moon nights. Across the avenue, hotel beach service makes the sand easy, and Arpoador, the Copacabana Fort and the Posto 6 fishermen's colony are within a few minutes on foot.

Choosing a room: ocean-front rooms and suites are the reason to stay on Avenida Atlantica, so book one if you can; city-side rooms are quieter but lose the beach. Suites offer more space and terraces. Breakfast is excellent, so check whether it is included in your rate.

What the stay is like: calm, polished and personal, with mornings on the beach, afternoons at the rooftop pool and dinner at Emile. Copacabana outside is noisy and busy, while the hotel is a refuge. The rooftop pool is smaller than at the big hotels, which suits the hotel's adult, peaceful mood.

Who it suits: couples, design lovers and discerning travellers who value privacy, food and service over large resort facilities. Families with young children and those who want a big pool scene may be happier at the Fairmont or the Copacabana Palace.