Rooms

The 7 bedrooms are light, fresh and uncluttered. Original polished wooden floors and shutters hint at the past, while French fabrics add a contemporary touch. Many are named after a fabulously high-profile French or Brazilian woman, and often themed accordingly.

Enter Mama Ruisa's first-floor hallway, with stained-glass ceiling, and lead to our 2 favourite Junior Suites: Jean Cocteau and Josephine Baker. Each has floor-to-ceiling shutters opening onto a wraparound veranda, where you can sit in rocking chairs and gaze over Guanabara Bay. Jean Cocteau’s real draw is the bathroom, decked out in fading marble with period taps, a bath (with jets), a separate shower and mirrored walls - you can tell it once belonged to the flamboyant lady of the house. Also on the first floor, Junior Suite Colette (after French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle Colette) lacks a terrace but has a great view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Garden-level rooms are slightly darker but a good size. The Carmen Miranda Junior Suite is adorned with books, pictures and magazines featuring the Brazilian star. Deluxe Room Pop has the liveliest décor plus a private little veranda. The other Deluxe Rooms - Amazonia, Lapa and Mascaras - have a more Brazilian feel, with indigenous prints and earthy tones.

Beds are kingsize or twin; bathrooms have soft robes, slippers and O Boticario toiletries. All rooms have air-conditioning, minibars, satellite TV and internet access.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• WiFi

Eating

After some late nights, we chose to take breakfast at Mama Ruisa and were kindly woken by gentle tinkling as it was laid out on the veranda outside our shutters. Served on fine blue and white china, it was a great start to the day: natural teas, fruit salad, yoghurt, cereal, pastries, jam and coffee. If you have a room without a terrace, eat by the pool or around the living room table.

Jean Michel is pretty knowledgeable on what's hot and what's not in the local dining scene. You are a short stroll from Santa Teresa's restaurants and bars, including our favourite place: Bistro Boutique (trendy clothes shop by day, intimate restaurant by night). Renowned Bar do Mineiro is also close. It serves simple Minas Gerais fare along with cold beers and strong caipirinhas. The atmosphere is friendly and it’s usually packed at key feeding times. For something more refined, head to super-romantic Aprazivel for classic Brazilian cooking with a French twist (5-minute taxi ride).The best tables are on the veranda and pretty garden, looking out to Guanabara Bay.

If you want to dine at Mama Ruisa, you’ll need to ask in advance.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Lunch by arrangement
• Restaurants nearby
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Rest and rejuvenate: there's a pretty garden with a good-sized swimming pool with a handful of loungers - ideal for a break from sightseeing. Or spread out in the enormous living room with some pre-dinner drinks. Massages, manicures and pedicures can be arranged with notice, too
  
• The very sweet and knowledgeable team can arrange a whole variety of trips or excursions. All the usual Rio visits are possible (Christ the Redeemer, sugarloaf, favela tours, etc). They can also arrange sailing excursions in the bay, microlighting and jeep tours
  
• Walk out of the door into the heart of Santa Teresa, Rio's boho hillside neighbourhood with its rickety old tram, cobbled streets, colourful colonial houses, handful of arty shops, and authentic bars and restaurants
  
• Go down to Praça Quinze in historical Centro on a Saturday morning for the antique market: the largest selection of bric-a-brac in Rio, situated under a noisy fly-over. For better-quality antiques head to Lapa on the first Saturday of the month
  
• Visit the nearby Chácara do Céu, a small museum based in an old mansion house with an eclectic selection of contemporary art
  
• Head down to Lapa (a 10-minute taxi ride) for the best nightlife in Rio. Try Rio Scenarium, Carioca da Gema and Estrela da Lapa for live samba and choro music and dancing until the early hours
  
• Go up the Corcovado - you're well-located for taking the 30-minute cab ride up the twisty roads to Christ the Redeemer, from where the view of Rio on a clear day is unbeatable
  
• Rio's famous beaches (Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon) are a 15-minute taxi ride away

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Well being

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome, though we'd suggest it's better suited to well-behaved, older children due to the amount of breakables and the large verandas. Most of the rooms can accommodate extra beds and they are set up to cater for children. There is a decent sized pool in the garden, too.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Mascaras is ideal for families as it has 2 bedrooms, though both are doubles. Other Deluxe Rooms can fit a baby cot (free), and Junior Suites can accommodate a cot and an extra bed (additional charge).

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Mama Ruisa is located in the heart of Santa Teresa, a hillside neighbourhood near the centre of Rio de Janeiro. It's a 20-minute drive from the international airport.

By Air:
International flights to Rio land at Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (20km away). Domestic flights normally arrive at Santos Dumont Domestic Airport (3km away). Click on the links below for more information on airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
Mama Ruisa offers transfers from both airports - see Rates. Alternatively you can take a radio taxi - buy a pre-paid voucher at the Transcoopass desk in the arrivals hall.

By Car:
You won't need a car in Rio, but if you want to hire one to explore the surrounding region, see our car rental recommendations.

By Bus:
Brazil's major cities are linked by excellent bus services. Always travel first class because the difference in fares is nominal, but it means you get air conditioning, reclining seats and bathroom facilities on board. Services stop at the Novo Rio Rodoviaria terminal downtown; from there you can take a taxi to the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Brazil and getting around