Have any of you stayed at or are familiar with this hotel? I think it's on the north end of Copacabana Beach.

I'm familiar with this hotel, its at the end of Copacabana, if you can get a good price thia is a fine hotel.

The situation is this. I actually won a contest, with the prize being a trip for 4 to Rio de Janeiro. I am very excited about seeing such a beautiful part of the world, but I am very fearful of going based on many of the posts I have read. I saw that people advise against the north end of Rio de Janeiro. Is that not where this hotel is situated? The hotel itself looks ideal for us, but I am concerned about our safety outside the hotel. Any thoughts about this and if I have any choice about another hotel, comparable to this one, what would you suggest? I asked the company who is handling our travel to place me in a hotel with North American standards, where they would speak English and where we would be in a safe area of town. I also told them that my family loves the beach.

Do you also know if this hotel has its own area of the beach cordoned off somehow? I thought I read somewhere that that is the case. If so, is there someone from the hotel who staffs that section or how does this work?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.

Calm down, I think you are confusing the North or Rio with other things here. Copacabana is in the south zone where this hotel is not the north so forget everything you just said. This hotel has a spot on the public beach, sure but so does the Marriott which sounds like something more that you are looking for or better yet take a look at the Sheraton which is completely isolated.

Copacabana is in zona sul not zona norte which has more problems with violence, zona sul is the tourist area. Go and have a good time and don't worry.

Le Meridian Hotel is a very nice hotel. You are correct that the north end of Copacabana, (Princesa Isabel, Prado Junior, etc..) are not the best streets in Copacabana and that is due to the fact at night it has a lot of strip clubs and is somewhat a red light district.

The beach service at the hotel is very similar to the other major hotels (Marriott, Sofitel, Ceasar Park, etc.) they will have people their with lounge chairs.

My first choices would be CP in Ipanema, Marriott in Copacabana, or the Sheraton in Leblon, and in that order.

Rio is an amazing city, and you are very lucky to have won a trip. Come here and have a great time!!!!

First of all, please don't misunderstand me. I was so thrilled when the company called me to tell I won this trip. I have never been to South America and could not wait to be there. I am really looking forward to my trip to Rio.

When I voiced my concerns to the company that is booking this trip, they suggested the Marina All Suites or Marina Palace. From everything I read, the All Suites looks fantastic-I hope there is availability. The trip is not until next May. If there was no availablity in that hotel, we could get the Marina Palace. Although I know it's older and I wouldn't expect them to be as lavish as the suites hotel, some people have also said that some of the rooms at the Palace are quite dingy. Are any of you familiar with its current condition?

It sounds like both of these are in a very nice area of town, where we can walk around somewhat more safely. We know about the safety precautions we have to take generally anywhere in town, but I get the sense from a lot of posts that this is quite a good area to walk in, with a number of cafes and restaurants nearby. Is this true?

Yes both Marina hotels are close to each other and in a nice spot ocean front in Leblon. You can walk anywhere during the day like you can in copacabana. Leblon has more of a residential feel to it with many bars and restaurents in the back streets, google a place called Jobi.

The travel company has made the arrangements for us now. We are staying at the Marina All Suites Hotel and we are going for 5 nights at the beginning of May. Since I have quite a lot of time till we go on our trip, I am going to try to learn the language with some cassettes and books I took out of the library. Hopefully I'll be able to communicate a little bit.

Meridien is a fine location, I've stayed at the JW Marriott and Sheaton and now have an apartment 1 long block north of the Meridien it's a great neighbor called Leme. It's the least "tourist" area of Copacabana, you're going to take a cab at night anyway. I'm an American with limited language skills and get along fine. Go, have fun, be friendly, and just be aware; Rio is like any large city, good and bad.

Le Meridien is a nice hotel. Copacabana, is overrated and in parts, skanky. Prostitutes, god help them, ply their trade all over the south end.

I have stayed in pretty much all the hotels along the beaches. The Sheraton has its own beach (the only one in Rio on the beach), but has very pricey everything. The Intercon is awesome, but in Sao Conrado, which some people think is too far away (not so in my opinion). The Intercon has an awesome pool complex. There is a new Sheraton in Barra, which is new and gleaming. I reccomend the Marina Palace in Leblon - in town, across from the beach, locally owned (who wants to give money to those nasty US Heiresses), and is in a better neightbohood.

If you want Copa, the Meridien is a fne choice.