Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Hotel Rooms at the Independent

Ok, very good! Nice place! Good rooms..............

Room clean, kitchen and good location, was what I was looking for.

The Snob is an independent hotel with 6 floors and 2 elevators, although the elevators serve only the first five floors (keep this in mind if you happen to get a room on the 6th floor, you have to use a staircase). Built sometime in the 70s, its infrastructure is somewhat used, but still running and clean. I assume it was a love-hotel in the past, so don’t expect the plain vanilla Hilton interior. Instead, you find mirrored walls, a huge bathroom with jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna. Also, you will get a flat-screen television, safe [laptop compatible], WiFi connection, air conditioning, mini bar etc. Also, there is a nice breakfast buffet with available. Not all staff at the 24-hour reception is able to speak/write in English. Regardless the language barrier, the staff was friendly and helpful and doing their best to handle any issue. E.g. on the day before our departure, the air conditioning in our room stopped working and the hotel manager offered us immediately to switch the room. The Snob Hotel is located in Lapa, and there is a bus station just a 2-minutes’ walk away, brining you to the ‘Central’-terminal (on Avenida Presidente Vargas, one of Rio’s most important streets), where you can catch buses for all directions or using the Metro. Going to Copacabana or Ipanema will take you between 20-50 minutes, depending on your choice of transportation (taxi, bus or metro). Also, there is a huge supermarket (‘Mundial’, Rua Riachuelo) just a 7-minutes’ walk away from the hotel.

Most people don't go to Rio looking for a quiet getaway, but if you're one of those people who's willing to try something different, the Rio 180 is for you. Spectacular views, peaceful surroundings, and wonderfully attentive staff make this a great place to stay. One of the owners is a chef who conjures up dishes that are appealing to both the eyes and the palate, and everyone is friendly and welcoming. I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel!

Friendly and very helpful staff, fabulous breakfast, comfortable room, fun neighborhood location.

I was worrying about safety before I travel Rio but the area(Botafogo) is really safe and everything is close to the hostel. Copacabana is not close though you can easily hop in a taxi and get to Copacabana beach in 5 minutes. The price is reasonable. Don't miss breakfast, it's awesome :)

It was great. Staff was friendly throughout (pool bar staff, concierge, bell boys, front desk staff, restaurant, drivers...). They all made our stay very enjoyable.

Perfect for a quiet romantic getaway away from the hustle and bustle of Copacabana and Ipanema. Like a vacation away from Rio without ever leaving. Would definitely stay here again for a relaxing weekend.

Highly recommended, one of the best value for money place to stay on Copacabana beach and you will feel safe. Rooms are small but very clean and comfortable. Staff is amazing and very helpful. Breakfast is one of the best.

We stayed at the apartment for 1 week. We arrived rather late and were able to locate it quite easily. There is plenty of room and the Wi-Fi compared with what we had experienced in Brazil when we were paying more was efficient for keeping in touch with family. The kitchenette and cooking facilities allowed us to make meals some days and save on money. We did have to buy a number of basic kitchen items like washing up-liquid, a sponge and dish cloth as well a mug (essential for tea drinkers), salt and paper and a cutting knife. It would have been nice but you have to keep in kind what you are paying for the apartment. The beach is within walking distance, there is a supermarket close by. Extremely helpful staff, who are more than happy to assist with booking tours. I would say this is a hidden gem in the craziness of Copacabana. PS: Don't book the Day in Rio Tour unless you actually have only a day, although it will save you money, you will not enjoy all the day. by the afternoon, you would have been on the road for so long that you will want a nap and rest and not actually enjoy sugar loaf mountain which is the main afternoon activity. You also don't get to see the inside of the Maracana stadium and the Samboromo is also only a drive though which is a bit disappointing. Everything else was great. Lovely hotel with lovely and helpful staff.