Guesthouse Bianca

This guesthouse hotel is a gem. Full of character, perfect location and wonderful staff. Would return in a heartbeat.

We loved staying in ST at Guesthouse Bianca. Guido was a great host and we really enjoyed walking around ST for dinner and drinks after long days of exploring Rio. The house is secluded enough that you feel a little removed from the city noises but close to the metro and other neighborhoods that are walkable. Breakfast every morning was delicious! We especially enjoyed the fresh juices. We also loved being greeted by Bianca when we came down in the morning or got back in the evening:) we would definitely stay here again when visiting Rio.

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This was such a lovely period house with preserved original features. Beautiful tiles and crafted wooden floors. We had a large balcony with a view over Rio below us. The hosts were very kind to us- they accommodated us very early after our night flight and helped us settle into Rio. The breakfasts were really fresh and generous- with fruit juices, fruit platters and eggs. Santa Teresa is slightly further away from the main tourist sights but it is a relaxing and peaceful area with stunning views. We still ate out every night in Botafago, Urca, and Ipanema. Ubers were super reliable and cheap- it would only take 20mins to these areas so you could still come home after a day’s sightseeing and relax before dinner. Santa Teresa has a few restaurants, bars and coffee shops so we also had a couple of local afternoons. There is a little local bar on the corner with live jazz music where we often finished our night after dinner in the beach areas. There was so much bird life and botanicals around us as we had breakfast. Gloria metro station is 10-15min walk in the day but Ubers worked out so well that we never did this at night.

I guess it was a little further from some sights and quieter in the evening- but we loved the relaxed atmosphere. As I said, Ubers took us everywhere and didn’t cost much more than public transportation- especially for 2 of us.

Staying with Guido and Francisco in their beautifully redone colonial home was an honor - one of the highlights of our trip. Their kindness, attention to detail, recommendations and cheerful, laid back demeanor were just wonderful. The house itself is gorgeous and our room extremely comfortable, with stunning views and a balcony for practicing yoga or relaxing in the hammock. We also appreciated the daily room cleaning and drinking water refills. We truly felt at home away from home. The breakfast on the patio by the garden was also perfect. We already knew we love Santa Teresa and this stay made it even more special.

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