Rio Das Pedras Brazil

The food was so delicious! I am gluten-free and dairy-free, and there were plenty of options for me. They were also lots of healthy grains and vegetables, along with all the standards that my kids like to eat. I love that the kitchen is always open for folks to get fresh fruit and milk. Our room was perfect for a family of four. We had a king size bed downstairs and two twins upstairs. The cleaning staff was honest and kept the room very beautiful. The staff are so bright, friendly, and fun. They treat you like family and are so helpful and positive. This was the perfect place to celebrate New Year's Eve! I loved the mountain hike and all the fun games at the pool. Special thanks to Mari and Helô for the fitness and Zumba classes. Thanks to all the kids club staff. I felt so comfortable leaving my (4 and 6) with you. Thanks to Tia Milanesa, Tía Gio, Tía Lulú, Tío Zeus, and Tío Zanahoria. Thanks to all the other Kids Club Staff. I am sorry I can't remember all the names. Thanks to Elizabeth for a beautiful massage.

We are an extended Brazilian-American family of eleven people, aged 22 to 97. This was our fifth or sixth time staying at Club Med Rio das Pedras. All of our trips have been during the holidays (after Christmas through New Year’s Day).

We always enjoy our time here, and this most recent was no exception. The food is excellent, with plenty of options for all palates. The scenery is stunning. The resort is very family-friendly, but as a family of adults, we also appreciate the calmer, adult-only spaces like the Zen Pool. The beach is beautiful and the water is calm.

We also liked the updates made this year: the remodel of the main bar and theater, and the addition of the new lounge between the restaurant and the beach. We found ourselves spending more time in this area (compared to previous years) because there is now much more seating/space to relax.

Most importantly, the staff (GOs) are unfailingly friendly, helpful, and professional. The overall standard of service is very high.

While every member of the staff is excellent, we would like to give some special shout-outs to a few who went above and beyond:

• Alécio (reception/guest relations), who was always responsive and attendant to our various requests

• The two women at the egg station at breakfast

• All of the waitstaff at the restaurant

• The housekeeping staff for Itanhangá

• Sabrina and Bruno, bar staff

• Victória, who runs the water aerobics

• Marcelo Vidal, pool attendant

• The water ski staff, namely Danilo, Vinícius, Felipe, and Pompeio

• Chef de Village Andrea Loffredo, who is a true professional and seems to have no need for sleep!

As repeat guests, we also have a few suggestions for improvement:

• We would like to see more activities during the day, especially water sports. Currently, the only available water sports are waterskiing and wakeboarding. We would love to see stand-up paddle, ocean kayaking, sailing, etc., especially in such large, protected bay. There could also be arts and crafts activities. Other Club Meds we have visited have many more activities available (all of those mentioned above, plus ATVs, jet skis, etc.).

• Adding a closed (indoor) lounge space, for relaxing without worrying about insects. The borrachudos (black fly) are very difficult to avoid, and their bites caused us much more discomfort (especially itching) than those of other insects (like mosquitos). Relatedly, if the resort could take some additional pest control measures for the borrachudo, that would be extremely welcome.

• Accessibility improvements for older/less mobile people. The showers do not have hand rails in the showers or by the toilets.

• The “night club”/“DJ Party” could have an age minimum, at least after a certain time (maybe 11 PM). We also wouldn’t mind if there were fewer choreographed dances. Many nights, the only people dancing are the GOs and the few guests who have learned the choreography, which causes the party to empty out quickly. Having an adult-only space for people to talk, dance normally, etc. would feel more organic and attract more people.

Again, these are just minor suggestions for improvement. Overall, Club Med Rio das Pedras is a five-star experience, which is why we keep coming back. Thanks again to all of the staff for making our stay so enjoyable! We look forward to coming back!

This Club Med location is tucked away - 2-3 hour drive from Rio. It is an oasis surrounded by rain forest and the ocean. We played tennis, beach tennis, beach volleyball, basketball, Acqua gym, and of course soccer/futbol! There’s also water ski and kayaking. The buffet never disappointed and the dining areas are relaxing and well designed. Every night the shows were fun and the GO’s were enthusiastic and engaged. The guests were so friendly (mostly Brazilian and Argentinian). Our kids made lots of new friends and learned about other cultures. The New Year celebration was one we will always remember! We even did a private tour with an outside operator to swim with sea turtles nearby. There were very few Americans, so we really felt like we were in Brazil even though we spent most of our time at the resort. Recommend spending the day in Rio on your first day before heading to the resort and again on the last day. We booked an outside tour guide (Rio4Fun) to pick us up from the airport, tour Rio and then transferred us to the Club Med resort. Same tour guide on our departure day - pickup from the resort, toured the Tijuca Forest and then dropped us at airport. This trip offered everything we could’ve wanted for a special vacation: excitement, learning, nature, relaxation, dancing, exercise, beauty, and joy. Highly recommend.

We had an absolutely fantastic time at Club Med Rio das Pedras, and we want to highlight the incredible Mini Club team for making this an unforgettable experience for our children, aged 5 and 7. I’ll just focus on this part, since it’s the most imoortant for us as a family.

A heartfelt thank you to the amazing teachers and staff: Milanesa, Zeu, May, Coelho, Gio, John, Paulinha, Lari, Cemaura, Dan, and Lulu. Your kindness, energy, and creativity brought so much joy to our kids every day. From fun events to entertaining afternoons, you treated them with such respect and care. They couldn’t stop talking about all the activities and how much fun they had with you!

We also want to thank the hotel manager, who is always present and creates such a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

Lastly, thank you for organizing the best Christmas vacation we’ve ever had! The festive spirit and special touches made it an unforgettable holiday for the whole family.
Thank you!!!!!

The whole experience was AMAZING!! The staff are incredibly kind and always willing to converse. The head of the water sports department even asked to sit down to converse and scheduled us for an amazing day of water skiing. Mari was also an amazing except size coach who was very enthusiastic and offered great exercise classes.