Hotel Evidencia Astoria

The three-star Hotel Evidencia Astoria provides 51 rooms with “club kid” flair on the busy Rua Braamcamp, just west of the Parque Eduardo.

A recent addition to the Evidencia hotel chain, the Astoria is decidedly hipper than it was when we first laid eyes on it a few years back. Recently renovated rooms now sport trendy décor, with beige walls and dark-stained wooden furnishings. All rooms offer air conditioning, flat-screen TV, telephone and minibar. Private baths work a trendy “glassy” look, and some have large walk-in showers.

Downstairs, the hotel's restaurant offers a breakfast buffet, included in the room rate. At lunch, however, it becomes a tasty and fresh salad bar, quite popular with area business workers. At night, it transforms, once again, into a bar scene. The ground-floor lounge sports a quirky décor, with playful art installations and groovy music (which some will find a bit much).

Note that the hotel's location on the Rua Braamcamp can mean noise from the street. All rooms are equipped with soundproof windows, however light sleepers should still ask for a room facing the back gardens. (Rooms facing the sides, incidentally, look right into a nearby building and would not be our choice.)

Wi-Fi is offered for free throughout the hotel. An Internet station is available—but pricey.