Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers

, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers

, Rio de Janeiro

Rooms: 559

121 Avenida Niemeyer - Rio de Janeiro - 22450 - Brazil | 21 2274-1122
528 Traveller

Reviews - Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers

8/10
Friendly staff
Submitted by: Margot English in 04/12/06
  • Age Group: 60 +
  • From: United Kingdom
  • Traveller type: Special Interest/Event
Hotel was comfortable, room well furnished, with a restricted pool and sea view(7th Floor). Staff very helpful and pleasant. Very quiet in the rooms, but occasionally room was not cleaned until late afternoon. Lift system was dreadful - spent an age waiting to get up and down to room/pool. Pool was great, food from the various poolside outlets good. Walk into the local bar and restaurant area took about 20 minutes, but taxis were plentiful and inexpensive. Enjoyed our restful week after travelling around South America for a month.
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8/10
Post Cruise stop over 2005
Submitted by: Al Draper in 25/10/05
  • Age Group: 60 +
  • From: Canada
  • Traveller type: Retired
We arrived at this beautiful hotel after a cruise around Cape Horn. It was situated between a mountain and the street with the parking lot on the sixth floor; reception is on the fifth. Continuing down to the lowest level brings you out to what is a rare private beach in Rio. This beach area has an excellent barbecue, another restaurant along with pool etc.
The rooms were very modern – ours had a work/desk area and a balcony, which looked out, on the bay and down the beaches in a distance. We had some difficulty getting the in-room safe set up, but patience eventually prevailed.
The lobbies were spacious, and comfortable. Staff was most helpful and spoke English.
One draw back would be what made it nice (location) in that it was not possible to easily walk anywhere, however taxis were readily available.

Historical Traveller Reviews of Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers

Great for kids,... But

from A TripAdvisor Member
Would probable not say here again. Very pricey and food is less than average. 3 of the 6 elevators were not functioning, and waited at least 20 min to get to the lobby. Perhaps the best place for kids though. Kiddy pool and kids camp came in handy. Rooms were quite small and Hot water was not aways available to take a shower.

A distinctly average hotel, needs improvements

from UKTAdvisor
We stayed at the Sheraton Rio for 3 nights & I feel that the hotel is definitely trading on the Sheraton brand reputation. It certainly isn't a 5 star hotel. It is a shame that due to a perceived greed by the hotel owners not to close the hotel and have a massive refit, that they continue to serve up a mediocre product to loyal Starwood customers who trust the name.

We arrived quite late and were offered an upgrade to a Junior Suite due to my Starwood Gold card. When we got to the room we found out that a) it was located next to a bank of 3 elevators, b) that the carpets were stained as was the wall of the wash basin (with what looked like red wine) and c) our reserved 'Ocean view' became more of a view of the favela across on the opposite hillside. I had asked on my reservation specifically NOT to have a room near the lifts as I am a light sleeper. I will acknowledge that the bed (their new 'Sweet Sleeper') was very comfortable however. The previous reviewer's photos were almost exactly what we had in our room, although I must point out that the elevators were actually being replaced with new one's when we were there, scheduled for completion in Feb '06.

Breakfast was varied but consisted of a stupid system (unless you had breakfast included in your rate) of having to choose from about 6 options of what you wanted unless you chose the complete buffet which was about £12. We ended up choosing a lower priced option and convienently 'forgetting' what bits of the buffet we actually had paid for! The tea/coffee replacements were painfully slow.

The outside pool area really needs a good refurbishment. I suspect it is the same pool since it first opened in the 70's/80's (?). The tiles are cracked in places and it just generally needs to be replaced. The surrounding environs are generally well kept with plenty of sunbeds, however if you are looking to relax in a quiet location - this is not the place. Bucket and spade tourism is very present here with hundreds of people trying to catch some of Rio's beautiful sunshine.

We tried their 'Pizza Place' one night for dinner & I have to say that it was one of the best pizza's I have ever eaten. (Yes, I have travelled to Italy as well). Very fresh and served nicely with some good service from the staff.

We found the concierge very helpful, and we took advantage of the regular shuttle bus which can either take you directly to the Rio Sul shopping centre or the indirect which will drop you along the Leblon/Ipanema/Copacabana beaches. The shopping centre isn't much to write home about.

