ibis Copacabana Posto 5

We paid over NZD 1,500 for our first stay at this Ibis, which made the disappointment worse. The experience was extremely basic and didn’t match the photos on Booking.com or Expedia. We were put on Level 1 in an old, poorly maintained room. The air conditioning was so noisy it sounded like an airplane about to take off. The room smelled unpleasant and was very small, with no proper space for our two suitcases. The bathroom was old and dirty. The hotel feels outdated and overpriced. Don’t expect it to look like the online photos, the reality is very different. Based on our stay, I don’t recommend it.

The whole team was professional and hospitable, which made our stay more enjoyable and memorable. It’s a great value, very clean and comfortable room, and a great location in Rio, close to the beach and plenty of good food. There are also two 24-hour food places just down the road, and Ipanema beach is a 10-minute Uber ride away. The experience felt consistent with what I’ve found worldwide.

Breakfast was a letdown: there were only around three main dishes, none tasted good, even the eggs were poorly made, and the food had an unpleasant smell. The selection barely changed, and later in the breakfast window there was often almost nothing left, with no refills. The breakfast staff were kind, though, and the bread rolls were the only decent thing to eat. Our room was tiny and always felt damp. The air conditioner swung between too cold and warm and humid, with no comfortable setting. It was quiet enough despite Rio's New Year's celebrations, and the location near the beach made getting around easy. The bed was dirty, including the mattress and blanket. There was no proper duvet cover, just loose sheets that shifted all night, so sleeping comfortably or hygienically was impossible. The furniture and other parts of the room were damaged, and a light switch didn't work. Housekeeping was inconsistent too: towels often weren't replaced, and once they took ours and brought back only one instead of two. There were just two hangers. Basic things were missing. There was no kettle, so we had to go downstairs to the kitchen whenever we wanted boiled water. No toothbrushes, no proper shower gel, and the bathroom dispenser was broken and empty. There wasn't even a toilet brush. For the price, the quality is nowhere close. The value is terrible. Staff spoke only basic English, which made some conversations difficult. During all six days, a man who appeared homeless slept constantly in a lobby chair. Staff said he was a guest, but leaving someone there all the time made the lobby feel very unpleasant. The gym was a surprise, but the equipment was in very poor shape and the room looked neglected. The condition, service, and facilities fall far short of what the price suggests.

The corridors smelled rotten, and the hygiene was about as bad as it gets. I've never stayed in a hotel this filthy, especially at that price. The air conditioning seemed likely to make you sick because the filters clearly weren't being cleaned. A deeply disappointing stay, it felt like a scam. I don't believe the reviews here, they must be buying them.