Rio De Janeiro: A Hollyscoop Certified HotSpot

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is getting a lot of attention lately. The sexy city is gonna host the Olympics in 2012 and World Cup in 2014.

Rio has also become a celebrity hideaway. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem were recently spotted frolicking on the beach, while Paris Hilton, Gerard Butler and Madonna were spotted partying it up during Carnival.

I got the pleasure to visit Rio during the best and craziest time of the year...New Years Eve! The Brazilians really know how to celebrate as over 3 million people flocked to the beach dressed in white to party the wee hours.

There is just something about the city where you instantly fall in love with the culture, beaches, restaurants, nightlife and the list goes on.

If visiting Rio, here are my tips on where to stay and what to do. Ipanema beach is definitely the place to be. Ipanema blossomed as one of the most charming neighborhood of Rio from the glorious Bossa nova Era. This boho-chic hideaway has the best waters to swim in, restaurants to dine at and hotels to stay in. Remember the song “Girl From Ipanema,” well you can dine at the restaurant “garota de ipanema” which is where the song was inspired from. I made daily trips to this restaurant because the food is superb!

A couple blocks down from this restaurant was my favorite hotel in Rio, the Fasano Hotel . Designed by Philip Stark, this hotel embraces elegance and modernity. Located near Post 9, which is the trendiest beach to sunbath in. After all, this is the same beach where some of the most famous supermodels in the world were discovered.

What’s great about the Fasano Hotel is its cool lobby which you can chill at, its restaurant Al Mare and its ultra chic bar Baretto-Londra. The bar brings in the hottest people in town, from Fashion designers, models and socialites.

Although this hotel has all the amenities to be a hot spot, it is also romantic. The rooftop pool deck has the best views of the beach and the brothers mountains, Dois Irmãos. Make sure to stay by the pool when the sun sets!

One thing is for sure, if making a trip to Rio you need to start working out. The residents of Rio like to do two things: party and work out. Everyone is health conscious and I couldn't blame them. If you're going to sport a Brazilian thong on the beach, your booty should be in shape for it!

If you do plan on leaving the beach make sure it's only for the 7th Wonder of the world, Christ the Redeemer.