Rio's most romantic address — a bohemian mansion above the city in Santa Teresa
The Santa Teresa Hotel RJ occupies a lovingly restored 1850s mansion on the cobblestone hillside of Rio's most bohemian neighbourhood. While the Copacabana Palace commands the beachfront, the Santa Teresa Hotel commands the city — the rooftop pool terrace looks out over the whole of Rio, from the Cristo to the bay to the favelas cascading down the hillside below. It is a hotel that belongs entirely to its neighbourhood, and its neighbourhood is one of the most interesting in South America.
Beautifully appointed rooms with hardwood floors, local art, and windows that open onto the rooftops and greenery of Santa Teresa. A significant upgrade from the beachfront chain hotels at roughly the same price.
Rooms with direct view of the rooftop pool terrace and the city panorama beyond. Some of the most atmospheric hotel rooms in Rio.
Expanded living area with a sitting room, pool view terrace, and the full MGallery artwork and design treatment. The premier choice for a romantic stay.
Chef Natacha Fink's celebrated Amazonian-Brazilian restaurant is one of the finest in Santa Teresa — a menu of ingredients sourced from the Brazilian interior, in a colonial setting overlooking the terrace. Excellent cachaça cocktail list.
The hotel's rooftop bar is one of the best-positioned drinking perches in Rio. The view over the city to Guanabara Bay at sunset, with a caipirinha in hand, is hard to beat.
Uber is the most practical option to/from the beach areas — typically R$20–35 to Ipanema. The neighbourhood's steep cobblestone streets make walking up from the city inadvisable; always Uber or tram up, walk or Uber down.
Santa Teresa is one of Rio's safer neighbourhoods for tourists. The hotel vicinity and the main streets are generally fine during the day. The hotel will advise on current conditions and any streets to avoid after dark.
Santa Teresa is home to many of Rio's artists, musicians, and intellectuals. The weekend feiras (street markets), the Museu da Chácara do Céu art museum, and the concentration of independent restaurants make it Rio's most rewarding neighbourhood to simply wander.
At $220–380/night, the Santa Teresa Hotel offers genuinely exceptional value compared to Ipanema five-stars at equivalent or higher prices. The location and atmosphere are arguably superior for travellers who want more than a beach.
📌 Rua Almirante Alexandrino 660, Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro
Rio's nightlife epicentre — the 18th-century aqueduct that now marks the samba bar district.
The mosaic tile staircase created by artist Jorge Selarón — the most photographed street art in Rio.
The hotel arranges transfers; the journey by Uber is typically R$25–35.
The cog railway departure point for Christ the Redeemer is the most scenic approach to the summit.