Belmond Copacabana Palace

First-time visitors to Rio de Janeiro should probably take an organised tour all day, to see Corcovado Mountain with its Christ The Redeemer statue, and Sugarloaf Mountain, Selarón Steps, Maracana Stadium, and the Sambadrome. Others might head straight to the four-kilometre-long Copacabana Beach, justifiably rated one of the world’s best, with absolutely clean, pale yellow sand and, from daybreak on, a magnet for the fit and healthy, sports people and sun worshippers.

For many guests the 30-metre pool, flanked by both buildings, is the heart of the hotel, and sunworshippers have their favourite chairs from the moment light dawns until early afternoon (those in the know apparently order pizzas, which are said to be outstanding, from the pool bar). Roughly 20% of staying guests are repeats, and some of the most loyal have formed an unofficial Copa club, to fly in here from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, New York or Rome, or wherever, to party seriously, which they do twice a year.  At the same time locals use it, for meals, for special events and just to network.

Add one more travel segment that Forbes Travel Guide (“FTG”) is now affording its star rating: river cruises.