I optimistically filled in a customer survey and posted it in the box by reception on leaving, however I strongly feel that they all get used to fire the pizza oven as they aren't listening to their customers!

A total fraud, Avoid!

from A TripAdvisor Member
I cannot conceive this hotel been given a 5 rate star. This is truly a dump and a fraud. We are platinum members and starwoods and been through many different hotels, some great, some good and some not so good, but I can truly attest this is the worst we have ever been to. The hotel and the service are terrible and listing the many incident we had will be endless, but just to tell you that during our stay we experience an overall feel among several other guests that the hotel if falling apart and severely worn down, worst the indifference of the staff to possible complaints gives no hope for improvement. There are many more hotels that are better and worth while of the Rio experience, this one only hurts your Rio experience. In addition, the quality of the food and service of the restaurants is terrible, so we tried to leave the hotel as much as we could to avoid experiencing more negativity in that environment. In addition, the beach is often crowded with locals from the favela right up the hill, that are playing ball and enjoying their beach; however, this may be unadvisable for the tourist looking for a relaxing space. The pool looks like a Best Western on Spring break, and it is full with children, loud and dirty overall. I tried to find positives to this hotel, but honestly it is very hard, I think that other than a nice private driver that we hired from the car service in the hotel, and the H. Stern store located inside, there is not much there. Stay somewhere else, it is not worth spoiling your Rio experience. I suggest you watch my pictures closely so that they can attest you of the miserable and unsanitary state of this place (for it is not worth of refering to as hotel).
Luz Garcini

Good Hotel, Good Location, ONLY Hotel on the beach in Rio.

from wearyLondon
Yes, it's a 10 min ride by cab to Ipanema, BUT its the only Hotel that I know of in Rio that is on the beach.

All the other hotels are on the other side of the street, negotiate 6 lanes of traffic and all the hustlers before you get to the beach. Apparently it's not safe to walk on the sea side after sundown.

Don't know what the other guy was griping about the hotel not having Preferred Guest Rooms - the rooms are on floors 17 and 18. I know because we stayed in one of the rooms which was like a small suite, sea views on two sides. What more can you want? Room was great, the best of all the hotels we stayed in Brazil.

Unlike four other hotels we stayed at, provided was an iron and ironing board. No great shakes you say, but none of the other hotels would even loan you an iron, just pay for laundry services to iron your clothes.

Yes, the hotel is dated, Brassy Art Decor interior. Dining area is in dire need of updating.

Yes, $12 for a day's use of the Internet was expensive, yet I was paying $3 or more per hour in other hotels. For example Tropical Manaus charged $1 per 15 minutes. Ariau Towers charged $2+ for 15 minutes. You handed over your money and the connection was so slow that you couldn't even send a 5 line email. Down load was inevitably faster but still slooow. So you paid your money spent an hour and rarely did the email go out. Bandits!

Beach - literally a private beach as access by the public is difficult. Clear green/blue waters. The hotel even provides beach chairs and a beach drinks service. There is hotel security on the beach. Great.

Compare this with Copacabana Beach or for that matter Ipanema Beach. Copacabana Beach - not what it was years ago - so I am told. Frequented by large numbers of un-desireables. Just check out the clubs and what on offer on the street. Take a seat in a restaurant - check out the action.
The Copacabana Place Hotel is an Oasis in the area. Well worth a visit for a drink and a snack by the pool. Service is exemplary.Proper towels in the toilets, what a proper 5 star hotel should provide.

Ipanema beach you will find security offficers every 50 meters. Ipanema is the most expensive part of Rio.

Sheraton - Pool is large and in good nick, pool side restaurent is ordinary, a Pizza restaurent as well, yuk.

Bar is large, again dated but in good condition, live music in the evenings. Drinks are expensive, order a snack like the chicken strips and you will get a plate of it enough for four.

Cabs - yes expensive if you ask the hotel to organise one for you. Go for the cheaper option suggested by another writer. Do not however approach a yellow cab parked by the entrance to the hotel. They are bandits of the highest order. Overall no complaint with the cabs or the charges or the drivers.

Cheaper still are the public bus services, apparently dirt cheap and safe too. A couple staying at the hotel (2 weeks) did all their travel by public bus.

