Benidorm Palace Hotel

The BF and I stayed at the Benidorm Palance Hotel while in Rio for NYE2015. We booked our trip in early October, and Benidorm and its cross street rival (another B-​name) were one of the few hotels available that did not cost $ 1,000 USD a night. Benidorm was about $ 450 USD/​night. I say this to show that there were slim pickings and Benidorm rose above the pack.
Pros:
Relatively close to Copacabana Beach.
Concierge and overall service was excellent. The men and women at the front desk were always cordial and willing to help, notwithstanding the language barrier and my terrible pronunciation of all things Portuguese.
Free wifi — with great, consistent service.
Free breakfast buffet and good food overall. The breakfast spread was solid — very bread, pastry and meat heavy. It was a great option to have and we had breakfast at the hotel every morning during our stay. There was always ample guava jelly, which i deeply appreciate. We ended up doing NYE dinner at the hotel because it was convenient — there was plenty of delicious ham and pork roasts, which, of course, made me happy.
Well functioning A/​C unit in the room (but no central air).
Cons:
Further away from the hustle and bustle of Copacabana Beach. Yes, this hotel is walking distance, but coming back at night time, the area was more deserted and quiet than the streets a couple blocks in from the beach. It still felt relatively safe.
In dire need of an upgrade/​renovation. Benidorm is not a luxury hotel by any measure of the word. It is very 80s with wood paneling and bright florescent lights.
Overall, I would recommend Benidorm if you’re looking for a low cost, no frills option near Copacabana beach.