ARF, trying to sniff out dog-friendly hotels in Rio de Janeiro? You’re in luck! This Brazilian Yorkie has done all the deep sniffing for you!
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Arf-ter calling Rio home for over 8 months, I can bark with an upright tail that I’ve marked up all over the city with my pack – my two humans and crab-legged Papshund sidekick Penny Gurl. The second largest city in the country, Rio is a PAWbulous seaside capital city and an arf-so-dreamy destination for both human and dog travelers. From the mesmerizing samba beats to world-famous beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema to paw-lickin’ farofa and feijoada, my Brazilian home away from home left me with timeless memories in my little BIG Yorkie heart.
As the TOP DOG and 7 lb. pack leader, I left my alpha marks to those furry betas all over the South Zone a.k.a. Zona Sul. As nomads, my pack and I embrace the art of slow travel, leading us to check in and out of hotels as we decide on our new “temporary” home (a.k.a. home away from home). As a matter of bark, I’ve rested my furry paws in 10 different accommodations throughout my residency. Arf-my-DOG!
The best way to find dog-friendly accommodations in Rio is through Hotels.com (for hotels) and Booking.com (for apartments). Be sure to use the dog-friendly filter for your search. Sniff out my tips on how to find and save money on dog-friendly accommodations HERE. Whenever you visit a dog-friendly hotel, you’ll see the blue sign (usually in the lobby) to indicate dogs are welcome. WOOF-HOO!
Perk up your ears to hear my guide to dog-friendly hotels in Rio de Janeiro:
#1 Ibis Botafogo
3-star hotel
Rua Paulino Fernandes 39, Botafogo
WOOF, what can I bark about Ibis Botafogo? I think my pack and I stayed here longer than expected because we were pleasantly surprised. It’s colorful, hip, and modern with a young lobby staff (a huge bark out to my girls Angelina & Gabrielle at the front desk). From 193 to 205 square feet, the rooms are definitely on the small side but will do the job for a temporary stay at affordable prices (usually under $100 per night for a regular, “no big event” night). However, you must get ready to be cozy with your pack! You can choose from one double bed, two twin beds, or one double and one twin (from 270 rooms on over ten floors).
Depending which side your room is located, you may drop your jaws to some incredible views of the Rio landscape. There’s also an option to add a breakfast buffet, which serves a variety of goodies, from fresh pastries to scrambled eggs. Although the lobby advertises a dog bowl and dog bed, I’ve never gotten them or seen them in my room. I’m guessing it is delivered upon request. However, I won’t complain because I’m sure I can if I ask (since the staff has been suPAW helpful). Since I like to dominate human beds and travel with my own to-go dog bowls, I’m OK without.
My favorite part about staying here is their dog-friendly restaurant on the second floor, which designates a few tables for dog diners. I took Penny on a date here, but couldn’t afford to buy her dinner (and didn’t want to share mine either). My only complaint about this place is that certain staff members may ask you to carry your dog when walking in and out of the building. Supposedly, there was a dog fight in the lobby during our stay. GRR, this meant my suPAW petite human had to carry me and Penny in her arms. Also, I think it’s unrealistic for them to expect big dogs to be carried in and out. Hopefully, it’s just a phase.
Besides its dog-friendly policy, Ibis Botafogo is located in a PAWstatic neighborhood to stay in with your dog. Petz (the Brazilian equivalent of Petco and PetSmart) is only a few blocks away if you need to buy dog food, supplies, or toys. I love leading my pack there every morning and night to do some sniffing and marking inside the store – don’t worry my human cleans up after me. There’s also a 24/7 veterinary hospital with specialty care for any emergencies. Sniff out my honest review on Brazilian veterinary care HERE.
Ibis Botafogo Dog Policy:
Dogs are allowed for an extra charge of BRL 50 per dog, per night
Service animals are exempt from fees
Do I recommend staying with your dog here? ARF-solutely YES.
Book your stay at Ibis Botafogo HERE!
#2 Mar Palace Copacabana Hotel
4-star hotel
Av. Nossa Sra. de Copacabana, 552 – Copacabana
This 4-star hotel offers a hot breakfast buffet and 100+ sizable rooms (323 square feet) on over eight floors with various bed arrangements to suit your needs (e.g. one queen bed, two double beds, three twin beds, etc.). My pack and I opted for a queen + twin combo – the humans shared the queen while Penny and I had the twin to ourselves (although I would still hop over to the queen whenever I felt like). I wanted to give the staff a PAW FIVE for having two red polka dot dog beds with matching pillows, two dog bowls, and pee pads ready in the room upon our arrival, which garnered some TREAT points! As a matter of bark, this was the only hotel to provide us with such doggie amenities without request!
