Belmond Legends: Copacabana Palace

Some would say that the Copa was destined for greatness. A golden stretch of coast along central Brazil, Copacabana was originally a sleepy fishing village. The name was drawn from the Quechua copa caguana, meaning luminous place. It was incorporated into the city of Rio de Janeiro in 1892, and soon after the urbanites began flocking to their local piece of paradise to start building summer houses.

During the centennial celebration of Brazilian independence in 1922, then-president Epitácio Lindolfo da Silva Pessoa wanted to mark the occasion by creating the world’s most luxurious hotel, commissioning visionary hotelier Octávio Guinle to help him in his mission. Together, they decided to construct a monument that the city would forever be proud of; a place of pilgrimage for the world’s movers and shakers.

French architect Joseph Gire designed the now-iconic exterior, taking inspiration from the beloved art deco buildings of the French Riviera while adding a uniquely Carioca character. They brought together the finest items from across the world; porcelain from Limoges, chandeliers from Czechoslovakia, and one of the world’s best chefs from London. There were over 1000 members of staff for the then-230 rooms: the highest staff-to-guest ratio of the time. The doors opened in 1923 to immediate rave reviews; the pearl on Avenida Atlântica had captured the world’s imagination.

The Copa quickly began to beat with the irrepressible spirit of Rio, and soon set the pulse for the vibrant city. Just months after opening, the hotel commemorated the famous Carnival with its own Copa Ball. It quickly gained a reputation as one of the world’s greatest parties. Revelers would gather on the Saturday evening to see the festivities in full swing; a night of true decadence and glamour, complete with some of the Carnival’s best costumes. Throughout the years it would be graced by some of the world’s brightest stars and leading creatives; Christian Louboutin, Brigitte Bardot and Orson Welles, to name just a few. Paired with the equally famous White Party held on New Year’s Eve, the hotel has always been synonymous with celebration.

More than just a place to party, Copacabana Palace has also maintained a longstanding resonance with the arts. Most famously, the hotel was reimagined as the ‘Atlantic Hotel’ in RKO’s 1933 hit Flying Down to Rio, the first on-screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Although given a fictionalised name, the sets for the movie were a painstaking recreation of the Copa’s iconic salons and lounges. A representation that would create a glamorous, romantic image of Rio in the world’s imagination.

The hotel has also been a stage for some of the world’s best talent. Following the inauguration, the casino would play host to the likes of Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr, Ella Fitzgerald and Edith Piaf. When gambling was outlawed in 1946, the casino was replaced with a theatre which would garner a reputation for showing some of the city’s best comedies. In 2022, the theatre was reopened after a long hibernation, lovingly restored by over 600 craftspeople.

With feet firmly planted in an illustrious past, the Copa has its eyes set on a glittering future. As part of the hotel’s centennial celebrations in 2023, the hotel deepened its relationship with the arts and the local community. It joined Belmond’s MITICO, a partnership with Galleria Continua to showcase groundbreaking artists in storied locations. The hotel also partnered with Casa Amarela, an educational, artistic and social support centre, to launch a special facade display project revolving around Mother’s Day with French artist JR.

The flavours on display are also on the cutting edge. The hotel boasts two Michelin-starred restaurants: MEE, Rio’s only pan-Asian restaurant to hold the honour, and Ristorante Hotel Cipriani, serving up refined northern Italian specialities. Meanwhile, Pérgula serves up classic Carioca fare. Sunday brunch served poolside is a local institution — the perfect place to see and be seen.

Between corridors that echo with history, clinking cocktails in glamorous salons and pampering rituals in the world-class spa, there’s a promise that feels fulfilled at Copacabana Palace. To stay here is to sample life’s most ageless pleasures: indulgence, adventure and irresistible intrigue. To experience the true meaning of timeless glamour and know your chapter is part of a centenary tale. And for all who’ve opened the pages, it’s a book that’s impossible to put down.

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