The Place
This guesthouse covers the top two floors of a 1940s Art Deco building on the southern end of the famous Copacabana beach. Immortalised in the Barry Manilow song – it’s hard to think about the place without humming – the area’s a tourist hotspot and is swamped by ‘luxury’ and costly accommodation.
Thankfully Marta has been offering simple bed-and-breakfast for 17 years and her prices are nowhere near as high as the hotels along the beach. Her six bedrooms are modest and simple but each is filled with character – no white walls and room service here. But if you’re used to privacy, beware – only three have their own bathrooms, the rest have to share.
The views from the terrace are outstanding. You can gaze across the expanse of the crowded Copacabana and onwards to Sugarloaf Mountain. Some will find the allure of the penthouse terrace hard to leave, but for those that don’t, Marta – who speaks five languages – is on hand to offer advice and recommendations for your time in Rio.