Rating
"Loved the Mar Ipanema." Location, location, location. This was our first visit to Rio and the Mar Ipanema staff just made everything easy for us. The morning buffet was delicious and all the staff were the nicest people we ever meet. This is a great budget hotel with a five star services. The location is just fantastic, you are steps from everything e.g. beach, supermarkets, shops etc..The rooms are very clean, however because of its location it can be noisy. Try to get a room at higher level floor and you might want to bring your ear plog, other than that worth every dime.

Rating
"Good Value, Great Location" First of all I have to make the general statement that Rio de Janeiro is an amazing place. If it is your first time visiting as it was mine I'm sure you will love it!! This hotel is located in an area that is very safe and very convenient. I would probably have given this hotel a 3.5 instead of four if it was an option but considering the horrible rating the last reviewer gave this hotel I decided to round up rather than down. I think that I did end up in a similar situation as this person on my first night's stay. The room I had on the third floor was furnished very much like a dorm room with two narrow twin sized beds. The bed covering was very worn however the sheets were clean. The room faced the street which was very noisy. At night I thought I heard something leaking in the ceiling in the bathroom and in the morning I woke up to find water dripping from a ceiling fixture. If this was all I had to rate this room on, I would rate this hotel much lower, probably a 1 or a 2. Seeing as I did not want to spend my vacation searching for the most ideal hotel and the hotel had been paid for in advance I decided it would be easier to explain the situation and see what they could do. This is where my view of the Mar Ipanema improved greatly. The staff was extremely helpful and understanding. They corrected all of the problems mentioned above by moving me into a room on the 8th floor that faced away from Rua Visconde de Piraja, the street that the hotel is located on. It was not only quieter but a much cleaner,nicely furnished room. It was also larger and there were no more leaks in the ceiling. The hallway on the 8th floor was also much nicer than that on the 3rd. I'm not sure if they are in the process of renovations and have not gotten to the 3rd floor yet or what the situation is. It definitely seemed like two very different hotels. It may have been the difference between a standard and a deluxe room. If this is the case it is a substanital difference. Overall, as I mentioned before if my only experience was the room on the 3rd floor I would have rated this hotel a 2 or even a 1. If my only experience was the room on the 8th I would give it what I have given it, a 4, considering it is not a very expensive hotel. And I would have given it a 3.5 taken into account both rooms if that was an option. I'm not hooked on the Mar Ipanema and may try another hotel on my next visit. I have a feeling that this was the first of what will be many, many visits to Brazil. I definitely will spend more time learning Portuguese and would recomend anyone visiting to do the same. It will make your visit much easier and more interesting. Many people do know some English so do not chose to go somewhere else based on this. You will be able to get by without a knowledge of Portuguese, but at least learn some polite phrases.

Rating
"Great service/location" Myself and my girlfriend stayed in this hotel recently and found it to be very convenient with attentive service at the front desk. The hotel is located in a great location close to Ipanema beach and is in a very good area where you not feel a bit threatened. Ipanema is more upmarket than Copacabana as evidenced by shops such as Louis Vitton in the area. There are also many nice restaurants and bars. The rooms were a little small but clean and comfortable. Downsides are the fact that the main street is outside and it can be quite noisy. However, I would imagine that most hotels in Ipanema would have the same problem. The service is excellent however and overall I would recommend this hotel for visitors to Rio.

Name or Nickname (This will be shown with your published review)
Title of your review
Your review
Your Rates	Bad        Good       Excellent
Location
Cleanliness
Dining at the hotel
Staff efficiency and helpfulness
Guest rooms