Aquarela do Leme

If you’re a backpacker looking for a place in Rio that feels like home, Aquarela Hostel should be on your list. From the moment you walk in, the staff is welcoming and makes you feel like you’re more than just a guest. It’s a laid-back, friendly vibe that puts you at ease right away. The rooms and common spaces are super clean—something you really appreciate when you’ve been on the road for a while. The beds are comfortable, so you can actually get a good night’s sleep, and the rooms have everything you need without feeling cramped. One of the best parts is the rooftop bar, which has an amazing view of the city. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a long day, meet other travelers, or just enjoy the sunset. And then there’s the breakfast—it’s seriously up there with what you’d expect in a fancy hotel, so you’re set for the day. Aquarela isn’t just a hostel, it feels like a little home base in Rio, with people who genuinely care about your stay. Definitely worth checking out if you want a comfortable, welcoming place while you explore the city.

I had an amazing stay at Aquarela Do Leme, which I contribute to the owners, Marielle and Thibaut, who goes out of their way to accommodate the guests of their establishment; their staff is likewise of this mindset, which further magnifies the hospitable atmosphere. Additionally, they have a working area, great for digital nomads, of which there where quite of few staying for this reason. There's also a rooftop a gym-area, lounge area and a rooftop bar with a great bartender; shout-out to Adriel :D ! The hostel is bright, has great views and a even greater location, being situated at the beginning of the tourist-friendly Babilonia area, just 5 min north of the superb Leme beach, where I spent oceans of time. Moreover it's a short walk of max 15 min to the nearest subway station, whereby youre connected to the rest of the City of Rio. I ended up spending 3 months at the hostel, although my initial plan was to stay for about 6 weeks, and I guess this stands as a great testimony to the exceptionally pleasant environment facilitated by the owners, staff and guests of Aquarela Do Leme. For the same reason, I met quite a few returners, and I now believe that I'll be yet another returner at the end of this year! See you all soon, and thank you for a great stay!!

I stayed in Aquarela do Leme Hostel for about 9 days with my mom. At first we were relieved to see a colourful hostel with friendly staff, but later on we were disappointed. Hostel is not that clean. The worst thing is that you have to wash your own dishes after you eat breakfast that you paid for. There's no dishwasher and there was dried up leftovers on forks, some plates etc. The tables where you eat aren't cleaned either. And the breakfast was the ongoing disappointment. At the start of our stay we had cheese, tomato and cucumber, eggs, oatmeal and bread. After 4 days of stay, they stopped serving cheese, tomato and cucumbers, all we had were runny eggs. The bigger disappointment was that the staff said they didn't have mango, cheese, tomato and cucumber because they haven't gone to the market (which is like, maybe 10 meters away). The reason they don't serve mango is because there's too much work at cutting them up. And we had no cheese, but the staff had it on their plates, leaving you with the option of disgusting runny eggs, bread or oatmeal. Forget the pretty photoshoped pictures you see. The cushions on the common areas haven't been cleaned, I think NEVER. The whole place looks like a hippie's crib, not a profesional hostel. And the staff is ful of volunteers that aren't paid, but get a place to stay if they cook and do other work. For a 9 day stay we only got our towels cleaned once. It wasn't all bad. The view from the rooftop terrace is outstanding, the staff is truly nice and friendly. But it bothers me when it gets rated wonderfully just for friendly staff. The hostel isn't as clean as it could be, it should be renovated as well, they need a dishwasher and a bigger breakfast buffet. Another note from my mom - she as a botanical enthusiast was furious that the plants weren't watered, so she watered them herself.

This hostel is really amazing. Its location is near Leme beach and inside a pacified Favela Vibe so its cool to exprience in Rio de Janeiro. Felt completely safe area there. The best breakfast to start the day. The bed is comfortable with a Pod Style bed (with your own curtain for privacy, light, personal shelves and charging plugs). The hospitality of the owner and the team are amazing. They can always recommend trips, events and hikes. It has a good communal area where you can easily meet people from all over the world. It also has a co working space where when you need to focus with your work, you can easily do it. My favourite space will be to rooftop bar where you can chill, meet people or even work and drink an in-house caipirinha. Highly recommended for a great stay in Rio de Janeiro...

This is one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at! It’s clean, it has everything you need, and it’s very social! The owners and the staff are super friendly and helpful! The rooms have ac (some rooms even a little fan by the bed as well) and every bed has curtains for privacy, shelves so you can pack up your things, lamp, electrical outlet, locker for your bag under your bed and hooks with your bed number on so you can hang your clothes. Some rooms has bathroom in the room but my room had a shared bathroom with a lot of toilets and showers, so you could shower at any time without disturbing anyone! You got to know lot of friends while brushing your teeth in the bathroom as well!;) The kitchen is well organized and always clean! And they have free breakfast that is more like a hotel breakfast - a really nice surprise! The breakfast also makes everyone get together and talk! They also have a working space with AC, a nice rooftop with a beautiful view and an outside gym! Another comfortable thing is that you can put everything on your tab, like drinks in the bar, sim-card, laundry and towel rental. I was here during carnival so it was a lot of party and you really felt the party vibe in the hostel but it was no parties in the hostel, everyone just had pre-drinks and then left to town, so it was no problem sleeping, it was quiet! The only negative thing is that it’s on a hill so you have to walk and sometimes it takes a while to get an Uber, otherwise I have NOTHING to complain about! I had a great time and it was because of this hostel I found an amazing group to celebrate carnival with! I really recommend you to stay here! Thank you Aquarela! I’ll be back for sure!!

So many good things to say about this hostel. It is in a very safe area, although up a hill, gives you a good workout everyday! Staff and the owners are super friendly and helpful. The beds are great and very private with plugs, lights and space to store everything including a locked cupboard. The bathrooms are good and clean with great sized showers and a good water temperature. There is so much shared space to sit and relax, in the lounge, on the balcony and on the roof. The bar has great drinks and generally a really nice place to hang out. The gym on the roof is also a big bonus! I will definitely go back!