Hotel is safe with plenty of security.

Food is ok, good selection and variety, but a little too international, would be nice if few more regional dishes were available . Try the Guava Jelly and Cheese. If you drink tea, take your own tea bags. The tea is generally rubbish at any of the hotels.If you thinking prunes for breakfast, take a tablet instead.

Milk - no comprehende, try asking for MILKY.

Walked from Ipanema all the way to Copacabana Palace Hotel - no problems. Met a couple who had walked all the way to Copacabana Palace Hotel to the Sheraton, some 9 miles, again without incident.

Went downtown at to a club, returned late at night by cab - no problem.

In fact after 15 days of travel not one incident to report. I guess you have to be un-lucky or just plain naive to get in to trouble in Brazil.

So where to stay in Rio, in my book it's either the Sheraton or the Copacabana Palace.

Have a good time, be safe.

Glad we stayed here!

from JMC1000
Don't stay in Copa - very seedy and dangerous at night. Ipanema - good for shopping. Where you want to go out at night is in Leblon. These trendy, upscale restaurants and bars are safe and full of energy with beautiful people. Walking around at night (we were two women) is completely safe in Leblon. We walked back to our hotel from Leblon at night without any problems. Hotel has an excellent gym and great views. Staff is extremely helpful. Take your guide books, though. The staff doesn't necessarily know where to go out and eat at night. Rough Guide is the best book for Rio.

Difficult access, a little outdated, expensive services

from A TripAdvisor Member
1) Hotel is not in Leblon. You have to walk to Leblon through a pathway with dubious characters or take a taxi.

2) Get ready to pay for every little hotel service. It is not so much how much things cost but you do feel nickel and dimed. Ex: Gym costs extra and is outdated. Using the business center to send emails was expensive.

3) Gorgeous view if you get a room that overlooks Leblon (yes, the favela is in your peripheral vision). Room I staid in was pretty nice and updated. Many parts of the hotel have the 70s feel.

4) Delicious breakfast buffet for about $10 with a nice view

I would recommend this hotel to people concerned about their security in Rio (compound is heavily guarded) and don't have an interest in interacting with locals. Just be ready to take taxis everywhere (traffic is bad) and spend more than in other places.

Great hotel with kids

from givemesunshine
For a Sheraton hotel this hotel is a little shabby. The wallpaper was peeling, the lamp was broken and one of us got locked in the bathroom and had to wait for a maintenance man to remove the lock. I am giving the four stars mainly for the beach and the pool area. This hotel is the only one in Rio that actually is on the beach. All the other hotels on Ipanema, Copacabana and Leblon beaches are separated from the beach by a 4 lane busy street. This hotel is about a mile's walk from the end of Leblon beach. There is a walkway along the street to Leblon and we walked there during the day without any problems even though this hotel is surrounded by favelas on the hills behind it. The food at the hotel was terrible and very expensive for what it was. The hotel has a very good kids club with lots of activities. There is one heated pool and one cold pool.
On the beach Sheraton had their staff provide great service with beach chairs and umbrellas. Also if you travel with kids, you can have them in the same room, because they have rooms with two king beds.

The place is ok, but....

from cyberman
Stayed there in the first August-Week. Best of hotel: The Pool-Area and the Garden. Its ok for people who want have sun and shadow, because there are also a lot of trees. Be careful at the beach, the waves are sometimes dangerous. The water ist almost not so clear. But it ist a nice view to the water, no other hotel in rio is in such a situation. What everybody should know: in this time of the year the sun ist deep and sinks behind a near mountain, so you will have only sun until 3.30 p. m. One of the restaurants was closed during the week („maintainance“), but there were no works; I think, there have not been much enough guests in the hotel. In the main restaurants there have a good choice of food, in the small restaunrant near the pool not. Food ist a little bit expensive; so it would be better, to go to town. A taxi-ride (yellow taxi, with taxameter) ist not expensive, it costs roundabout 10 to 14 Real to Ipanema. If you want visit corcovado, take also a taxi, its cheaper than an organizede tour. The rooms at the hotel are looking a little bit like in den years of 1970; the staff is friendly, but must of them can not speak english. So its a different picture of sheraton.

