Sofitel Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Enjoy stunning views from the rooftop pool at the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro.

Sofitel Rio de Janeiro

Above the soft-linen blanketing on our bed, and beside the sliding glass doors offering a vibrant widescreen snapshot of Copacabana’s crashing azure waves, hangs a black and white picture of Rio’s omnipresent statue Christ the Redeemer. In this apparent photograph, the iconic figure is gazing down, not onto Rio’s ascending favelas and high-rise seafront blocks, but at an illuminated Eiffel Tower; a tongue-in-cheek reminder that French culture is at the heart of the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro, despite its prime Brazilian location.

From the friendly “bonjour” of the concierge in the lobby, to the L’Occitane toiletries and butter-soft breakfast pastries, Sofitel brings the crème de la crème of French finery to throbbing Rio.

Experience picture-perfect panoramas from Sofitel Rio de Janeiro's Imperial Suites.
Sofitel Rio de Janeiro

While nearby Copacabana is awash with red umbrellas, thick yellow sands, and bold beachwear, Sofitel’s air-conditioned rooms are calm pockets of muted creams and dusty browns, the only prominent splash of colour a vase of hot-pink roses in the corner. A glass writing desk is attended by a black round-back chair and an overhead reading lamp, while a flat screen TV faces the bed. Bathrooms are small but stylish, with a white bowl-style basin, and a spacious walk-in shower with a rainfall showerhead. Nothing is overstated, and nothing is wanting.

Punctuating the plain elegance are flashes of Brazilian personality; on the first two days of our stay we found a large fruit bowl on the writing desk, piled high with fresh figs, giant star fruit, aromatic lychees and squishy sweetsop fruit. Also, the acclaimed onsite fine dining restaurant Le Pré Catelan, compliments its French cuisine with an Amazonian menu born from Chef Roland Villard’s culinary love affair with the Amazon.

The set menu offers mind-boggling flavours, and is accompanied by a booklet that identifies each exotic ingredient. Highlights of the 10-dish menu include a white chunk of pirarucu fish (one of the biggest freshwater fishes in the world) topped with a nutty caju crust, and set on a bed of creamy sauce, flavoured with the Brazilian herb jambu, which is said to have anaesthetic and diuretic qualities.

Dine in the hotel's Le Pré Catelan restaurant where you'll have the chance to sample a Chocolate Surprise.
Sofitel Rio de Janeiro

A finale of Chocolate and Coconut Cream Surprise may sound rather uninspired, but it is possibly the zenith of the entire feast: a chocolate shell that, after a firm dig of the spoon, gives way to an outpour of milky coconut sauce and a chilled, velvety chocolate truffle centre; to cleanse the palate between rich mouthfuls is a trio of fruit sorbets sitting to one side.

The colourful ingredients aptly echo the flamboyant beach scenes enjoyed by Sofitel’s spot next to both Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Surpassing the world-class food and quietly exquisite service (the staff reunited me with my sunglasses before I had realised I’d lost them), the views really are the star of this very well-executed show; and every room at the Sofitel has its own private balcony from which to watch Rio flourish amid the South American sun.

Guests staying on the eighth floor are party to the best views, and have exclusive use of Club Millésime: a bar, dining area and rooftop terrace offering complimentary food and drink from breakfast to sundown. Evenings are particularly alluring up here, with wine tastings and champagne, cheese, and cold meats as the sun sets behind the undulating landscape.

Enjoy the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana and Ipanema beach location.
Sofitel Rio de Janeiro

Also on this floor is Sofitel’s Imperial Suite; its multiple terraces and private telescope pointing out to sea have been frequently enjoyed by Brazil’s former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

For those not staying on the eighth floor, breakfast is a vast buffet taken at the pleasing poolside Atlantis restaurant. Breads, pastries, cheese, cold meats, eggs and bacon, and a rainbow of fresh fruits and juices await; accompanied by a quick-handed chef sizzling omelettes and waffles in the centre of the restaurant. A freshly cooked waffle laden with fruit and drizzled with maple syrup is a fittingly indulgent start to a sunny Rio day.

The circular pool by Atlantis basks in the morning sun, and while the second pool at the back of the complex is out of action at the time of writing (because of refurbishment), it looks as though there will soon be plenty of extra space for poolside posing, while drinking in the ceaseless uproar of Rio’s beaches is just a coconut’s throw away.

Sofitel Rio de Janeiro
Avenida Atlantica, 4240 Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tel: (21) 2525 1232
www.sofitel.com
Double from £270 per night.