During the first two days of the visit, the Evaluation Commission held internal meetings at Copacabana Palace, the host hotel.

At Copacabana Palace, teams had to put on cleaners' outfits and pick a section of beach to clean.

So I decided to check out the most famous hotel on the beach, the grand white mansion called the Copacabana Palace.

All the hotels make it a point to serve the real thing, and the legendary Copacabana Palace serves more than 200 a night.

The hotel was designed by Joseph Gire, who also designed the Copacabana Palace.

The spacious Copacabana Palace has a 1920's mood ($145; 255.7070).

Doubles from £280, room only The Details Copacabana Palace -Av.

Avenida Atlântica is lined with residential buildings, restaurants, hotels (including the Copacabana Palace) and a few shops.

In 2008, the Copacabana Palace was confirmed as a cultural patrimony of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The Copacabana Palace has the style and mood of the old Miami hotels of the 1920's (255-7070; $158).