Rock in Rio 2017 Partners with 16 Rio Hotels in Barra da Tijuca

By Nelson Belen, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Organizers of the 2017 Rock in Rio music festival announced on Monday, April 3rd, that it has partnered with sixteen hotels in the Barra da Tijuca and Recreio area, near this year’s Rock in Rio site (Olympic Park), to offer special promotions and packages for those attending the mega-spectacle music event.

Taking place on seven dates between September 15th and the 24th, this year’s Rock in Rio all-star lineup will run the gamut from world-renowned pop artists such as Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys; rock legends, like Guns ‘n’ Roses and the Who; and Brazilian superstars, including Ivete Sangalo and Skank.

Thanks to last year’s ‘other’ mega-spectacle, the Rio 2016 Olympics, the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, where many of the Olympic venues were built, saw a huge surge in hotel development. Rio as a whole saw the hotel sector grow by 10 to 12 percent in 2015 and 2016, and 75 percent of those new additions were in Barra.

Now with Rock in Rio 2015 drawing an estimated 90,000 guests per day, this year’s Rock in Rio organizers hope to capitalize on the growth of the hotels in the area. “The Olympics that happened in our city last year caused the hotel infrastructure to gain new rooms and the biggest growth happened in Barra da Tijuca and Recreio,” explained Roberta Medina, Rock in Rio Vice-President.

“New Year’s Eve, Carnival, and Rock in Rio are the three biggest events on the Rio de Janeiro calendar,” she added. “Therefore, we seek these partnerships to guarantee our guests better promotional hotel rates.”

The official hotels that will partner with Rock in Rio 2017 include the Sheraton Barra Hotel, Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro, Hilton Barra Rio de Janeiro, Bourbon Barra Premium Residence, Windsor Marapendi and Transamerica Prime Barra, to name just a few. The full list of hotels and packages available can be found at the event’s website.

Official partner hotels will offer guests door-to-door transportation to and from the event, and will also provide guests the ability to purchase tickets for the festival. Official hotel partners will also offer custom packages that include exclusive Rock in Rio themed hotel rooms and customized welcome kits.

Other than the all-star lineup, this year’s Rock in Rio is also expected to garner great attention as the music spectacle will be held in a newly constructed Cidade de Rock (City of Rock), located in the little-used Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca.

The new Cidade do Rock will be twice as big as the earlier location and, according to organizers, will be much improved in terms of crowd flow, security operations, cleaning, and accessibility for guests with reduced mobility. The new location will also have a brand new food court and more bathrooms than the previous site.

It’s been a busy few weeks for Rock in Rio organizers. In addition to the hotel partnerships, Monday’s announcement comes on the heels of recent reports that Rock in Rio organizers have also partnered with MetrôRio to offer 24-hour public transportation service during the event.

Rock in Rio 2017 will take place on September 15th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and the 24th. Tickets for the festival go on sale starting this Thursday, April 6th.