Knowing the best neighborhood to stay in is very important on any trip, whether to stay close to the tourist attractions you want to see or to take good memories of the trip with you. Therefore, we have selected the best regions and hotels to stay in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
The best place to stay in Rio de Janeiro
After traveling to Rio de Janeiro several times, Barra da Tijuca is definitely the best neighborhood to stay. This is due to the fact that the neighborhood is one of the safest in Rio de Janeiro and has a beautiful beach with kiosks and beach clubs. Furthermore, the place offers great hotels on the seafront and an avenue (Avenida Olegário Maciel) full of bars and restaurants.
When choosing where to stay in Rio de Janeiro, you must consider that this is a large city with different regions and neighborhoods to stay in. Therefore, you must take into consideration the best neighborhood, the tourist attractions you want to see and safety issues.
Our favorite neighborhoods to stay in Rio de Janeiro (RJ):
Best overall region to stay
Neighborhood close to tourist attractions
Neighborhood with intense hustle and bustle
Tranquility next to Copacabana
Region with bars and clubs
Bohemian neighborhood in the upper region
Where to stay in Rio de Janeiro?
The main tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro are in the South Zone, which has many neighborhood options to stay in and excellent hotels. In this region, the most popular neighborhoods to stay in are Ipanema, Copacabana, Leme and Leblon.
On the other hand, the Central region of Rio de Janeiro has attractions such as the Royal Portuguese Reading Cabinet, Paço Imperial, National Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Tomorrow, Escadaria Selarón and Arcos da Lapa. In this region, two neighborhoods are interesting to stay in, Lapa and Santa Teresa.
Barra da Tijuca, our favorite neighborhood to stay in Rio de Janeiro, is in the West Zone, and is also the favorite neighborhood for Cariocas to live. We do not recommend staying in other neighborhoods and regions of the city for tourists.
1. Barra da Tijuca – the best neighborhood to stay
The best neighborhood to stay in Rio de Janeiro is Barra da Tijuca. This is because the region has a beautiful beach with excellent infrastructure, full of kiosks, beach clubs and hotels.
Currently, this is one of the safest neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro and has excellent hotels and restaurants on the seafront or very close to the coast. Avenida Olegário Maciel also has a variety of restaurants and bars with good lunch and happy hour deals.
The negative point of staying in Barra da Tijuca is that the main tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro (Cristo Redentor, Pão de Açúcar, Mureta da Urca, among others) are further away from this neighborhood, as most are in the South Zone. But the region has other incredible attractions and beaches to visit, such as Pedra da Gávea and Praia de Joatinga.
Amazing hotels to stay in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro:
2. Ipanema – neighborhood close to tourist attractions
For those who want to be close to everything, Ipanema is the ideal neighborhood to stay. It has restaurants, shops and all types of businesses, as well as the beloved Ipanema Beach and Pedra do Arpoador, a popular place to watch the sunset in Rio de Janeiro.
Ipanema is between Copacabana and Leblon, other interesting options to stay in Rio de Janeiro, which we will talk about later. In Ipanema, you have everything from luxurious options to simpler hotel options to stay at.
The disadvantage of staying in this neighborhood is the current increase in robberies and thefts in Rio de Janeiro, especially the famous beach raids.
Amazing hotels to stay in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro:
3. Copacabana – tourist neighborhood with intense excitement
Located near Ipanema, Copacabana is an equally attractive neighborhood for those who want to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Rio de Janeiro. The proximity of the neighborhoods allows you to go from one beach to another by walking or cycling.
Copacabana is a tourist neighborhood with an intense hustle and bustle. Therefore, you will be close to restaurants, travel agencies, exchange offices and everything you need. Furthermore, the neighborhood has a variety of accommodation options, ranging from luxurious hotels to simpler options. And due to the variety of accommodations, you can find better deals.
The negative point of staying in Copacabana is also the increase in violence in Rio de Janeiro, mainly robberies and kidnappings. Furthermore, Copacabana Beach is one of the busiest in the destination. So, during high season and weekends, it is always very crowded.
Amazing hotels to stay in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro:
4. Leme – quieter neighborhood next to Copacabana
Leme is a quieter option for staying in the South Zone, despite being located next to Copacabana. The tranquility of the neighborhood does not prevent it from offering all the excitement of Rio, with a beautiful beach, busy kiosks and attractions for fun.
Furthermore, the neighborhood has a subway station and several bus lines, making it easy to travel to other regions. In the neighborhood, you can visit Forte do Leme, its beautiful beach, Mureta do Leme and the statue of Clarice Lispector, which is on the beach promenade.
The disadvantage of staying in this neighborhood is also the lack of security, which you find in most neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro. And when staying in Leme, I only recommend hotels on the seafront, where all the tourist infrastructure is located.
Amazing hotels to stay in Leme, Rio de Janeiro:
5. Leblon – not very touristy neighborhood
Leblon is a residential and low-tourist neighborhood, neighboring Ipanema, which has little accommodation available. I recommend this neighborhood to anyone who is going to make a longer trip to Rio de Janeiro, as the region has many holiday apartments for rent.
For your enjoyment, Leblon has bars, beaches, restaurants, shopping malls and much more. And at the end of Leblon Beach, you will find another postcard of Rio de Janeiro, Morro Dois Irmãos.
Despite having some incredible hotels, the disadvantage of staying in this neighborhood is the lack of accommodation on the seafront. And to see the main tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro, you must still travel to other regions or hire tours.
Amazing hotels to stay in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro:
See too: Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden.
6. Lapa – region with bars and clubs
For those who want to enjoy a more bohemian neighborhood and love bars and clubs, I recommend staying in Lapa to experience the lively nights of Rio de Janeiro. To find out a little more about the neighborhood, see the text what to do in Lapa.
Lapa is a neighborhood with good accommodation options and you will also be close to some of Rio de Janeiro’s main tourist attractions, such as Escadaria Selarón and Arcos da Lapa.
The negative point of staying in Lapa is the violence in Rio de Janeiro, which you should be very careful about, especially when going out at night. In addition, you will also be further away from the destination’s beautiful beaches.
Amazing hotels to stay in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro:
7. Santa Teresa – bohemian neighborhood in the upper region
Santa Teresa is a bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro located in the highest region of the city, next to Lapa. Therefore, access is via slopes or stairs. In fact, the Escadaria Selarón, one of the best walks in Rio de Janeiro, is one of its access points.
From the top of the neighborhood, in addition to interesting tourist attractions such as Parque das Ruínas and the Antigo Cable Car, you will have a privileged view of Rio de Janeiro.
The disadvantage of staying in this neighborhood is the lack of accommodation available and you are a little far from the destination’s main beaches, such as Ipanema Beach and Copacabana. Furthermore, you must take care of your safety in the region.
Amazing hotels to stay in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro:
See too: Ilha de Paquetá in Rio de Janeiro – an exotic neighborhood to inspire you.
8. Vidigal – a pacified community
Finally, if you are looking for an experience with the communities of Rio de Janeiro, Vidigal, which is next to Leblon, is an interesting option for where to stay. The Vidigal Favela is peaceful and receives many tourists who go to the place to hike the Morro Dois Irmãos trail and get to know the place better.
The disadvantage of staying in Vidigal is that the vast majority of accommodations in the neighborhood are hostels. Furthermore, I only recommend staying here if you want to get to know the community better, and to do so, book a tour.
Amazing hotels to stay in Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro:
More tips for accommodation in Rio de Janeiro:
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