110 Tatler July 2019 tatler.comSee a shaman, have a facelift at a
superstar surgeon or – as Princess
Beatrice did – just imbibe the party spiritPHOTOGRAPH: BILL PHELPS; MATTHIEU SALVAING[thriving hub for the art and
cultural cognoscenti, with 2020 the
year the city becomes the first Unesco
World Capital of Architecture. And
there’s much to revel in: from the
elliptical Oscar Niemeyer buildings
to the swirling mosaics of the gardens
designed by celebrated landscape
architect Roberto Burle Marx and the
futuristic spectacle of the Museum of
Tomorrow, to the Instituto Moreira
Salles, a mid-century masterpiece with
a rotating programme of exciting
new Brazilian artists. Just as thrilling
will be Oskar Metsavaht’s vision for
the 2020 Carnival; he’s the Creative
Director whose longtime inspiration
is Tropicália, the Sixties arts and
musical movement that cocked a
rebellious snook at the then-
authoritarian government. Its time
has perhaps come again. That should
be a date for the diary – along with
the glamorous ball at the Copacabana
Palace that kicks off the Carnival.
But Rio’s always open for pleasure.
The words ‘I’m flying down to Riohas found its apogee at the Emiliano,
an artistic temple to luxury, culture,
fashion and fun, with huge loft-
style suites and one of the city’s best
rooftop pools. And the infinitely
hot and hip district of Arpoador, a
surfer’s mecca, has seen the recent
reopening of the Arpoador Inn. It’s
the passion project of young hotelier
Daniel Gorin, who has hospitality
running through his veins – his
grandfather opened the Ipanema
Inn in the Sixties, the backdrop for
those ‘Girl from Ipanema’ bossa
nova vibes. Following in his grand-
father’s footsteps, Gorin has created
a scene by bringing in Rio’s star-
chef Roberta Sudbrack to create
the brunch menu of dreams; her
signature tapioca pancakes are
something else. But the hotel’s real
USP is the fact that it is the only
one in the city that lets you pad
directly on to the beach. Or you
can listen to the surf crashing from
the hammock in your room as you
savour a hibiscus sorbet.What a city, and what a boa vida:
you can take up surfing (‘ocean
therapy’ as Metsavaht calls it); hike
the great hillsides to experience the
flora and fauna and gaze at the
best views over Sugarloaf Mountain;
visit a shaman in the jungly depths
of the city; have a facelift with a
superstar plastic surgeon; wear a
swathe of environmentally friendly
labels like the new swimwear brand
Florita Beachwear, whose bikinis
are made from recycled plastic;
indulge yourself with the rare
Amazonian plant ingredients in
designer Francisco Costa’s recently
launched beauty brand, Costa Brazil;
or imbibe the city’s irrepressible
party spirit, just as Princess Beatrice
did when she was shown the
delights of Rio by its very own
queen of the city, designer Lenny
Niemeyer. Go now, while its star is
in the ascendant and its energy has
never been more thrilling.for the weekend’, evoke the nomadic
glamour of the bygone age of jet-set
travel. But now, thanks to the new
Norwegian Air route and their
accommodating flight times, you
can leave London at midday on
Friday and get to Rio the same
evening before heading back home
on the late flight on Sunday, allow-
ing you to maximise your precious
beach time over a long weekend. No
other place offers such a beguiling
mixture of resort holiday and city
break; nowhere else can you imbibe
the fun-loving Carioca mantra of
boa vida, the good life.
Carnival and culture aside, it’s
the hotel scene that is attracting
wider holiday crowds, with star-
chef menus, champagne-soaked
pool parties and spas where you
can recover from the indulgence.
There’s the Copacabana Palace,
obviously, but just a few blocks
further down, off-the-scale designArpoador Inn For consistent
waves suitable for beginners
and experts alike, head to
Aproador’s great stretch of
beach – the city’s surfing mecca.
Stay at Aproador Inn, where they
can arrange lessons with the
best instructors, alongside a
post-workout lomi-lomi massage.
Or you can simply enjoy the all-day
restaurant, with its unexpectedly
healthy specials, such as houmous
tartines and tapioca ice cream.
hotelarpoador.comIn Rio there is a playground to
suit every taste, from the over-
the-top Carmen Miranda-style
ebullience of Mama Ruisa in
Santa Teresa to the super-sleek
Fasano Hotel. Last-minute rooms
and restaurants can be hard to
find during Carnival, so make
sure you book in advance at
these glamorous boltholes.WHERE TO STAY
Janeiro Despite being brand new,
this ocean-front hotel is already a
favourite with visiting creatives for
its effortless bohemian glamour- not to mention its art-packed
rooftop bar and extensive
photographic collection. The
loft-style rooms can be hard to
leave, and have one of the best
room-service menus, including a
memorable spaghetti bolognese
made with filet mignon and the
signature Nutella pavê – well
worth staying in for. janeirohotel.rio
Emiliano For a more immersive
cultural fix of the best the city
has to offer, this hotel has all the
insidery panache and intimacy
of a private club, from its brilliantly
edited showcase of eclectic
Brazilian art to spontaneous film
screenings and bossa nova
concerts, which take place in the
lounge-cum-private dining room.
emiliano.com.br
Belmond Copacabana Palace
This much-loved classic has its
finger on the pulse of the city, with
access to a variety of unsurpassed
cultural and shopping opportunities,
including notoriously hard-to-get
Carnival Ball tickets. But its latest
offering of a private after-hours
breakfast or dinner at the foothills
of Sugarloaf Mountain is unique.
Insider tip: for those looking to
have any form of cosmetic surgery
in Rio, the hotel also offers a
special three-week recovery stay
to help you recuperate in style.
belmond.com
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