You would expect an American owned hotel to be friendly to Americas visiting Rio...this hotel was a big disappointment. We stayed in 3 different hotels and of them, this was the most unfriendly - we had the smallest room with no view, and paid the largest prices for everything. Not what I would expect from a Marriott!!

I had read the reviews before leaving; also had checked general sites on Rio, and was pleasantly surprised that most were overly cautious or negative. What a marvelous city! JW Marriott's location was presumed to be secondary to being on Ipanema beach. Not so...In fact preferred having a beach chair around the Marriott location. You may want a buffer from the vendors, who in their defense respect your "no ubregado". Nothing stolen because my partner and I swam separately and watched our stuff. If you go for long walk take your stuff with you. However its the same at all the beaches we visited. The vendors at Ipanema were never ending.

As to the hotel specifics: The ocean view room was great. Yes, if you are an American used to larger rooms this may be smaller. It is comfortable. The beds are great. Room service including maid service was very good. The staff could not be more helpful and charming. Concierge service was tremendous. They booked all the restaurants I wanted to try and confirmed with a slip in my room that the reservation was booked. They helped us locate galleries and sites we had read about. They get an A plus.

You can eat at the hotel and the food is fine; especially the sushi. However, unless you have jet lag, you should get out and taste Rio's amazing assortment of restaurants. From basic to over the top. Others had mentioned some great spots but for a splurg try Satyricon and the restaurant at the Fasano Hotel, in Ipanema (hotel designed by Phillipe Stark-amazing).

Please get out and walk the beach areas. Just don't go walking without knowing where you are going. One important point. Don't go swimming after a big rain storm.Wait for a couple of tides The water that comes rushing from under the sidewalks into the ocean is exactly what you think it is. Take cabs at night, follow your normal comfort zone and do leave the flash at home. Simple elegance, a smile and knowing the samba go along way in Rio. Ciao!

I staied at the JW during the New Year's Eve and I found it too expensive. Rooms are quite small and my bed was too near the walls it was not confortablke to walk around. One day I found that the linen were dirty. Service is not so special for an high class hotel, they have some problems in speaking and understanding english and they do a lot of bad mistakes like calling you during the night thinking that you are leaving the room!!! Then is totally impossible to speak english with the maid service because they are only portouguese-speaking. Everything is too expensive in this hotel, 16 reais for a bottle of water, 50 reais for the internet service ecc..I think that you can find better accomodation in the fantastic RIO.

This very fancy hotel has a great location facing copacabana beach but is definetly overpriced for what they offer. Room are quite small and the most of them facing on the lobby with above a glass roof. The pool on the top is just decent, very little and you could have so,me problem to find space for your sun chair. Everything in the hotel is overpriced, internet, drink, telephone ecc. Staff at the front desk is charming and welcoming but some of them doesn't understand very well english and I had some misunderstanding. I probably didn't choose this hotel again.