Contemporâneo Hostel, Botafogo
This small boutique hostel, which opened in December 2012, has been aptly named: it is done out with Brazilian designer furniture, including Latoog hanging chairs (which you won't want to get out of), and artwork from the local art school adorns the walls. High-ceilinged dorms sleep four to nine guests and there are private doubles, the largest on the third floor, and on the ground floor a small double is adapted for wheelchair access. For a hostel it attracts older, thirtysomething travellers. Breakfast is served in the patio area, where a large metal shipping container has been adapted into a trendy bar. Guests have access to the kitchen, free Wi-Fi, lockers and a library.
• Rua Bambini 158, +55 21 3495 1027, contemporaneohostel.com.br. Doubles from £57, dorm beds from £17, B&B
Oztel, Botafogo
Contemporary artwork by local graffiti artists brightens up Oztel's concrete-and-white walls, while recycled fittings, brightly coloured wall tiles and modern furniture create a hip yet relaxed atmosphere. The long breakfast bar doubles as a cocktail bar in the evening, serving drinks and snacks to cool sounds. Situated on a busy road, the building is set back from the entrance, which helps reduce the road traffic noise. There are dorms for six to 14 people, plus six suites, each uniquely designed. The staff at can arrange tours to the Dona Marta favela, football games, samba schools and Brazilian funk nights in Rocinha. Oztel is close to bars and restaurants, but you'll need to hop on a bus to get to the beach – in 15 to 20 minutes you'll be in Ipanema or Copacabana or, in the other direction, the city centre.
• Rua Pinheiro Guimarães 91,+55 21 3042 1853, oztel.com.br. Doubles from £78, dorm beds £10, B&B. No children allowed.
Z.Bra Hostel, Leblon
Just one block back from Leblon beach (an extension of Ipanema) and surrounded by high-end restaurants and bars in the heart of Rio's most upmarket neighbourhood, the location of this boutique hostel is hard to beat. Walking into the reception you're met with a wall of ideas about what to do in the city, from hang-gliding to a football match and a favela party with pick-up at 11pm. The place feels young, with a a trendy bar and lounge area doubling up as the breakfast room. Accommodation ranges from four small suites, with double beds and private bathroom, to colourful dormitory rooms for up to nine people with capsule-style bunk beds (dorms are either female-only or mixed, all have air con). Breakfast, Wi-Fi and private lockers are included in the daily rate. The hostel makes you feel part of the local way of life, providing skateboards, beach umbrellas, and bats and balls to take to the beach.
• Rua General San Martin 1212, +55 21 3593 2386, z.brahostel.com. Double suites from R$275 (around £80), dorm beds from R$80 (around £23) per person, B&B
Leblon Spot
Another calm spot in trendy Leblon, the hostel is situated on Rua Dias Ferreira, one of the city's best streets for bars and restaurants (CT Boucherie, done up like an old-fashioned butcher, is a must for meat lovers). The hostel is a 15-minutes walk to the beach, 15 minutes to the Lagoa (or lake) at the foot of the Christ statue, and the same again to neighbouring Ipanema. The hostel has an air of calm and the decor is contemporary, with a mix of natural colours, parquet floors and simple wooden furniture. A relaxing lounge and breakfast area with comfy sofas opens on to a small patio. The accommodation is simple and clean; five suites with double beds and private bathrooms. Dorms house between four and 12 people, with wooden bunks and private lockers. Wi-Fi is free, and guests have access to the laundry room and fully equipped kitchen.
• Rua Dias Ferreira 636, + 55 21 2137 0090, leblonspot.com. Doubles from £72, dorm beds from £23, B&B
La Maison, Gavea
This boutique guesthouse has a magnificent view across the Tijuca rainforest, one of the world's largest urban forests and home of Corcovado, which is topped by the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Situated high up in the hills of the residential Gavea neighbourhood, La Maison is a quiet and relaxing retreat, away from the tourist areas. The first-floor lounge is decorated in plush deep pink, with a mix of contemporary and neoclassical decor, and an antique dining table and chandelier. A large second-floor lounge, in cool colours and with classic Panton designer chairs, opens on to the deck area with sun loungers and a swimming pool. It feels like you are staying in a friend's designer home. You'll need to taxi in and out at night time, but by swapping a touristy location for Gavea's hills, you'll get a lot more hotel for your money, and a cool place to relax, especially at the height of the Brazilian summer.
