Review of Miramar Hotel by Windsor

Located in front of the Copacabana Beach, the Miramar Hotel was an excellent choice for my first time visit to Rio de Janeiro. The staff were friendly and the sparkling wine served at breakfast definitely helped ease me into vacation mode. 

Amenities

• Lobby cafe and an on-site Italian restaurant 
• Room service
• Rooftop pool and bar
• Buffet style breakfast for an additional price
• High speed internet
• Copacabana Beach stand with complementary chairs, umbrella and towels

Check-in

The front desk attendant was gracious enough to let me check-in at 9:30am when I arrived after taking a red-eye from Miami International. The staff was friendly, welcoming and even offered me a glass of sparkling wine!

The entrance to the hotel is off of R. Sá Ferreira. The lobby area is compact with a lounge area and small cafe/bar station with access to the on-site restaurant serving Italian fare (Allure al Miramar).

Room

I had reserved the Superior Double Room with Partial Ocean View on Booking.com. The room was spotlessly clean, with adequate space (269 sq ft), and had central AC that kept the room chilled during one of the hottest months in Rio. Overall I was satisfied with the room as it had all of the requirements for a comfortable stay. The mattress was comfortable with crisp white sheets and fluffy pillows. The room came with a writing desk / chair as well as a small round table for in-room dining. I didn’t mind the partial sea view as a quick elevator ride to the rooftop awarded me with the most incredible panoramic views of Copacabana Beach. 

Breakfast

I enjoyed the wide selection at the breakfast buffet. Guests are treated to a selection of fresh juices, coffee, sparkling wine, fresh fruits, cold cut meats, cheeses, smoked salmon and variety of breads and pastries. I was also able to place an order of custom omelette with the waiter. 

Rooftop Pool

Where Miramar steals the show is the rooftop pool with a jaw-dropping panoramic view of the Copacabana Beach. You can place a drink order at the rooftop bar while you take in the magic of this city. In my humble opinion, the views from Miramar is better than rooftop views from some of the other higher-end hotels in Rio. 

Neighborhood

The Copacabana Beach is really where I spent most of my time exploring. You could spend your entire day people watching while enjoying a refreshment of your choice (popular choices are coconut water, ice cold beer or caipirinha) and never get bored. I didn’t venture out too much into the Copacabana neighborhood behind the hotel. It was convenient to have a pharmacy (Droga Raia) and a good sized grocery store (Pão de Açúcar) really close by. The pharmacy is on the same block as the hotel and the grocery store is diagonally across the intersection from the pharmacy.  

Security

I felt safe walking to and from the hotel to the Copacabana Beach. At night the promenade along the Copacabana Beach is lively and well lit with big track lights. The street behind the hotel is called Av. Nossa Sra. de Copacabana and I didn’t encounter any issues on my way to withdraw cash from a nearby ATM. 

In Rio it pays to be aware of your surroundings at all times and “blend-in.” This means not wearing designer clothes, keeping jewelry to a minimum, not displaying electronics etc while out in public. The well to do Cariocas (residents of Rio) go to considerable lengths to ensure they are not displaying wealth and we all should take note.