By Anna Kaiser, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Style and location make a winning combination at the Ipanema Plaza on Rua Farme de Amoedo in Ipanema. This hotel is located within a block’s proximity to the beach and offers high quality rooms and amenities; an optimal choice for both families, couples, and people traveling to Rio for business.
Arguably Rio’s most iconic neighborhood, Ipanema is the heart of the beach culture that the Cidade Maravilhosa is famous for, and the Ipanema Plaza is located steps from all that the neighborhood has to offer.
“We offer 140 elegantly decorated rooms and a spectacular rooftop pool and lounge with a view of Ipanema beach, Rodrigo Freita Lagoa and the Christ the Redemeer, some of the main post-card images of the city,” Ipanema Plaza marketing manager Erica Orlandi told The Rio Times.
The Ipanema plaza has rooms ranging from more affordable basic double rooms to luxury suites with ocean views and balconies. In an area not acclaimed for a wide selection and great value of luxury hotel accommodations, this remains one of the best options.
“Our rooftop terrace has a sauna, a steam room, a fitness center and one of the largest pools in Ipanema. For our guests convenience, we also offer complimentary beach services, [towels, umbrellas, and chairs are set up].”
The Ipanema Plaza also has venues for events ranging from business conferences to cocktail parties. Their three event halls can hold up to ninety people and the rooftop pool terrace, with spectacular views, is an ideal place to go for an unforgettable party.
The hotel’s restaurant, Opium, is a stylish contemporary Asian restaurant, located on a large raised veranda along the sidewalk. The atmosphere is chic, charming and intimate at the same time. “The restaurant provides elaborate options by renowned chefs, who bring together surprising flavors,” explained Erica Orlandi.
Although they serve traditional sushi and Pad Thai, the menu mixes new flavors and ingredients with influences from Japan, Vietnam, India, China and Thailand. Opium also has a daily breakfast buffet, and the hotel offers 24-hour room service.
The Ipanema Plaza is also known for its premium customer service and friendly, welcoming employees. Staff at reception speak both Portuguese and English in order to help and ease any woes of non-Portuguese speaking guests.
The street the hotel is located on, Rua Farme de Amoedo, is one of Ipanema’s liveliest streets for restaurants and bars. Located one block away is Praça General Osório, a park and central hub of Ipanema.
Besides being the neighborhood’s main transportation center, with metro (currently closed), bus, and bike rentals, the park is also home to the “hippie fair” every Sunday and a farmers market every Tuesday. During Carnival, General Osório is the location of some of Rio’s biggest and best “bloco” parties.
The hotel ranks well on most leading travel sites, and recently on TripAdvisor a contributor wrote, “This hotel has a great location within walking distance (two minutes) from Ipanema beach. I could see the beach from my window, as well as the Corcovado! […] the room was large, the bathroom a bit dated but fine, and the restaurant/food very good!”
The Ipanema Plaza is a part of the Golden Tulip hotel group, a Netherlands-based luxury hotel group which offers 200 hotels in forty countries. In addition to the Ipanema Plaza, the Golden Tulip hotel group also has four other hotels in Rio de Janeiro, located in Ipanema, Copacabana, and São Conrado.
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