Casa Beleza encapsulates all that is charming about Santa Teresa and its idiosyncratic architecture; turrets, hidden garden passageways, forestloads of original wood on the floors and staircases and views across Guanabara Bay that demand a long cocktail at sunset are all present and correct. A B&B in the truest sense (for this is also a family home), the layout is such that you can still feel like you own the place and barely see another soul if that is how you want to play it - the self-contained building at the top of the garden is a favourite retreat among honeymooners. The owners are French and Indian; he something of an authority on Brazilian music, she a documentary filmmaker, so there is no shortage of prized information on hand and the two cultures inform much of the eclectic interior design. For a total escape from the tried-and-tested hotel options, Beleza comes highly recommended.

• Featured in Time Out Rio's 15 Coolest Places to Stay