Unhotel Ipanema Pool & Design Loft

We had a fantastic stay here. I’m normally a person who does a lot of research and reads two hundred reviews before booking a hotel or apartment. I saw that this listing was new on Booking and didn’t have any reviews yet, so it was a bit of a gamble to stay here. But I liked the interior design a lot so i looked into the company behind the apartment which is a company that rents out apartments all over the city and has food reviews elsewhere, so I was willing to take a leap. I hope this first review helps others to make an informed decision. The company is called UnHotels and they were super available and responsive via WhatsApp. We never met anyone but all communication went flawlessly via WhatsApp (in English) with William who always quickly answered our questions. When there was a minor issue like a missing towel, it got fixed within the hour. We were super pleased with the apartment. It must be recently renovated because everything looks brand new. The design and decoration have been done with so much attention to details and aesthetics. It felt like a cool New York loft and was exactly like in the photos. We especially enjoyed the very comfy bed with luxurious linen, the wash/dry combo which made washing our clothes a piece of cake, and the water filter in the kitchen that provides unlimited drinking water. There’s other things we didn’t try, like the huge tv’s, fully equipped kitchen, and shared swimming pool. Location is awesome, convenient for both Ipanema and Copacabana. It was our first time in Rio and thanks to all the stories we were initially a bit wary about walking around outside but in this neighborhood we felt super safe and walked everywhere, even in the early evenings after dark. It’s a mix of residential and commercial with lots of people out and about.

Good to know: the apartment is in an apartment building that has a reception (I think it’s manned 24 hours). The reception is not affiliated with the company that rents out the apartment but when you check in you do need to register with them. It’s no issue at all but just good to know. They’re very friendly. During our stay, internet was a bit spotty in the sense that not all apps would properly load; Google Maps for example didn’t work well. I was able to fix it by unplugging the modem for 60 seconds and toggling airplane mode on my phone before plugging it back in. My advice is to try this if you run into the same issue. Finally, my only minor issue (which is more of a suggestion) would be to have liquid soaps in the bathrooms instead of soap bars and to offer liquid body wash in the shower. I find that more comfortable. All in all a very excellent stay and I can highly recommend it. I hope this place gets more reviews soon so that others will hopefully feel confident to book it. Don’t hesitate.