Best hotels in Brazil: where to stay, from Copacabana to Iguaçu

The beachfront classic

Copacabana Palace opened in the 1920s and has been Rio's most famous hotel ever since. Its white facade faces the beach, and the garden pool has drawn film stars and heads of state for generations.

This is our pick for a first visit, for the history, the service and the location in the middle of Copacabana. It is expensive, and the neighbourhood around it is busy and noisy. Book a table at one of its restaurants even if you stay elsewhere.

The rooftop pool in Ipanema

Fasano stands at the end of Ipanema, with interiors by Philippe Starck and a rooftop pool overlooking the beach and the Dois Irmãos mountain. The ground-floor bar is one of the city's best-known meeting places.

It suits travellers who want to stay in Ipanema with style and good food. Rooms are smaller than the price suggests, and the rooftop gets crowded at sunset. Head to the beach early, before the volleyball nets go up.

Above the city

The Santa Teresa hotel occupies an old mansion on the hill of the same name, with gardens, a pool and views over the centre and the bay. The neighbourhood has cobbled streets, artists' studios and small bars.

It suits couples who want calm and character rather than beach life. It is a taxi ride down to the beaches, and the streets on the hill are steep. In the evening, the view over the city lights is reason enough to stay.

A tower full of plants

Rosewood is part of Cidade Matarazzo, a former hospital complex that has been transformed, with a new tower clad in trees and plants. The hotel is filled with Brazilian art and design, and has several restaurants, a spa and a pool.

This is our design pick, and one of the most talked-about new hotels in South America. It is expensive, and you are in a city where you spend a lot of time in cars. Save an evening for the hotel's restaurants.

The ship in Jardins

Hotel Unique was designed by the architect Ruy Ohtake and looks like a curved hull standing on end, with round windows in its facade. On the roof are a red pool and a bar looking out over the city.

It suits travellers who want architecture and city life in Jardins, one of the best areas for shops and restaurants. Rooms have curved walls and slightly unusual layouts. The rooftop bar is popular, so go early.

Inside the national park

Das Cataratas is the only hotel inside the national park on the Brazilian side, a pink colonial-style building right by the trails to the falls. Guests can walk out to the falls before the park opens and after it closes.

This is our nature pick, and the reason many people add an extra night at Iguaçu. It is expensive, and its restaurants are the only ones nearby in the evening. Go out at sunrise, when you have the view almost to yourself.

Palms and rainforest

Txai sits in a former coconut plantation by a long beach south of Itacaré, with bungalows on the slope and rainforest right behind. There is a spa, and the resort runs trips to waterfalls and remote beaches.

It suits couples and nature lovers who want a beach with green all around. Getting here is a journey, with a flight to Ilhéus and a drive on. The sea can have strong currents, so swim where the staff suggest.

Houses on the square in Trancoso

UXUA is made up of old fishermen's houses around the Quadrado, the grassy square in Trancoso with a white church at one end. The houses have been rebuilt with reclaimed wood and local craftsmanship, and the hotel has its own beach lounge by the sea.

It suits travellers who want a small village, good food and a slow pace. There are few rooms and prices are high. In the evening the lanterns come on around the Quadrado and the restaurants set their tables on the grass.

A villa with a pool

Kenoa lies on a quiet beach at Barra de São Miguel south of Maceió, with villas and suites, many with their own pool. The architecture uses timber and natural stone, and there is a spa and a small restaurant.

This is our romantic pick, for couples who want to be left alone. There is little to do beyond the hotel, and prices are high. In the afternoon you can walk the beach for hours and meet hardly anyone.

Bungalows by calm water

Nannai is on Muro Alto beach in Pernambuco, where a reef just offshore keeps the water calm and shallow. Many bungalows have a private pool, and there is a kids' club and several restaurants.

This is our family pick, with calm water and space for everyone. It is around an hour from Recife airport. Porto de Galinhas, famous for the natural pools in its reef, is a short trip away.