Penny and I enjoyed chillin’ on their rooftop terrace, which offers distant views of the magnificent Christ the Redeemer, one of the new seven wonders of the world. Another barkworthy part about Mar Palace is its prime location – just paws away (like a 5-minute walk) from the world-famous Copacabana beach. There’s also a small park right across the street from the hotel, which makes convenient morning walkies and potty breaks. Just a bark of caution that there are quite a few homeless people camping out, so I avoided walking near them as much as PAWsible.
Despite being a 4-star hotel, the building is in need of some renovation (or TLC) as maintenance can only do so much due to old age. Our room floor was noticeably dirty and unswept upon check-in, which made for an uncomfortable, borderline disgusting stay. Even when we got housekeeping, the floor remained unswept. Grr, gross.
Mar Palace Copacabana Dog Policy:
Dogs are allowed for an extra charge of BRL 69 per dog, per day
Service animals are exempt from fees
Do I recommend staying with your dog here? YES, if you can get a room with clean floors.
Book your stay at Mar Palace Copacabana HERE.
#3 Novotel RJ Praia de Botafogo
4-star hotel
Praia de Botafogo, 330 – Botafogo
Another dog-friendly option in Botafogo, Novotel is MY SPAWT! Although it takes some time (and A LOT of traffic dodging – be careful!), you can get across to the beach Praia de Botafogo for some sand digging and head-tiltin’ SugarLoaf Mountain views. Unlike Mar Palace, this 134-floor, 6-floor 4-star property is well-maintained, trendy, and most impawtantly, feels CLEAN. Its contemporary, sleek design makes me TOP DOG cool as I march through the door on four paws. The minimalist lobby lounge is spacious – pawfect for me to rest my furry paws after checking out and waiting for our Uber.
My humans did not try their breakfast buffet due to the extra charge, so I have no barks about that. I did, however, drop my jaw into an open-mouth smiley face when I heard that the host at the upstairs restaurant would accommodate me and Penny when my humans asked if dogs could join. Although we were not provided any amenities as advertised (once again, do you sniff a pattern by now?), I still have no complaints because it was such a comfortable stay. ARF-ter testing out the bed, I must bark that I give it a PAWS UP for comfort and quality.
Novotel RJ Praia de Botafogo Dog Policy:
1 dog is allowed for 70 BRL per night (1 pet total, dog or cat up to 33 lbs)
Food and water bowls available (plus litter boxes for cats)
Service animals are exempt from fees
Do I recommend staying with your dog here? ARF-solutely!
Book your stay with Novotel HERE!
#4 Ibis Copacabana Posto 5
3-star hotel
R. Xavier da Silveira, 82 – Copacabana
Woof, this was the first hotel I stayed at in Rio! Like Ibis Botafogo, Ibis Copacabana boasts a welcoming interior that makes you feel like you’re chillin’ at some trendy lounge in Manhattan. The rooms are also on the small side at 193 square feet, so again, be ready to get cozy. There’s also a hot breakfast buffet option for an extra charge. My pack and I opted for the queen bed and twin bed combo, so Penny and I had our own bed (which I claimed to be ALL MINE from the get-go – sorry, Pen).
REAL BARKS: Regardless of where you stay in Copacabana, expect to pay up because it’s the most sought-after neighborhood for tourists, even if you’re at a budget hotel chain. With over 230 rooms on over 11 floors, Ibis Copacabana gets suPAW busy due to its prime location near the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.
Since our stay was relatively short (just two nights), I do not have any real complaints. Penny and I didn’t get the food and water bowl as advertised on the booking website, but again, those are things that I can do without (although it would have been a nice gesture to us dog travelers).
Ibis Copacabana Posto 5 Dog Policy:
Pets stay free (1 maximum, dog or cat up to 33 lbs)
Specific rooms only
Food and water bowls available (plus litter boxes for cats)
Service animals welcome
Do I recommend staying with your dog here? YES!
Book your stay at Ibis Copacabana Posto 5 HERE!
#5 Ibis Budget RJ Praia de Botafogo
2-star hotel
Praça Joia Valansi, 24 – Botafogo
Ibis Budget is, well, budget. I don’t recommend it unless you’re on, um, a tight budget. On regular, “no big event” days, you can expect to pay $60-75 per night. Although it maintains the Ibis “hip” vibe, their rooms are even smaller than the “regular” Ibis, measuring at only 129 square feet. My humans’ biggest complaint is the bathroom, which is so tiny (think close to airplane size) that you almost feel like you’re cleaning the toilet while you’re in there. YUCK, right? ARF yeah, they also offer a breakfast buffet for an extra fee like the other Ibis locations, but my humans did not try it.
