I arrived into Santa Teresa alone on a business trip. My room was a delight with large balcony doors and a tropical feeling. I could have laid in my room all day because it was so lovely. This is a lovely part of Rio, full of character and charm. Breakfast was amazing. I loved it. They accommodated me being GF which was amazing. I got a cab every morning and night to town (or other). It's fine so long as you book ahead. The drivers were all nice. It was easy to get around. One day I walked into the village of Santa Teresa. It's a short walk down some steps to the cafes and bars. I felt very safe- no problems. It is a lovely village and a fun feeling. I would recommend it. I would have liked a moped to get around really.

Probably the only downside is that cabs are a little difficult to get. One night I was waiting for a long time in Botofogo for an uber to take me back up into the winding streets of Santa Teresa - it happened eventually. The hotel is nice, but very quiet. It did sometimes feel a little lonely. It would be nice to feel more bustle and lived in, but I was only there for 3 nights and super busy the whole time so who cares.

I had an amazing stay at Castelinho! It was just what we needed after a busy week—a peaceful and quiet retreat in the heart of nature. The calmness and tranquility were perfect, and the panoramic city views from the pool were simply breathtaking. The staff was incredibly attentive, making us feel right at home. Breakfast by the pool with those stunning views was a highlight. Castelinho itself is incredibly charming—I couldn't stop taking pictures of the beautiful colonial tiles on the floor. The rooms are modern, spacious, bright, and clean, and felt really cozy! Plus, the hotel's location is fantastic, right next to the main street in Santa Teresa, surrounded by lively bars and restaurants. I can't wait to come back again!

We were routinely warned about safety in Rio so pulling up to a castle seemed like a joke! Fernanda opened the gate and was fantastic all weekend even though our conversations were usually via Google translate. We arrived just before dusk so the view of the city all the way to the ocean was amazing and quickly turned to the twinkling lights of a city at night. If you've stayed in the Al Fama section of Lisbon it'll look similar. You could see the pool below and the elevator reaches the pool, not all the rooms. There's a courtyard here with a small seating area. Luckily our room was on the main level so we didn't have to haul luggage up or down stairs and the room was enormous. The bathroom had a great shower, real hot water and water pressure but we could only use the handheld as it seemed the turn valve for the rain head was at ceiling height or we could be wrong but didn't ask. Climate controlled, which really worked although we didn't always need it. We had been advised to use Uber/taxi to get down the hilly street to the main busy street below. There's a manned gate on the street to the hotel but I can't vouch for security. Fernanda stayed with my sister and me until the Uber arrived although I felt safe enough on the street. We took an Uber back after dinner and passed people walking so I felt over-cautioned but ok with it. Once on the main street in Santa Teresa there's so much going on, so many people, music, talking, spilling out of restaurants and bars that my lack of Portuguese language really felt like an impediment. I thought it was going to be a Continental breakfast when I saw coffee and breads on the breakfast area counter but someone from the kitchen was summoned and an amazing breakfast quickly appeared - cheesy eggs, fruit, sausage with beans, bread basket of croissants and real coffee cups.

No fault of the hotel as I hear Brazil is constantly changing its electrical systems but even though I had two types of adaptors supposedly ok neither worked. Fortunately there was one 110 outlet for our EU type adaptor.

Probably the best hotel room I have ever had, surely the biggest. Not extremely luxurious but very well decorated in a minimalist style which fits perfectly with the house and the surroundings. Excellent pool with view over the centre of Rio and even the sugar loaf. Friendly and helpful staff, albeit communication was somewhat difficult at times (but this is a general issue in Brazil where knowledge of English or any other foreign language is limited), but nothing impossible to overcome. Google traslate came in handy. Stunningly well priced for what we received.

Breakfast choice was perhaps a bit limited, but quality wise it was good.

I 100% recommend staying at this beautiful hotel! The location was on a quiet street, just a short (300m) walk to restaurants etc. The hotel felt very safe and secure. We staying in the 'Gloria' Queen room and it had a lovely view over the garden and city. The room itself was well appointed, modern, comfortable and clean. The room size was perfect for a multiple night stay. I found the breakfast excellent, with a choice of cold options available (yoghurt, bread, pastries, fruit, cheese etc) . You could also ask for scrambled eggs. The host was lovely and so helpful, even with the language barrier. She allowed us to store our bags for a few hours, and also use the pool area after check-out as we had a late flight that evening.

The only thing I found that was even remotely negative was that the lighting in the room was a little dull, but this was easily improved by opening the shutters to allow natural light.

The customer service was SUPERB! Christina was amazing! We are Americans and don’t speak a lick of Portuguese and although her English wasn’t strong either, (but it’s 2023 and phones and google exist) so that wasn’t a problem AT ALL. She made sure we comfortable and had fun. She checked on us regularly. The location is safe and is in walking distance of great food, bars and shopping. I kinda didn’t want to do a review because I wanted to keep this hidden gem to myself, but Chris deserves all the raving reviews she can get. Thank you so much for making our Rio experience so amazing!

The pictures don’t do the property and it’s view justice lol

Hotel is new and charmingly designed. spacious rooms with very high ceiling, modern, yet loving decorated. Comfy beds, quiet AC was much appreciated. Very friendly and helpful staff. Excellent breakfast - scrambled eggs, cheese/ ham, french crepes (sooo delicious), fruit salad, assorted breads with croissant and hot pão de queso, yogurt - all brought to the table. Nice pool with nice view. Restaurants in walking distance (4-8 min)- safe to walk.

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The hotel offers an incredible view, and the breakfast is good. However, what truly sets this hotel apart is its exceptional staff. They are incredibly friendly and go above and beyond to make your stay enjoyable. I would definitely return.

There were three of us, but we were given only one key. Since the door operates electronically, it would have been helpful if they could provide us with the password (considering we were sharing the key).

Nice house with old and modern sections and a nice view over parts of Rio Centro. Large rooms with good air conditioning. The served breakfast was good. The girl in the reception was nice and helpful.

Some of the facilities and services needs improvement - eg. the floor in our bathroom was broken. The coffee machine was missing in our room. The pool bar was closed down and the pool was dirty.

Everything was nice.The team is very welcoming,it’s a beautiful spot in Santa Teresa,very close to everything and in a quiet street so you can sleep like a charm. The hotel is beautiful and decorated with taste.I will definitely come back again the next time I stay in Santa Teresa.

Nothing-everything was great !