Leblon

JANEIRO Hotel

★★★★★

JANEIRO is the hotel that captures Leblon, the most relaxed and affluent of Rio's beach neighbourhoods. It stands on Avenida Delfim Moreira at number 696, on the seafront facing Leblon beach, in a building that housed the old Marina All Suites before it was transformed. The design is by Oskar Metsavaht, the founder of the Brazilian fashion label Osklen, who has brought his eco-minded, beach-luxe aesthetic to every corner: Brazilian timber, sculptural furniture, linen, stone and floor-to-ceiling windows that make the ocean part of the room. The palette is soft and natural, and the mood is calm rather than glamorous, closer to a beach house than a grand hotel. There are 51 rooms, most with sea views, ranging from compact rooms to larger suites. On the roof, a pool and terrace look along the beach to Ipanema and inland to Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado and the twin peaks of Dois Irmaos at the end of the sand, and the rooftop restaurant and bar are the best place in the hotel to watch the sunset. There is a small spa, a second restaurant, a poolside bar and room service, and the hotel lends bicycles to guests for rides along the seafront cycle path or around the Lagoa. It is also pet friendly, unusual for a hotel at this level. The setting is part of the appeal. Leblon beach is quieter, cleaner and more local than Ipanema and Copacabana, used by residents of the neighbourhood and their families, and the streets behind it hold some of the best restaurants, bars and bookshops in Rio. The end of the beach, under Dois Irmaos, is a favourite with families thanks to its calmer water and a play area. The MICHELIN Guide has selected the hotel, and it is one of the most sought-after addresses in the city for travellers who value design and peace.

Choosing a room: sea views are the point of staying here, so choose an ocean-facing room or suite if you can; the light at sunrise and sunset is lovely. Smaller rooms are compact, so travellers who need space should look at the larger categories. Breakfast is charged separately on some rates, so check what is included when booking.

What the stay is like: quiet and restful, with days on Leblon beach across the road, bike rides along the seafront and evenings on the roof. The neighbourhood is walkable and has the best concentration of restaurants in the South Zone, from botecos to fine dining, plus the Rio Design Leblon and Shopping Leblon malls. Ipanema and Arpoador are a pleasant walk or short ride east, the Botanical Garden is close inland, and the Dois Irmaos trail starts in Vidigal just beyond the end of the beach.

Who it suits: couples, design lovers and returning visitors who want a calm, stylish base away from the busier beaches; families also like the Leblon setting. The trade-offs are a smaller set of facilities than the big hotels, compact standard rooms and a location further from the centre and Sugarloaf. For a beach-house mood in the city, it is hard to beat.