As for their dog-friendliness, I don’t have many growls or barks to let out about this 259-room property. Penny and I didn’t get any amenities listed, just like with our other Ibis experiences. The redeeming part about staying here is the neighborhood Botafogo, which is a much calmer neighborhood than Copacabana and features arf-mazing views of SugarLoaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer. Plus, it’s close to my favorite dog-friendly mall Botafogo Praia – sniff out my review here.
Ibis Budget RJ Praia de Botafogo Dog Policy:
Dogs are allowed for a charge of BRL 52.50 per dog, per night
Service dogs are exempt from fees
Do I recommend staying with your dog here? YES, but only if you’re on a budget because the room and bathroom are TINY! Think Japanese-sized rooms and bathrooms!
Book your stay with Ibis Budget HERE!
Where NOT to Stay in Rio de Janeiro, with or without your dog:
Riale Imperial Flamengo – DO NOT STAY HERE!
3-star hotel
R. do Catete, 186 – Catete
GRR, Riale Imperial is mosquitoes GALORE! My pack and I nicknamed this place “MOSQUITO NET.” Stay away unless you want yourself and your dog to get bitten up (and possibly get heartworms, for your dog – that is). OK, I know it’s Rio and the humidity attracts mosquitoes everywhere, but it’s unacceptable when they’ve completely invaded your room (without us opening any window)! And yet, the only solution that the staff offered was a toxic spray that harms the respiratory system, which is a BIG FAT NO for a Yorkie with collapsed trachea.
My human #2 spent an entire night defending us from mosquitoes, and we had to be extremely careful with opening and closing the room door because the hallway and lobby area were beyond infested. Penny and I did enjoy their room service though. My humans also delighted themselves to a complimentary hot breakfast every morning, which was so filling that they often skipped lunch.
L’Homme de Rio Boutique Hotel – DO NOT STAY HERE!
3-star hotel
R. Saint Roman 222
Don’t be fooled by those mesmerizing hilly pictures online! This hotel is literally right next to a favela (slum), making safety a concern. No joke, our Uber driver asked why we chose this hotel as she timidly drove up the hill. Her last words to us were, “Be careful.” During our stay, the electricity went out for over 5 hours, spoiling our groceries in the fridge. And yet, the hotel staff did not offer anything to help make things better, even when we asked – they could not even provide a candle! Grr. My pack and I had to sit in darkness for over 5 hours until the lights came on. Also, the staff converted the room charge from BRL to USD on our credit card WITHOUT our approval, which meant we were forced to pay an extra 8.5% fee.
To make matters worse, the staff also tried to charge dog fees when the website clearly stated dogs stay for free. Shortly after we checked in, they changed the dog policy online and proceeded to bill us. Grr, this is SO SHADY! Luckily, we had screenshots of their original pet policy, which was valid at the time of our booking. All I can bark is that the people running this place are utterly dishonest. Plus, taking your dog for a walk down the hills is dangerous – you gotta avoid potential crime AND moving cars! Not to bark, it’s also a trek up and down the stairs just to enter and exit the property. Whatever you do, stay away!
Dog-Friendly Apartments in Rio
Besides the hotels barked above, I’ve also stayed at three apartments (longer-term) found on Booking.com, which is my go-to site for finding dog-friendly apartments wherever I set my furry paws. My pack and I have stayed at one two-bedroom apartment in Copacabana and two one-bedroom apartments in Ipanema and Leme. All three places were within walking distance to the beach, which made for some PAWtastic morning walkies.
Two out of three had barred gates with 24/7 onsite security. None of them charged a dog fee (not even for two dogs), which is a nice breather compared to so-called “dog-friendly” hotels in Rio. However, the flip side is that cleanliness and housekeeping can be a hit or miss, and you won’t know until you arrive. Also, one place attempted to charge us for damage to the sofa that we were NOT responsible for. Hence, it’s best to take pictures of everything upon check-in and check-out. Any-HOWL, expect to pay anywhere from $90-$150 per night for a temporary stay at a decent apartment in Rio. Again, use the pet-friendly filter!
Sniff for your dog-friendly apartment in Rio HERE!
WOOF, hope you and your dog enjoy Rio de Janeiro! Feel free to share your experience with me.
Want more info on dog-friendly Rio? Sniff out my other posts below!
A Yorkie’s Guide to Visiting Dog-Friendly Rio de Janeiro
Moving to Brazil with a Dog: The Traveling Yorkie Barks All
Dog-Friendly Mall in Rio – Botafogo Praia
Veterinary Care in Brazil: A Yorkie Barks Pros & Cons
Markin’ it up,
Roger Wellington a.k.a. The Doob
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