Fera Palace Hotel

The historic building is beautifully restored and makes a stunning first impression, but for a luxury hotel, the service and attention to detail fall well below expectations. The building's charm can't make up for those basic hospitality problems, and I found the five-star price hard to justify. The room was missing essentials: no coffee machine or kettle, and when I asked for one, it arrived without a cup. There was only one glass in the room, and during evening turnover they left a small bottle of water without a clean glass. There's no functional workspace, and the sheets didn't feel like the high-thread-count bedding I'd expect from a five-star hotel. Breakfast was frustrating too. The staff seemed disorganized and slow, and my poached eggs arrived by themselves, with no toast, salt, or pepper. Having to flag someone down for such basic things made the morning meal a hassle.

The rooftop is a real gem, and the service was excellent. The hotel is beautiful, with little details that show it measures up to other five-star hotels around the world. Nothing to complain about, and I'd definitely recommend it.

The rooftop pool was my favorite spot to relax and enjoy the views. From arrival, we got a warm, personal welcome that felt intimate. Fera Palace has a lovely mix of a distinct Brazilian character and modern contemporary style. We had a spectacular stay.

The restaurant staff at both the rooftop and main restaurant were extremely rude. Even a simple request seemed to be a big deal, and they don't speak English or Spanish. We speak both fluently, yet on several occasions we couldn't even get milk or hot water because of the language barrier. I don't understand working in luxury hospitality without speaking a common language. Other staff were nice, and George was lovely and spoke good English, but the restaurant issue is a major problem.