When your hotel occupies the most fashionable corner of Rio, where the sugary sands of Ipanema and Arpoador meet, there is some pressure to do justice to its location. Fortunately, it was to São Paulo’s master of luxury hospitality, Rogério Fasano, that the opportunity fell to inject some much needed pizzazz into a tired Rio hotel scene to combine French signature style with some Italo-Brazilian elegance. Today, the Fasano is where everyone flocks to witness invigorating sunrises and sunsets, to take front-row seats to the most outrageous carnivals and to witness action on the world’s most beautiful urban beach. Inside, the sophisticated designer touches in the rooms are rendered almost obsolete by the flawless views.Under an award-wining chef, the dashing contemporary dining room Fasano Al Mare has become one of the most adventurous seafood restaurants in the city. Down the hall, Barreto Londra is a dark, armchair-strewn bar lounge that features DJs and live bands at the weekends and serves up unique cocktails but the rooftop bar is, of course, the place to go for sundowners.