Super Sheraton Rio!

from A TripAdvisor Member
My wife, 11 year old daughter and I stayed at the Sheraton Rio in June and early July 2005. It was an excellent choice. We had made the decision to stay at the Sheraton on the basis of the excellent and highly informative website that provided all the necessary details about the hotel together with some superb photos. We enjoyed two stays there, broken by a few days in another part of Brazil - in different rooms. Both were spotless, fully serviced each day and with wonderful views of Ipanema and Leblon beaches. The hotel restuarant is good but is also supplemented by an excellent pizza bar near to the pool area where we sat in the evening and enjoyed meals and drinks in the very warm winter sun (at least it was very warm for us - we are used to Scottish summers!).

We made full use of the pools and other facilities, which were well staffed at all times as well as the beach where the Hotel provided security staff and life guards. Others have commented that the hotel is distant from Ipanema beach - but it took us only 30 mins to walk this distance - much of which was along Leblon beach front. We also used the free beach/Rio Tourist Zone shuttle bus and the bus to the Rio Sul shopping centre so this helped with getting around.

However, what made this a wonderful experience for us is without doubt the atff. All the staff we met were exceptionally friendly, engaging and happy to help and responded quickly to any request.

We are already planning to return to Rio and will certainly plan to stay at the Sheraton - the only hotel in Rio with direct access to a beach.

Gerry

Only beach hotel in Rio, highly recommended

from Planedriver
We staid there for a week and were mostly pleased.

We managed to get a preferred guest room which looked fabulous and had one of the most comfotable beds I have ever slept in, with nice soft duvets & pillows. I do not know if normal rooms had similar standards.

It is the only hotel in Rio that gives you direct access to the beach, which is nicely shielded from the main Leblon/Ipanema beaches further north.

The only annoying thing we found was that there is a considerable daily charge for using the health club, although this is not clearly mentioned in the hotel description. We also found this to be the case with another Sheraton in Brazil, so perhaps it is a country specific rule. Also, expect charges for the kid's club.

The food is superb, good choice and high quality. We met a few of the chefs and they all seemed very dedicated, caring and proud of their achievements.

Highly recommended.

Top Local Tips for Rio de Janeiro

Best location for a hotel Do not saty in Copacabana. This is a very touristic area and, because of that, an area with thieves and prostitutes. The beach is not so beautiful and clead. We reccommend the Sheraton rio because at the same time it is located in Leblon (a very good and high profile neighborhood) it is not in the middle of the crowd. If you need piece and quiet you'll find.

Taxis use The taxis in Rio have been an easy and not expensive way to move in the city. There are everywhere in the city. A good tip is to sit in the front seat of the taxi near the conductor : they will put automatically the taximeter and apply the local rate ! Even if I am more Woody Allen than Schwarzy, I did not experience ANY problem. Maybe by good protective angel !

Beautiful Rio We found the setting of Rio as one of the most if not the most beautiful cities in the world. The beaches are beautiful and plentiful. They are all open as there are no private beaches and the Carioca’s love their beaches and visit them regularly especially on Sundays. The beaches are divided by various mountains and hills that come right up to the ocean and bay. The city is built in the small valleys between the mountains, with several parks, etc. It boasts the largest forest area within any city in the world. It’s just majestic. While the concern for crime is very evident, we had no trouble. We were very cautious but did wonder about on our own a few times within well defined limited areas in day light or early evening. We did go to the open street market in Ipanema or Copacabana in the middle of the boulevard one evening. We had some of the best meals on our own. There are several nice places in the Leblon and Ipanema areas. Try a little place called La Mole. The food was great, the service nice and we ate like pigs for $20. Via Sete grill is great for lunch. We went to Marius for dinner one night in Copacabana. I guess it’s a must for tourists. The food is very good and plentiful (to say the least), the service is terrific and it’s a fun place but it’s a tourist trap and it’s not cheap. If you don’t have a lot of time to find restaurants, it’s a must.

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Other names for Sheraton Rio Hotel and Towers

  • sheraton rio hotel
  • sheraton rio de janeiro
  • sheraton rio
  • rio de janeiro sheraton
  • Address: 121 Avenida Niemeyer - Rio de Janeiro - 22450 - Brazil
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"Friendly staff" - Margot English

"Post Cruise stop over 2005" - Al Draper

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