Especially somebody with taste and a budget more elevated than my own. Such was the case with a little hotel in the hills overlooking Rio de Janeiro I discovered i. As a fantastic fusion of traditional and sexy Brazilian mid-century design, Chez Georges is one of the best options for experiencing a different side of Rio than the conventional beach visit.
Getting Around with William O'Connor is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. To get to Chez Georges , you must enter an elevator shaft from a small street up to the top of the hill and then cross a bridge lined with pavers to the front courtyard. Here is your first taste of the mixing of styles—whitewashed walls intersect with those of polished Brazilian wood, concrete, and decorative tiles.
A traditional roof of weathered terracotta tiles connects to a skeleton frame of concrete hanging over the patio. Souza was a prominent Modernist architect in Rio, but his work tended to have traces of past styles rather than fully abandoning them. As a guest, you pretty much have a run of the place, which includes several lounge-worthy rooms filled with envy-inducing pieces from Europe and Brazil.
There is also a dining room, where the included breakfast is served should you prefer not to eat it outdoors. It would be a perplexing choice, though. Its centerpiece is a long blue pool with a wooden deck for sunbathing.
Tucked into the side are outdoor showers. Each is named after a singer with the name George, and they are spacious but sober. The emphasis in these spaces is on the play between the white-washed walls, polished Brazilian woods, the raw concrete, and the jungle-like flora pressed up against the windows.
