Hotel Santa Teresa

The history of Brazil is a multicultural one, and the Santa Teresa Hotel is proud to display it. In the lobby of this former coffee plantation, a Tupi-Guarani headdress hangs on the wall below a display of Catholic rosary beads, a nod to Brazil’s varied past.


After a day spent exploring the Santa Teresa neighborhood, spend an evening by the pool.Up a sweeping staircase, the 40 rooms and suites also draw inspiration from the native land, with materials originating from all over Brazil (golden slate tiles in the bathrooms, reclaimed peroba wood chairs). Each of the spacious rooms is punctuated with original artwork, such as 18th-century engravings or whimsical donkey statues carved out of ancient wood. Most suites have views of the surrounding mountains; because of Santa Teresa’s elevated location, the only way you could have a better view would be if you were atop Corcovado itself.

It seems fitting that such a design-conscious hotel would be in an emerging cultural hub. The burgeoning arts scene has made the Santa Teresa neighborhood — once the stomping grounds of the upper class — an up-and-comer (though it’s not quite there yet) with faded colonial facades, museums and impromptu festas spilling out onto the cobblestone streets. Across an iconic arched bridge, a tram will take you out to the clubs at Lapa for nights of dancing.

It’s easy to get caught up in the joie de vivre of Rio. When you’ve had enough sambaing and cachaça shots and doing as the cariocas (locals) do, unwind at Le Spa with a locally inspired treatment and then slip onto a day-lounger draped under a wild linen canopy.

A must-visit before you leave the hotel is Bar dos Descasados named after a boarding house for singles that once stood on the site. Today it’s one of the most romantic bars in the area, and with good reason. Under slick stone arches, the svelte and tan sip strawberry and chili pepper caipirinhas, taking in the sprawling views of Rio to the soulful rhythms of Afro-Brazilian tunes.