Where is the best place to stay in Rio?

Where is the best place to stay in Rio? I have heard all kinds of stories about the high crime rate, so safety is obviously a concern. I want to be near the best nightlife, but not if it means a very expensive hotel or a bad neighborhood either. I also want to be near the beach, but not necessariliy oceanfront.

I've been twice: once to the Sheraton Leblon and once to Praia Ipanema.
Sheraton leblon is a great hotel with their own private beach in front and 2 huge pools. It is a bit on the far side, I mean you cannot walk to Ipanema and Copacabana from it, you need a taxi ride. But the hotel faces Ipanema so all the rooms have a wonderful view, escially at dawn. The breakfast buffet is the most wonderful things I've seen in my life. This hotel is VERY safe and it's a 5 star hotel.
The second time I went to Praia Ipanema, just in front of the ocean in Ipanema but on the side which is closer to Leblon. It ws a great hotel and quite safe too, I walked at night with my friends and nothing happened to us (we carried no purses, stuff in our pockets, just in case) It was a 4 star hotel and very nice and chic.
I would NOT stay in Copacabana, that could be very dangerous. Try and stay closer to Leblon, and if you don't mind being quite far from Ipanema, try Barra De Tijuca, there's an Intercontinental there and a Sheraton Barra too. They both have a beach in front.
The best nightlife is in either Ipanema (great barsm discos, restaurants) or Barra, but Barra is quite far away and you would need either a car or a reliable taxi driver.

Go to rioforpartiers.com - check out the website and get the book - it may also be available on amazon.com...

Stay in Ipanema - for sure. Call Bryan at Rio Charm - his number or email should be on the website or is in the book. He can hook you up with an apartment for any amount of time (hope it is a long time cause you are gonna love it) you want to stay. That is a good cheap way to stay. I stayed at Cesar Park which is expensive but if you got the bucks it is fantastic. I also stayed at two others - Everest Rio and the other not worth mentioning....You walk everywhere in Ipanema - that is the fun...dont stay at the sheriton - you will will too far from the whole point of going....The beach at Ipanema is where the whole social scene is. Dont miss it. Try the Everest Rio. You will be fine if you leave your jewelry and tourist clothes home...try to blend in. If you stay long enough it will happen - you will become carioca. Chow.

I stayed in Rio with a group of 6 people for a couple of nights before heading across to Brasilia. We stayed at the Sofitel which is located right at the corner where Impanema and Copacaban beach meet. We were very safety concious so we did not wear any watches or take cameras etc and didn't carry our wallets with us when we went out but we didn't run into any trouble at all apart from the odd beggar offering to sell us bags on the beach.
In terms of going out at night there are a few nigth clubs that you can get into easily enough. We went to one called Melt in Impanema - just got a cab to the door and got another cab home at the end of the night. Its safe in the club because there is no cash at the bar so you don't need to carry money with you - maybe just a credit card to pay your tab at the end of the night.
You'll love it! I did!

I personally stay in an apartment. The places have 24 hour security and you don't have the problem of someone coming to your room clean. Contact vanna through "vannarioflats.com.br" and tell her the info on what you want and she will fix you up, tell you the latest scams, locations to avoid, what's happening, etc. While she needs US$100 as a security deposit (for Americans, Euros for Europeans), she puts the bill in a safe in her house and gives you the same bill when she checks the apartment for damages when you leave. She's very friendly and knows why guys visit Rio. I've never had any problems with any places rented through Vanna. Enjoy the trip.

As for crime, it's just like any big city. If you flock it, people will try stealing it. Just use common sense, be street smart, be ware of the kids, don't let the threat of crime wreck your trip.

DO NOT stay at the Sheraton. It has a great view but you have to take a taxi everywhere from it because it's not safe to walk from there to Leblon. Any hotel in Ipanema or Leblon is a good call and close enough to the beach. I agree with previous posts about avoiding Copacabana because even the nice hotels there have crime problems outside. Money being no object pick the Caesar Park on Ipanema beach.

i have been to rio 5 times. i stay at copacabana everytime. it is no dangerous there then newyork baltimore or anyother major city. if you go into a dark neiborhood at night anywhere you are looking for problems. there is a thing called being over cousious. relax have fun look at all the prettyladies drink skol until it comes out of your ears and stop worrying about being robbed.

Well, I am Brazilian, live in S茫o Paulo but lived several times in Rio.
Leblon is my favorite place to stay. You'll find everything in a walking distance (beach, restaurants, dancing places, etc).
Ipanema is a good choice too.
If you like the water, you should stay at Barra da Tijuca where the sea water is cleaner, but you'll need a car/taxi because distances are larger.

I think you can to stay in other city, no just Rio de Janeiro, because there really is high crime. You can stay in Florian贸polis - SC, for example.