She's a grand old lady. The impression one receives during one’s stay is of an aging lady trying valiantly to hold onto the elegance of her youth. The assessments of other reviewers are right on target--expect a 1960's déjà vu experience. I realized quickly that simple seeing the sheer amount of Brazil wood lining the hallways of this hotel is a pretty amazing experience. The view from my hotel window presented a panorama of world class architecture backed by the beauty of a human created lake--all built in the 1960's. On the other side of the hotel building from my room (from an upper floor) one can see the rapidly rising stadium set to host some of next year’s World Cup games. The biggest challenge for this hotel and its customers is that they do not accept credit cards. Someone told me it has to do with some sort of legal disagreements between parties buying and selling the property. Don’t know the truth of the explanation, but it poses a problem for an international traveler. I would expect that the circumstance of lack of credit card acceptability cuts into their business. Additionally, to an international visitor it gives an impression of “shadiness” that may scare potential customers away. Don’t let it. I think you will enjoy your stay. Enjoy the history of luxury this hotel possesses and the kindness and professionalism of the staff in today’s world. Overall, my stay was mostly pleasant--and I was there for several weeks, long enough to form a solid opinion. I was able to locate at least one staff person on each shift with enough English to meet my needs. My room was spartan, but quite clean with basic amenities. Bed was comfortable enough. Linens were of good quality. Television was an analogue cathode ray tube supported by cable (not extensive), with one channel (Warner) broadcasting in English with Portuguese subtitles. (Other channels sporadically offered movies or other programs in English, as well.) I was grateful to be able to catch the “Big Bang Theory” when I was in the room in the evenings. If you speak Portuguese your entertainment needs will be minimally met. Wifi access was included in the room, and was mostly reliable, if lacking in generous band width. Skype struggled in the evenings, but had an easy time in the mornings. Breakfast, included in the reasonable (for the area) room rate was tasty and plentiful and included coffee (with hot milk available in full fat and skim!), juice (3 kinds), breakfast pastries (many, including the ubiquitous pão de queijo), fruit (papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, watermelon, among others), cereal (both hot and cold), made-to-order omelettes, and cold cuts. Pleasant and very professional wait staff enhanced the experience. The availability, until 10:00 a.m., allowed me to enjoy leisurely mornings when I had the time. It would have been nice to have an electric kettle in the room to boil water. That is an amenity to which I've become accustomed in hotels serving international guests. I would also have liked to have a bathroom sink that allowed me to do hand-washing--no basin stopper was a problem. Bathroom fixtures and amenities were functional, but definitely not luxurious. Don't plan on using the fitness room if you don't want to breath cigarette smoke. The doors on both sides of the space remain open for staff to use it as a thoroughfare and I believe they must take their smoke breaks just outside it. This was probably one of the most disappointing parts of my stay. As a single female traveler, I was warned not to walk in the neighborhood after dark, which is frequented by local sex workers. I felt safe enough on the hotel property (or as safe as a single female feels anywhere when she is alone), given the constant presence of hotel staff attending to those entering the hotel. Overall, I'd say my stay was a decent one. Not the best hotel I've ever stayed in, but also not the most expensive hotel in which I've stayed. In the end, it was a decent value for the money.…