Fasano Rio

The sleek looks- courtesy of Philippe Starck- are one thing, but what makes this glass-cased tower feel like the Rio hotel “par excellence” is the location. On the border of Copacabana and Arpoador, and at the heart of the South Zone, the Fasano Rio sits right on ground zero of Brazilian haute living and puts the very best of the city, within a brisk- and entertaining- walk from the hotel. Shoot to the upper floors for the glass-like rooftop plunge pool, and one-of-a-kind views over the strip, the Dois Irmaos mountains, and of course, the waters of the Atlantic. From up here, it’s a pleasure to stare down at the crowds and all the beautiful people in it, but where they’d rather be is shooting the breeze in the hotel’s Baretto-Londra bar to the sound of DJs and live bands, or seated at the Fasano Al Mare, the city’s best Italian restaurant run by Paolo Lavezzini.