On the hillside of leafy Gávea, just around the corner from Gilberto Gil's studio and in the lee of Rocinha favela, is Jacques Dussol's house. Being the consummate host a la his brother François at La Suite, the warm welcome lends a comforting air to this boutique hotel, and you will never be short on recommended spots to visit or restaurants to dine at. Meals can be ordered in advance, but breakfast is always served around a central dining table in the open-sided living room looking out across the pool to Corcovado. Every room has a unique layout and décor thanks to François, all of which means that La Maison could hardly be any further removed from the faceless towers of Copacabana.