• Rua Sergio Porto 58, +55 21 3205 3585, lamaisonario.com. Doubles from £129 B&B
Cama e Café, Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa is Rio's prettiest neighbourhood, a hillside district of cobbled streets and beautiful colonial buildings. It is also the city's arty, bohemian quarter and one of the best ways to appreciate this is to stay in the house of a local artist. Cama é Cafe (a literal translation of bed and breakfast) is run by young entrepreneurs who put you in touch with homeowners, many of them local artists, renting out their spare rooms. There are over 40 homes on the books, including many colonial houses. The standard varies from modest to lavish – choose carefully and you could be staying in an antique-filled room with your host's paintings on the walls, and breakfasting on the veranda of a tropical garden. The company also offers tours of the area and a discount scheme in local establishments. There are some cracking neighbourhood bars in the area, too. If you go out in town always get a taxi back up the hill at night. Don't try to book with C&C for the World Cup though, a German operator block-booked all the network's houses for the duration of the tournament back in 2010!
• camaecafe.com.br. Doubles from around £55 B&B
Quinta Azul Boutique Pousada, Santa Teresa
In the heart of Santa Teresa, this Quinta Azul is just five minutes up the hill from Lapa, a central neighbourhood known for its nightlife and live music. The blend of modern interior design and an old colonial building makes for a strikingly impressive hotel. There are eight suites, some with a four-poster beds or a private veranda overlooking the garden-and-city view. Designer decor and quality linens make for a comfortable stay at a reasonable price. Relax in the garden or enjoy a caipirinha by the pool. Friendly staff and the healthy tropical breakfast are a plus. Neighbouring restaurant Espirito Santa serves typical Amazonian fare, including piranha fish. Also close by is Aprazivel, a popular upmarket Brazilian restaurant set in an impressively romantic setting , where you can dine surrounded by banana plants, wooden huts and a tree house. Always get a taxi back up the hill to the hotel at night.
• Rua Almirante Alexandrino 256, Santa Teresa, +55 21 3253 1021, quintaazul.com. Doubles from £90 to £130 B&B
Casa Mosquito, Ipanema
This late 1940s colonial house nestled high up the mountain between Ipanema and Copacabana offers a relaxing and stylish retreat away from the tourist hubbub. A mix of 50s antique furniture and contemporary decor complements the neoclassic lounge, which is filled with fresh tropical flowers. Enjoy sunset with a caipirinha on the terrace, looking out towards the bays of Ipanema and Copacabana and across to the neighbouring favela Cantagalo-Pavão-Pavãozinho. Expect a soundtrack of music in the evening, the obligatory dog barking and church song. Four individually decorated suites named after famous Brazilians are embellished with stylish Brazilian paintings. Sit back on your private veranda and take in either Sugar Loaf mountain, from Tom Jobim and Madame Sata suites, or the forest from Pixinguinha and Heitor Villa-Lobos suites. From March 2014, six additional suites, a roof top pool and panoramic bar will be inaugurated.
• Rua Saint Roman 222, Ipanema, +55 21 3586 5042, casamosquito.com. Deluxe suite from £198 plus 10% service charge
Man in Rio apartments
If you'd rather feel like a Carioca (Rio native) than a tourist, renting private accommodation will help. The Man in Rio concierge services offers a wide portfolio of private accommodation, ranging from beach houses and out-of-city country farms to penthouses and studio apartments in Copacabana and Ipanema. It's an ideal option for single travellers, family or friends looking for a cost-effective alternative to Rio's often overpriced hotels. A stylish studio apartment in Ipanema, designed by local Brazilian architect and just two blocks from the beach, costs from £85 per night. Or a newly renovated apartment with views over Copacabana Beach costs from £125 per night, daily housekeeper included.
• +55 21 8527 9245, maninrio.com. One-bed apartments from £70
Bonita Pousada & Hostel, Ipanema
The house was once the residence of Tom Jobim, Brazil's famous bossa nova composer who wrote the song Girl from Ipanema. Bonita is an upgrade on the many hostels nearby. Situated in the heart of Ipanema, just three blocks from the beach and one from the metro station, this colourful pousada/hostel is lively, with a large patio area, bar and TV lounge that are perfect stomping grounds for travellers to hook up with new and old friends. But perhaps it's not the best choice if you are looking to kick back and relax with a book. Bonita offers reasonable prices for one of Rio's most expensive tourist areas. Rooms are simply decorated with no extra trimmings or designer fittings. There are dorms with six beds, single, double or quadruple rooms with or without private bath. You can book trips here to favelas, sky-diving, the Maracana stadium and Buzios.
• Rua Barão da Torre 107, Ipanema, +55 21 2227 1703, bonitaipanema.com. Private rooms from £35 to £88, dorms from £17 to £20, breakfast included.
