Superyachts make the best holiday destinations, especially when their design is inspired by a famous Brazilian party town. Submitted by CRN earlier this year, Rio brings a riot of carnival color to the ocean and an area of 1200 m2. ft foredeck ripe for dancing the night away. Complete with a dedicated owner’s deck, two VIP suites and a beach club with hammam, it’s a boat to “party, party, party, forever” on board, as Lionel Ritchie would say.
The interior was designed by Pulina Interiors, with exterior styling by Omega Architects.
The 203-foot yacht was hijacked The Robb Report‘S Best of the Best Superyacht’s award this year, where it was judged appreciated it for its pockets of flexible living. The Zen-like sky lounge serves primarily as a private owner’s lounge, but is equally suitable for sophisticated evenings for all 12 guests.
The owner’s design brief was for open, light space, simple decor and splashes of color. The upper salon achieved this.
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Two full-beam VIP suites—one forward on the main deck with its magnificent dressing room, the other located amidships on the lower deck—promote socializing with friends and family. A third guest suite is on the lower deck. The yacht also has nine cabins for 15 crew.
“The owners are from a new generation of yacht customers – young, working in the software and gaming industry, and with four young children,” said Alessandro Pulina of Pulina Interiors. The Robb Report. “They had a clear design vision in mind and a family-oriented boat with open space where they could relax and work was a central focus.”
The new family he built Rio ordered water sports to be an integral part of life on board, so the boat is equipped with a flotilla of toys.
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From outside, Rio it has a sporty profile, with clean lines, a vertical bow and open decks for entertaining. Inside, the common areas are open, bright and welcoming, furnished with modular furniture that can be moved to create more space for guests or impromptu dance floors.
Splashes of exotic reds, blues and greens reminiscent of the Amazon rainforest bring the white walls and wooden floors to life. This is most evident in the lower deck guest cabins, where toucans, butterflies, macaws and lush green foliage are found in the linens, lamps and woodwork. It is also featured in artwork, including hand-painted murals.
One of the most relaxing views from the boat is from the bathtub in the owner’s suite.
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The lower deck also houses a large beach club that opens onto the swim platform and features a hammam, chromotherapy shower (again that color), massage room and fitness area. Sofas and a wellness bar create a relaxed environment with the sound of lapping water.
On the main deck, large windows flood the main salon with natural light. On the dedicated owner’s deck above, the light and clean decor is twinned with views that stretch along the private frontage with a Jacuzzi and sun loungers for solo relaxation. The area also includes an office and large dressing room. A second Jacuzzi is located on the sun deck.
Upper saloon below the aft bows of the boat.
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Preferred yacht woods are American walnut and white lacquered oak. Crema d’Orcia and Calacatta Vagli Oro marbles were used in the bathrooms, including the beautiful bathtub in the owner’s suite. Other marbles are used for colorful effect: Azul Macauba gives shades of blue in the lounges, while green Irish moss stone is an integral part of the outdoor bars.
Zago, a company owned by the Ferretti Group, did the interiors, including custom decor and intricate woodwork. Beyond old-world craftsmanship, the ship has been equipped with smart technology to allow owners and guests to control their own destinies in their staterooms.
The back of the boat is all about connecting in and out.
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“Owners have to divide their time between entertaining the family, entertaining guests, dining, excursions and water-based activities, so it’s important to carve out an area on board that centers around romance,” says Pulina.
On board Rio, that space is the owner’s residence, where his and her bathrooms are connected via a two-person shower. For a soak at the end of the day, a full-sized soaking tub by the window offers views of the sea.
The open box serves as another extended social area or a dance floor.
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Rio– named in part after the family cat, but also in reference to the city of Rio de Janeiro – was originally built with the charter in mind. However, since delivery, the owners have decided to keep the boat and its array of toys strictly for private use. SACS Rebel 47 chase boat Rocket (named after the family’s second cat) is paired with a 26-foot Beachlander tender. There’s also the latest water sports equipment, from E-Surfs and Liftfoils to a flotilla of inflatable towables.
The family has sailed the Western Mediterranean, taking in Italy, France and Monaco. With winter approaching, the Caribbean and the Bahamas are on the agenda.
