Royal Rio Palace Hotel

Even after paying to upgrade to the “luxe” room, I got a completely cold shower. The room feels unfinished, with no comfort or design at all. For a supposed four-star hotel, this was horrible, one of the worst rooms I've stayed in.

Some of the staff were lovely, but their attitude and the extra charges overshadowed everything. At checkout they charged us for small minibar water bottles, although there was no clear price listed, so we assumed they were complimentary like at many hotels. Reception said everyone pays because everyone drinks them, and charged guests the same amount without checking whether they'd actually had any. When we suggested clearer labels, the man at reception mocked the feedback and spoke badly about us in Portuguese, apparently assuming I couldn't understand. Awful experience. The room was noisy all night, even on the 16th floor, with constant mechanical sounds and people in the hallway. When we arrived and asked to leave our bags while we explored, we were told luggage storage would cost $30. Staff insisted this was normal in Rio, but our friends staying elsewhere hadn't encountered that policy. For the price, the stay felt like a money grab and wasn't worth it.

The room and bathroom had a lingering musty smell, and we later found black mould on the shower walls and door. The sheets were partly yellowed, and the bed linen was changed only once during our two-week stay. On arrival there was chewing gum on the floor and visible dirt on the mirrors, and neither was cleaned during the stay. The beds were large and comfortable, and the TV was too. Wi-Fi, and therefore Netflix, didn't work until the final three days. Cleaning staff made a lot of noise each morning around 7:30, shouting in the hallway and dropping things. They also rang our bell around 8 even with the Do Not Disturb sign up, making it hard to rest. At checkout, staff tried to charge us for drinks we hadn't consumed, and handled it harshly and unprofessionally. We were also asked for 30 BRL to store our luggage for a few hours, which seemed unusual for a hotel in this category. The location is good, just a short walk from Copacabana Beach, and breakfast had a good range. Staff were generally friendly and helpful, with a few exceptions. Still, the stay didn't come close to the price or four-star standard. It felt more like a hostel, and I wouldn't recommend it.

The room was small, old, and well below average. On the plus side, the hotel looks great from outside, the buffet breakfast was excellent, and the location puts you right in the middle of everything in Copacabana.