Copacabana Palace ups the glamour stakes
Since its inception in 1923, Copacabana Palace hotel has been synonymous with Rio glamour and decadance. But while the hotel's classic design and crisp good looks have maintained their appeal over the years, Copacabana itself has become more associated with red light actitivity and tourist traps than with tropical grandeur. With many well-to-do holiday makers opting to make their base in upmarket Ipanema and Leblon, Copacabana Palace clearly had to do something to ensure it could keep up with competition from flashy new hotels such as Ipanema's Phillipe Starke-designed Fasano Rio.
In keeping with Copacabana Palace's emphasis on style and luxury, this year saw the launch of the brand-new, three-floor Copacabana Palace Spa. In the sparkling white surrounds that have long been the trademark of the hotel, the luxury spa offers every beauty treatment you could imagine - from manicures, pedicures and waxing to spray tans (in case you haven't caught enough sun on the beach!), facial peels and lymphatic drainage. Should you be lucky enough to be getting married in Rio, there's even a bridal care suite set aside specifically for ladies being primped and pampered on their big day.
There's also a range of relaxation treatments on offer, but it would take wealthy person indeed to continue feeling stress-free once they see the bill for services!
Copacabana Palace is located at Avenida Atlantica 1702, Copacabana.