Chez Georges

Don’t mind its unassuming (and very French) name — Chez Georges is one of the most extraordinary small hotels in all of Brazil. For one thing, it makes its home in the bohemian, upscale district of Santa Teresa, inside a latter-day architectural marvel, a Brutalist structure designed in the Seventies by Wladimir Alves de Souza. And its interiors are a rebuke to anyone who thinks Brutalism has to feel cold or institutional. They’re a heady mix of Brazilian and European modernism, with bold colors and highly textured materials, including plenty of richly figured Brazilian hardwood.

The seven suites are all named after musicians named George, from George Harrison to Seu Jorge. They vary in size and plan but they’re all stylish, all luxurious, and all equipped with unique furnishings, many by the Brazilian modernist Ricardo Fasanello. There’s a bit of European influence as well, with pieces collected in Paris, Brussels, and Ghent.

And beyond the accommodations, Chez Georges features some lovely common spaces, including a swimming pool, a panoramic roof terrace, and a patio with a vaulted concrete pergola. It’s visually stunning, it’s splendidly comfortable, and thanks to your hosts’ exquisite tastes, it’s among the most cosmopolitan lodgings in Rio.