Copacabana Palace Hotel

The history of the Hotel Copacabana Palace reveals the importance of this landmark of Rio de Janeiro. The Hotel Copacabana Palace is considered among the greatest hotels in the world. This Hotel speaks for itself, a guest list of royalty, movie stars, music artists, sports players, politicians and business leaders from all over the world, people that have shaped the history of this past century and have stayed and given status to this hotel.

The Copacabana Palace Hotel was opened in 1923 and was designed by the French architect Joseph Gire who created this building inspired on the architecture of the French Riviera and in hotels such as the Negreson in Nice and the Carlton in Cannes. The Hotel Copacabana Palace is the most traditional luxury hotel of Rio de Janeiro. The Copacabana Palace occupies an area of 12,000 mts² (129,166 feet²) in one of the most expensive real estate areas in Brazil, the land fronting the famous Copacabana beach. This hotel is equipped with 226 rooms, ranging from presidential suites, deluxe suites and standard rooms.

The Hotel Copacabana Palace is also famous for the exquisite cuisine of its restaurants, The Pergula situated by the pool area and the Cipriani. The Italian dishes at the Cipriani are delicious and will transport anyone to the land of the Forza Azurra. The business center comprises 10 different function rooms fully equipped for seminars, conventions and meetings.

Rio de Janeiro is called ‘A cidade maravilhosa’ (the marvelous city).  This city, its sensuous mountains, the exuberant surroundings and the cosmopolitan air will impress the most demanding guests. It is really a magical place that must be experienced. Rio de Janeiro is a must visit in one’s lifetime. While staying at the Hotel Copacabana Palace, you can’t miss the opportunity to visit the landmarks of this marvelous city such as the Corcovado (the Christ statue) and the Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf). Discoverbrazil offers tours to the Corcovado and the Pão de Açúcar, and also tours to the not so touristy locations such as the Tijuca National Park (the forest that hugs the city of Rio de Janeiro), the Castro Maya Museum from where you can see a 360-degree view of Rio de Janeiro and the Guanabara bay, and the Burle Max home and museum, among others.

Facts to know about Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro was first visited by the Portuguese navigator Gonçalo Coelho who arrived on January 1st of 1502. Rio de Janeiro is named after that date, Janeiro means January in Portuguese. People might wonder where the River (Rio or ‘heeoo’) is located in Rio de Janeiro, but the Portuguese, when they arrived at the Guanabara Bay they thought it was the mouth of a river and called the city, Rio de Janeiro (January River) without noticing that was just a bay. Around 6.5 million people inhabit this cosmopolitan city according to the last census in 2000. The landscape of Rio de Janeiro is so impressive, a combination of dark blue sea with wooded mountains such as the Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf), that Brazilians say that ‘God made the world in 6 days; the seventh he devoted to Rio.” Visiting Rio de Janeiro is a blessing and staying at the Hotel Copacabana Palace is a treasure.