Novotel Rio de Janeiro Parque Olímpico

The cleanliness really needs work, and the hotel needs an urgent revamp. The corridors were dirty and musty, with stains all over the carpet and walls. The rooms were functional and up to Ibiz standard, though. We chose it because we had an event at Rio Centro, and commuting there was easy. The food was a pleasant surprise: I had a great lunch and dinner, and breakfast was included. Staff were quick to refill the food and drinks.

The manager was really nice to communicate with. That was the one good part of what was easily my worst stay in an Accor group hotel. The room photos on the site gave a misleading impression, so I was shocked and frustrated when I arrived. The Executive room was tiny, old, and smelled damp. They didn’t even have basics like a vanity kit. You have to ask about everything yourself, since reception didn’t explain checkout times or the hotel facilities. Most of the staff couldn’t speak English, so there was nobody in the restaurant to answer even a basic question like whether they had green tea.

The mattress was dirty, and something kept scratching at the bed. Overall, the bed was just so-so, and there were no American outlets or adaptors. The restaurant needs work too. Service was nearly unattended, and even a small dish took 30-40 minutes despite there being only three staff members. I think they need to work much harder for tips. The video wasn’t compatible for upload.

The dinner service was a mess. The waiters weren’t attentive, and my meal took about an hour to arrive. Breakfast was okay overall, though the coffee and eggs were terrible. At the front desk, the staff were polite and quick, and my small room was nicely decorated and clean. The taxi service there was totally unprepared.