Windsor Plaza Copacabana

“Comfortable stay.”

This was a comfortable stay as part of a tour. Registration took forever (with everyone). The room was a tad small and tired but the bed was comfortable. We asked for a kettle. Breakfast was hectic but ok. Friendly staff. The manager even used his own account to get the Liverpool game in the foyer.… more

This was a comfortable stay as part of a tour. Registration took forever (with everyone). The room was a tad small and tired but the bed was comfortable. We asked for a kettle. Breakfast was hectic but ok. Friendly staff. The manager even used his own account to get the Liverpool game in the foyer. Close to the beach and some really pleasant restaurants.

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“Nice hotel, great restaurant, 2 blocks from the beach”

My friend and I visited Rio prior to the Amazon. We are world travelers but don’t speak Portuguese well. The staff was wonderful and helped us with basic things in English - pool towels, taxis, menu items etc. We didn’t know the city at all, so if I return I’d choose to stay at Impanema area and an… more

My friend and I visited Rio prior to the Amazon. We are world travelers but don’t speak Portuguese well. The staff was wonderful and helped us with basic things in English - pool towels, taxis, menu items etc. We didn’t know the city at all, so if I return I’d choose to stay at Impanema area and another Windsor hotel. Pros: 2 blocks from the beach, just a block away you can buy basic toiletries and grocery items. Restaurant was great - we loved dinner and breakfast there. One night we needed a small bite and had a pizza at the rooftop bar. Pizza was average, but appreciated for two 40 something women in Rio who didn’t want to adventure out after dark. Room had what we needed: shampoo, soap, hairdryer, fridge to keep drinks/snacks cool. WiFi was good for my iPhone but kept disconnecting on my friend’s Samsung device. Rooftop pool was nice to relax during the day if you didn’t want to visit a public beach and in the evening it was a beautiful view. Cons: not many other than Impanema area seemed cleaner on the streets, fancier shops/restaurants and less homeless on the streets. None of the homeless bothered us but they were plentiful in the Copacabana area compared to Impanema.

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“Average and dated”

Dated hotel which needs renovation. Hotel was renovating the reception area while we stayed which caused some disruption and meant having breakfast on the rooftop dining area which was a plus. Money needs to be spent on renovating the dated hotel rooms. Positives are its walking distance to cafes, … more

Dated hotel which needs renovation. Hotel was renovating the reception area while we stayed which caused some disruption and meant having breakfast on the rooftop dining area which was a plus. Money needs to be spent on renovating the dated hotel rooms. Positives are its walking distance to cafes, restaurants and the beach. Wifi works well. Negatives are small rooms, window looks out to central area overlooking other hotel rooms. Bathrooms are small and dated. Breakfast was the usual tourist buffet with limited options for hot food and bad coffee. Area can be a little unsafe and one of the group nearly had his phone stolen. We were all advised to store passports, valuables etc in the safe.

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“Nice looking hotel- not so nice rooms”

This hotel is located about a 5 min walk away from Copacabana beach. On the outside it looks nice, and so does the lobby, the breakfast area, and the pool. Now, when you enter the room, it's like stepping back in time. If it wasn't for the small flat screen TV, you'd think you've gone back to the 7… more

This hotel is located about a 5 min walk away from Copacabana beach. On the outside it looks nice, and so does the lobby, the breakfast area, and the pool. Now, when you enter the room, it's like stepping back in time. If it wasn't for the small flat screen TV, you'd think you've gone back to the 70's- which is probably when this hotel was built. It it a very barebones room, I mean you can find a dorm room that looks fancier and more inviting that this. On the plus side, my room was clean, the shower had great water pressure, and the TV had a good choice of channels in English. The breakfast buffet was very good, and the dining area was large. On the negative side, the room was in bad need of a face lift- as everything is very old. The AC was working but was pretty weak. The exhaust fan in the bathroom was a joke, and due to the high humidity, there were some small areas of black mold in the bathroom. The shower head had rust on it. The bed was a bit too hard for me, so not very comfortable. The pillows were ok. The blanket was a joke, a thin sheet with a thin white bed covering. There was no cozy duvet. There is a mini fridge, and if you're looking for glasses, there are 2 chilled glasses in there. ** This hotel does not provide any complimentary bottled water. There are small convenience stores very close to the hotel where you can buy bottled water. In terms of location and safety- this is not a beachfront hotel. You can walk to the beach during daylight hours, but not after dark. There are often homeless people sleeping very close to the hotel. I come from a place where such a thing is not shocking, but it may be shocking to some people. For your safety- lock up your valuables in the hotel safe and take only what you need when out and about. Avoid wearing watches and jewelry. If you can get by without a purse- do so, or at least have a small crossbody purse that stays in front of you. Keep your cell phone away as much as possible. We did not encounter any scary incidents while in Rio, but there is this nagging feeling of unease, which I did not have anywhere in Peru. It's hard to describe, but its there. I think a lot of it is the locals looking you up and down (applies to both genders) and the language barrier. With the exception of some hotel staff and tour guides- literally nobody speaks English. Overall, my stay in this hotel was ok, but if I could go back to Rio, I'd choose somewhere else to stay.

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