Nicole Lynn
Google
The staff here absolutely deserves a 5/5 for their outstanding service. It’s important to note that the issues we faced were due to the outdated and poorly maintained facilities, not the team.
We checked in on the 8th floor after arriving at 9 a.m. and ended up waiting until almost 3 p.m. for our room, despite having requested an earlier check-in a few months back. (International Flight) Taiana was a gem, allowing us to have breakfast downstairs, and I have to give an A+ to Patricia and the kitchen staff for offering great, fresh food.
When we finally got into our ocean view room, it was cool the shower water was scalding hot, and the bathroom definitely needs an update. The view was lovely, but by the time we could enjoy it, it was getting dark because we had to wait so long. We ended up being moved to the 19th floor the next day at around 7 p.m., which wasn’t ideal for our vacation. The online pictures matched but the bathrooms were terrible. Not what we experienced at all.
Also, a heads-up about safety: It's best to avoid walking to the city, as there’s a favela on the mountain, and our friends and hotel staff recommended against it. Taxis are available but more pricey, usually double that of an Uber, which we found to be safe and convenient. 20 to 40 R depending on the Uber.
The restaurant at night is open air and welcoming with regards to Lucia (A+)whom took the time to interact with us. Just a few mosquitos and other insects but the grounds were clean. Again, outdated and the lights need to be serviced.
On the brighter side, the beach is semi-private, you can use bikes on-site, and the bar has a fun, energetic vibe, perfect for families. Overall, there's definitely room for improvement for a global hotel such as the Sheraton to take care their buildings to meet the expectations set during booking, but the staff really does make a difference! Sheraton do an upgrade for this hotel and the beautiful staff that is employed here in Rio.