Hotel Arpoador
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ipanema
Vibe
The breezy ground floor connects directly to the beachside boardwalk, where sandy surfers and cocktail drinkers mingle from morning to night.
“Modernist beachside bolthole”
Bernardes Arquitetura crafted timber-framed facades, triangular balconies, and custom nautical woodwork woven with taboa straw and linen.
The promenade-level Arp Bar spills onto Portuguese stone pavers with caipirinhas and an open seafood kitchen.
Direct frontage on the Ipanema boardwalk with cruiser bikes and immediate access to Pedra do Arpoador sunsets.
At the tip of Ipanema Beach by Pedra do Arpoador and the vibrant promenade.
“after a thorough redesign by local firm Bernardes Arquitetura, the hotel is an attraction unto itself, a fine example of a modernist concrete-and-glass structure warmed with organic materials like wood and rope.”
Rooms
Subtle nautical palettes dress compact quarters with custom modular woodwork, open-plan bathrooms, and select triangular balconies looking toward Morro Dois Irmãos.
“All rooms feature solid tauari (Brazilian oak) flooring, dégradé linen curtains, taboa straw headboards, and open-plan bathrooms stocked with Granado products.”
Wellness
A triangular dipping pool perches on the rooftop corner above the ocean, alongside morning yoga classes, a sauna, and Maré Spa treatments.
“The hotel hosts morning yoga, has the popular beachside Arp Bar, and deploys several sustainability measures including being plastic-free”
Backstory
Founded in 1974 as the Arpoador Inn by Manoel and Rachel Strosberg, the hotel remains independently operated by the same family today.
Eat & drink
Coastal fare from chef Lucas Lemos spans grilled octopus, ceviche, and late breakfasts at arp bar, extending directly onto the beach promenade.
The neighborhood
Located at the headland where Ipanema begins, the hotel provides cruiser bikes for pedaling past Dois Irmãos mountain to Leblon.
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The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.