GETAWAYS • Rio de Janeiro
Like Miami Beach, Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities I always knew my spirit would align with. Serious beach culture, cosmopolitan vibes, beautiful people. Not to mention the stunning natural landscape, from the Dois Irmãos twin peaks at the eastern edge of Ipanema Beach to Christ the Redeemer looming large atop Corcovado visible from almost anywhere, and Sugarloaf Mountain’s dramatic peaks at the northwest horizon of Copacabana Beach.
Presiding over it all since 1923 is the Copacabana Palace, a regal Beaux-Arts hotel in white stone with arcade windows, Juliet balconies, and wrought iron and stone balustrades. It was designed by French architect Joseph Gire to mark the centennial of Brazil’s independence. In the years since, everyone from Brigitte Bardot to Beyoncé has graced its hallowed halls. Today, operating as a Belmond Hotel, it’s the peak of Rio de Janeiro luxury, where you’ll find old world glamour, impeccable hospitality, and Carioca (i.e. Rio de Janeiro locals) conviviality.
The enormous courtyard pool is the hotel’s hub of social activities, whether that’s sipping Champagne on a lounge chair beneath fashionably fringed umbrellas, dancing with the roving samba band, or dining at one of the restaurants encircling it, which includes a Cipriani outpost and award-winning Asian fusion restaurant MEE.
The oceanfront poolside restaurant, Pérgula, hosts an epic Saturday feijoada feast. The traditional Brazilian Portuguese celebration centers on its namesake black bean stew served with beef, pork, rice, and sautéed kale. At Pérgula, this translated to the most fabulous lunch buffet I’ve ever experienced, with all manner of salads, pasteles, bread, tropical fruit, cheeses, fried chicken, caipirinhas, and beer — with a samba group keeping things festive.
Inside, the décor is traditional, elegant, with gleaming marble floors, plush carpeting, sparkling chandeliers and original murals depicting scenes of old Rio. There’s a wide range of room and suite types to choose from, some with multiple bedrooms. I stayed in a spacious oceanfront one-bedroom suite with dramatic high ceilings, windows overlooking the beach, and a sitting room. The décor was transitional with dark wood furnishings, light upholstery with clean lines, and standard lamp shades, which created a warm, cosseting effect that was easy to melt into. There’s also rooftop clay tennis courts and a small spa where I had a wonderful deep tissue massage.
There’s a festive spirit to Rio any time of year, but New Year’s is especially epic when Copacabana Beach, packed with revelers, lights up with fireworks and a whole host of local rituals keep you out until dawn. It might just be one of the only cities that loves a party as much as Miami. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel (Rio de Janeiro) • late summer rates from $834/night.