Aquarela do Leme in Rio De Janeiro

It’s my first experience staying at the hostel in Rio, and it’s been great so far. Very nice and clean place, friendly and helpful staff. Good location, easy to walk to the closest bus stop. Has a great rooftop lounge area and lots of places to sit down and work with your laptop.

Excellent breakfast, huge showers, cozy beds with lots of space. The social scene is mixed with mostly French guests who tend to stay amongst themselves. Overall the property itself is so comfortable and provides everything you could ask for both short and long term stays.

No towel inc. R$10 extra

Unique, Authentic Rio experience
I really enjoyed my one-week stay at Aquarele do Leme. The staff is great: super helpful and friendly. Even the owner, Thibault, is very nice and accessible. The terrace is the best. I enjoyed my coffee up there every morning. The breakfast included eggs, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and assorted fruits, plus all of the normal stuff. The coffee is excellent and was a pleasant surprise, given that this is a budget hotel in the middle of a favela. I never felt any danger whatsoever walking up and down the 5 minute hill to Leme and Copacabana. I really appreciated the scrupulous and diligent cleaners and I'd be happy to stay here again.
Muito obrigada!

Excellent cost/ benefit . It’s in the mountain but very safe and not a long walk . (Anyway not as near of the beach as other places) . Breakfast is good, only would like to say there is room to improve with coffee but fruit, queijo and bread are good .

This place has everything. The attention to detail is spectacular. The view is wonderful, each room has a balcony and a hammock. The couple who run things, Marielle and Tibout, are super helpful and friendly. I've spent some new years eves here and will be back again.

If you’re a backpacker looking for a place in Rio that feels like home, Aquarela Hostel should be on your list. From the moment you walk in, the staff is welcoming and makes you feel like you’re more than just a guest. It’s a laid-back, friendly vibe that puts you at ease right away. The rooms and common spaces are super clean—something you really appreciate when you’ve been on the road for a while. The beds are comfortable, so you can actually get a good night’s sleep, and the rooms have everything you need without feeling cramped. One of the best parts is the rooftop bar, which has an amazing view of the city. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a long day, meet other travelers, or just enjoy the sunset. And then there’s the breakfast—it’s seriously up there with what you’d expect in a fancy hotel, so you’re set for the day. Aquarela isn’t just a hostel, it feels like a little home base in Rio, with people who genuinely care about your stay. Definitely worth checking out if you want a comfortable, welcoming place while you explore the city.

I had an amazing stay at Aquarela Do Leme, which I contribute to the owners, Marielle and Thibaut, who goes out of their way to accommodate the guests of their establishment; their staff is likewise of this mindset, which further magnifies the hospitable atmosphere. Additionally, they have a working area, great for digital nomads, of which there where quite of few staying for this reason. There's also a rooftop a gym-area, lounge area and a rooftop bar with a great bartender; shout-out to Adriel :D ! The hostel is bright, has great views and a even greater location, being situated at the beginning of the tourist-friendly Babilonia area, just 5 min north of the superb Leme beach, where I spent oceans of time. Moreover it's a short walk of max 15 min to the nearest subway station, whereby youre connected to the rest of the City of Rio. I ended up spending 3 months at the hostel, although my initial plan was to stay for about 6 weeks, and I guess this stands as a great testimony to the exceptionally pleasant environment facilitated by the owners, staff and guests of Aquarela Do Leme. For the same reason, I met quite a few returners, and I now believe that I'll be yet another returner at the end of this year! See you all soon, and thank you for a great stay!!

Probably the best hostel I have ever stayed in. The attention to detail in the rooms here is amazing, it makes for such a comfortable stay. The breakfast is wonderful and is full of freshly baked and home made goods. The staff are what make the place special, you feel like family. The hostel is in lemme which is a really cool area and it is up a pacified favela. As a young female traveller I had no issues walking up to the hostel, the area is as safe as can be, whether you walk up at 1pm or 1am, you have no reason to be concerned.