Leme, Copacabana

Windsor Leme Hotel

★★★★★

The Windsor Leme is one of the best-value ways to wake up to a view of the sea in Rio. It stands at Avenida Atlantica 656, directly facing Leme beach, the short, calm stretch at the eastern end of Copacabana bay, and belongs to Windsor Hoteis, a Rio-based chain with several hotels across the city, including others in Copacabana and Barra. With 224 rooms, according to the hotel, it is a mid-sized hotel aimed at both leisure and business travellers, and the standards are comfortable and modern rather than luxurious. The highlight is the infinity pool, with the Bar da Piscina serving contemporary dishes and drinks beside it, and from the pool deck the view stretches over the beach. Sea-view rooms look out across Leme to the ocean and along the curve of the bay, and the hotel offers rates with or without its breakfast buffet, which lets budget-conscious travellers save. There is high-speed internet, a fitness room and an events area of six rooms, including an auditorium, which makes the hotel popular for conferences. The hotel is pet-friendly for small cats and dogs, for an extra fee. Leme itself is a quieter, more residential part of Copacabana, with an old-fashioned seafront of kiosks and restaurants, calmer water for swimming and fewer crowds than the middle of the beach. At the end of the sand, the Morro do Leme rises with a short trail through the forest to the old Duque de Caxias fort and a superb view over Copacabana. The Cardeal Arcoverde metro station is a short walk away for trips to the centre and Ipanema, and Sugarloaf is a few minutes by car through the tunnel to Botafogo and Urca.

Choosing a room: book a sea-view room; the price difference over a city-view room is usually modest for what you gain. Higher floors have the best views. Compare rates with and without breakfast, as there are plenty of bakeries and cafes on the streets behind the beach.

What the stay is like: practical and comfortable, with mornings on the beach across the road, afternoons at the pool and evenings on the Leme seafront or in Copacabana. Rooms are functional and service is professional. The hotel can be busy with conference groups midweek.

Who it suits: travellers on a mid-range budget who still want to be on the beach, families who appreciate the calmer Leme waters, and business visitors. Travellers who want boutique style or extensive facilities should look elsewhere, but for a front-row view at a fair price it is a strong choice.