HOTELS With INSTA-FACTOR
If you’re going to fork out for a half-decent hotel this year, better make sure it helps your status updates…
HOTEL FASANO RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL Why it’s got the Insta-factor…
You’re in the best spot in Rio for a start, slap bang on Ipanema Beach. What’s more, this is a Philippe Starck hotel – so it’s high on aesthetic appeal. Leather couches in the foyer are crammed with slashgeneration millennials talking about their film/ writing/modelling projects while the bar staff all look as though they’ve stepped off a Dolce & Gabbana catwalk. The rooftop bar, meanwhile, is a thing of true beauty, with an infinity pool overlooking Ipanema, Corcovado and the Two Brothers Mountain. It’s where the great and good of Rio gather to flirt, dance and do whatever beautiful people generally do. One word of warning though… it’s worth the extra splurge for a room with a balcony. The sea-facing rooms have one of the best views in the world and there is no greater peerinducing jealousy than a #hotdogsorlegs shot of you in front of such a backdrop.
How do I blend in?
Oh, you know… white jeans, Stan Smiths, a few little leather bracelets on a tanned wrist… and you’ll have it nailed. If you’ve only packed several pairs of tie-dyed fisherman’s pants and a multipack of Primark vests then worry not... head to Leblon, one of Rio’s coolest districts, which is a 15-minute stroll away, and make Lenny Niemeyer your first port of call for swimwear every self-respecting Brazilian owns.
Any celebrity guests?
You may not recognise many of them, but most of the Brazilian football team, as well Rio’s high-society offspring, can be found propping up the Fasano’s bar on a Saturday night. There’s also a large smattering of ascending supermodel types and Brazil’s very own Martin Scorseses pitching ideas over caipirinhas.
Don’t go home without…
Going for a dawn jog along Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, all of which are right on Fasano’s doorstep. Also head into Centro – this is the financial heart of the city, and only a short Metro ride away. It’s the total antithesis of louche Ipanema with its imposing buildings, frenetic pace and rowdy after-work drinks scene.