sheraton in rio - great option with ton of amenities
i stayed at the sheraton (dec 07) and would recommended it to anyone.
PROS:
1. great value: rio is a pretty expensive place. i read some reviews saying this hotel was great but a bit far from the beaches. in a cab, it LITERALLY takes 2 minutes ($4 cab ride) to get to ipanema/leblon. that said, no hotel in rio comes close to offering such a great place (good pool, good gym, good bars, concierge, souvenir shop, etc.). other hotels in rio are just too cramped up (look closely at the pics and you'll see this is true.
2. great rooms: even though i didn't want to spend too much time in the room, i wanted a place that was CLEAN and SAFE...add to that an ocean view, and you get the rooms at the sheraton.
3. check out the sheraton website for "special offers". i found one that included breakfast - this saved me about $25 a day.
4. computers with internet access: at the lobby, they have about 5 computers with free internet access so you can check your email and keep up with stuff
CONS:
1. do NOT eat at this hotel: a "normal" buffet dinner will set you back about $60-75 per person!
2. on sundays, the "private beach" is a bit crowded. however, the rest of the days, you practically have the beach for yourself.