OBO Casa

Splashy Tech-Savvy Suite & Rooftop Pool Minutes from Ipanema

Plant-filled and eye-popping, this hip urban studio is a quick walk from Ipanema Beach in Rio’s Zona Sul. Settle into designer furnishings by Jorge Zalszupin, Guilherme Wentz, Vinicius Siega, and Jader Almeida, or cop a spot amid the plants on the mural-splashed patio. Neon lights and vivid pop art illuminate the space and voice commands control the lighting and privacy. Designed as an intimate spot for close couples or singles who don’t mind a transparent, in-room bathroom, albeit one that’s urban, sleek and stylish, the studio is a hi-tech, high-design haven. A raw wood galley kitchen and built-in office island offset the plush queen bed and lounge space.

One of several units in a newly constructed, ultra-contemporary building, the studio has its own louvered, greenhouse-styled balcony, and shares a patio, a common living area, a laundry set up, parking garage and a well-greened rooftop pool space, surrounded by chaises and sunbeds with cool city views and access to Rio’s most iconic beach.

Please note: This is a non-smoking property, with quiet hours from 10:00PM-8:00AM.

Around

Located on a quiet street off the main thoroughfare, but only a few minutes’ walk to both the beach and the nearest metro, this is a sweet spot for Ipanema beachgoers and digital nomads who will find plenty of spaces for both work and play. The beach at Ipanema is every bit the Bossa Nova dreamscape the classic song describes, and the songwriter Antônio Carlos Jobim once even lived in the same location as this newly built building, grabbing inspiration in the sands’ bronzed beauties. Ipanema Beach offers a vibrant mosaic of culture and flavor, with cafes and kaleidoscope markets, street music and vendors, and plenty of pulsating bars and clubs.

A waterfront bike path extends the full length of the dazzling beach, and the city’s iconic Sugarloaf Mountain is visible from the building. The Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon has a five-mile circuit around it, for walking or cycling the wildlife-filled wetland. One vast arc of sun-soaked sand, Ipanema Beach is marked by posts that define certain sections of it. Post 9 is reputedly the spot for Rio’s prettiest of pretty people—a tangle of lithe, bronzed bodies of all shapes, forms, and sizes. A mecca for the city’s gay community, the beach was also once home to hippies, radicals and bohemians whose modern-day counterparts tend to congregate at the Ceméterio dos Elefantes.

Rio’s most popular surf spot is Arpoador, between Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches, and the Leblon section of the beach is the most family friendly. Post 10 is where the sporty types meet, a sand court site for pick-up volleyball matches and soccer games and frescobol, or beach tennis. Swim with caution all along the iconic sandy stretch as Ipanema is an indigenous term for “dangerous waters” and the ocean’s strong undertow and crashing waves are to be respected. Swim only in marked areas where the locals dive in.

Location

Nearest airport: Rio de Janeiro (30 minutes)

Best time to visit

Year-round, November to March are the warmest.