Rondônia Palace Hotel in Rio De Janeiro

The pictures are accurate that others have submitted. It is an old hotel and is certainly not on the beach or in some park like setting as some travel website photos might indicate. This is set right in an urban area and is an old, mostly well kept hotel. The price of a room somewhat indicates what you should be expecting. I was generally happy with the situation. The room did look like a 1950's motel, but that was ok because it was very clean. Everything did work. The a/c was a bit noisy, but did work. The employees really tried hard and the breakfast, although simple, was clean and generally fresh .....the employees were friendly and accommodating. So, I was basically o.k. with the negatives (the place is a homeless encampment on the streets outside) and the neg. interior issues. It was a good cheap pick to chill for the weekend and get something done at the embassy next week. There even was a super friendly English speaker on the front desk to smooth any rough edges out. So again, I was a happy camper..... until my horrible check out. Btw, I leave my room the way I found it, or as close to, when I check out ....just a matter of respect to the cleaner. In any case, I get to the front desk with my bags and the English speaker is on meal break. Ok, no big deal. Some lady I have not seen before presents me with a bill for some bottles of water. I haven't used any. There is a supermarket a short distance away. She keeps pushing the bill towards me and saying 'frigobar". I tell her....."yeah, go frigobar this....".....I told her in Portuguese to have the cleaner check the refrigerator. She insists I pay the bill. I can't believe this is happening. I ask where the kid who speaks English is. She says he will be back in 30 minutes. I sit and begin to wait. She uses a walkie talkie and eventually says everything ok. The rest of the story isn't really important. I don't know what was going on, but this was a blatant rip off attempt at a very small amount of money. Kind of pathetic and sad really. She had a printed invoice prepared for the use of two waters of a name that I would not even drink. In any case, I will not return to this hotel as they obviously sanction this type of petty rip off activity. Btw, I never created a spectacle of myself or complained once during my stay causing any chance of possible annoyance. (I left something out....this is the first time I have ever seen a hotel want to charge for the use of a tiny in room lockbox on a daily basis.....worldwide!!....even in the smallest south Asian countries.....and certainly not in Brasil!!)

+ The hotel service and recepcionists - no problem to ask for extra breakfast service ..! Hotel room clean and organized…daily.
- Most ok - all facilities funciones ok - a bit hard beds/pillows/madrasses…!