Vila Santa Teresa

Liked: The property is gorgeous calm and the staff is really kind. Rooms are spacious and bedding felt like clouds.

Disliked: It’s a bit remote. Go there if you want peace and don’t need to commute in the south zone for instance. But it’s completely doable 30-40min each way.

Liked: The views are stunning! We heard it was ‘better’ to stay in ipanema or copocabana - also for access to them must see / do activities. But after staying here we disagree. Traffic is bad so it takes as long to get somewhere from ipanema as it does from Santa Teresa and the views you get are absolutely gorgeous

Disliked: The service was absolutely terrible. They have a ‘butler’ for the hotel - which isn’t a butler it’s more like a normal reception but then the reception barely responds and is barely ever present at the hotel. He told us to message him when we wanted a taxi and then he’d arrange one in 10m but the first time he didn’t respond for more than an hour - after that we just took uber black which was fine. However on the last day we needed a big cab to get to the airport and he didn’t respond for almost a full day. We tried to just ask hotel staff but never got confirmation until we asked again in the evening and then the ‘butler’ finally responded on WhatsApp. He said we could have breakfast at 7.30 (they normally only start at 8) but then at 7.30 there was nobody there so we couldn’t have breakfast and nobody showed up until 8.20 - and this was the case most mornings. We had to knock on doors to get staff out of the kitchen to have breakfast after it should have already ‘started’. The breakfast staff was very lovely and nice but th expectations set by the butler were wrong. It was also my birthday one morning and my friend asked the butler to do something nice in the morning to which he said he would. But then in that morning she eventually had to ask the breakfast staff to do something because I guess he didn’t communicate. Showers are a it moldy and the plugs have very little voltage (two things we didn’t have at much cheaper hotels. There was also constant construction for at least 2 days of our stay on the house itself as well as on the surroundings, which is mad given the price and level of calm you would therefore expect. No discounts were offered, due to this bonking during the day. They put a 10% device charge on everything including laundry which is just ridiculous as it made doing laundry more expensive than doing it in a fancy Hilton in the centre of London. They could be come a nice place but absolutely not worth a the money they ask for at the moment.

Liked: Hotel with an incredible view, with really good food and decorated with style.

Liked: Fantastic location, the views were stunning. Whilst tucked away up in the hills, you felt very safe, with plenty of security surrounding the hotel complex. The hotel itself was impeccable, from the rooms to the communal areas. A top boutique hotel feel. The staff were great, friendly and welcoming. We would absolutely recommend staying here when visiting Rio.

Disliked: The only minor criticism of the facilities was that the pool area could do with a bit of a refurbishment. The pool itself looked slightly tired and the sunbeds around the pool were ripped and need replacing. Whilst the staff were incredibly helpful and welcoming, they were sometimes tricky to find! They could probably do with having one front desk staff member a bit more visible. None of this would prevent me highly recommending the hotel. We loved our stay.

Liked: The Vila is absolutely gorgeous. A peaceful haven in the middle of Santa Teresa with a breathtaking view over the city. The staff is very attentive and welcoming, and made me feel at home. I loved all the little treats left in the room, the availability and warmth of them all. It truly is a place to unwind and relax. Loved it!!

Disliked: The location is great if you’re looking for quiet and stunning views but it is kind of remote. So for people looking to go out the door and have shops and restaurants at hand, this might not be the best option. Still is amazing though!

Liked: The location, the welcome, the helpful executive butler, and most importantly the restaurant and its amazing chef. The breakfast and dinner we had were amazing.

Disliked: I don’t usually post reviews but the rooms were disgusting: the toilet had fragments of dry stool around the inside of the bowl, hair and pieces of toilet paper around the toilet. The room was FULL of mold, and towards the end of the day, we could not bear to stay one more minute in the room because of the smell of the mold. The coffee machine water reserve had some green stuff in the corners. The pool was dirty, bird droppings on the floor around it, and half of the sun beds were ripped. The drinks were overpriced. Last but not least, three full pages of rules is a bit overwhelming for guests with huge fines for everything.

Liked: Best stay of our trip! The staff was amazing - friendly, helpful and courteous. The views might easily be the best in Rio. The breakfast was outstanding and also lunch/dinner were delicious.

Liked: The attention to detail was incredible. The staff go above and beyond to meet every request. You have your own executive butler who attends to your every need. The meals were incredible and the views are the best in Rio.