Casa Cool Beans

The place is in a historic neighborhood called Santa Teresa. The neighborhood has a lot of character. When it comes to the b&b it is very clean. By far the biggest plus is the people. The owners are very detail oriented and REALLY go out of the way to make sure that your stay is pleasant. The only thing that I can say was not perfect (and I’m reaching here) is that it seemed to me that taxi drivers don’t like to drive into this neighborhood. it might be the tight winddy cobble stone streets but those same streets are what give the neighborhood it’s flavor.

My husband and I stayed at Casa Cool Beans for 3 nights almost 3 weeks ago and we both felt that it’s what every B&B should aspire to be. The place is extremely beautiful, with lots of attention given to decorative and practical details (for an example of the latter, our room had quite a few outlets that fit American jacks, which is far from standard in Brazil). Moreover, the service is amazing. Lance, the owner, is an incredible host, very helpful, friendly and professional. The staff are great, as well. In addition, the neighborhood, Santa Teresa, is wonderful and worth getting to know. It’s not near the beach, but it provides a different side of Rio with its older and charming character, galleries, bars and eateries frequented by locals. We enjoyed getting to know this neighborhood just as much and possibly even more than Copacabana, Ipanema, Lapa and other top attractions in Rio. If we ever go back to Rio, there’s no question where we’ll want to stay, and we cannot recommend Casa Cool Beans any more highly to anyone else.

We recently stayed at Casa Cool Beans while I was on a ½ work and ½ vacation trip and it was one of the best «hotel» experiences I have had anywhere in the world. The owner, Lance and the manger, Sergio make sure to provide the type of experience that you would get from a much more expensive hotel. They go out of their way to make sure to help you actually achieve the most ambitious itineraries to the point that you almost feel like you have your own concierge.
The location is spectacular. It is located in the older, more winding cobblestone streets of Santa Teresa. It has a much more neighborhood feel, with nearby pubs and eateries that serve as honest to goodness community gathering places. We never felt unsafe even when walking around late at night. It is not the beach, but it is convenient to get there from the hotel and they have towel and bags that you can use if you need them.
Excellent décor. They employed local muralist to decorate the exterior walls and have been supporting local Santa Teresa artist for the art in the rooms. We stayed in one of the more modest rooms, but it was perfect for our needs.
Breakfast has an omelet bar that you can choose you toppings. Local fresh fruits (like passion fruit!) that we became addicted to… heck, they even had cashew juice!