Hanging chairs, graffiti, a roof terrace, surfboards - when you enter the i Live Tower in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg, you're actually visiting the very first Rioca, only without the accommodation. Since opening in 2019, the headquarters of micro-living expert i Live, which made its name with student apartments, has been the blueprint for the group's first serviced apartment concept: Rioca - an homage to Rio, Brazil and the South American lifestyle.
The personal favourite destinations of i Live founder Amos Engelhardt are reflected not only in the design and the range of Brazilian snacks and cocktails, but also in the teams: 85% of the employees are from Brazil themselves. In 2021, Brazilian-born Larissa joined the crew of the first Rioca in Vienna and brought other colleagues from her Brazilian community in the Austrian capital to the serviced apartment building. Whether in Stuttgart, Frankfurt or Neu-Ulm, Brazilians live everywhere and it feels like they all know each other,' says i Live Managing Director Ewald Schwenger. They feel like ambassadors for their country in the hotels, and their passion and friendliness are a big reason why many Riocas are among the best-rated hotels in the city.
Rioca now also has its own restaurant
There are currently nine Rioca houses in Germany and Austria. Four have opened this year alone, including the Rioca Frankfurt Posto 7 in Stuttgart and, for the first time, in Frankfurt. The latter is located right next to an i Live student housing development with over 1,000 student apartments, a statue of Christ in the courtyard and a football pitch on the roof - and for the first time has its own specially developed restaurant concept: 'Sabor' with specialities from all over Ibero-America - from Pablo's ceviche to Jorge's tacos and Amos' picanhas.
Most recently this year, Rioca opened in Offenbach on the River Main at the end of November. The new Rioca Hafeninsel Posto 8 has 204 serviced apartments with balconies or terraces. There are also family rooms, a fitness area, a Brazilian bar and a roof terrace. Like the others, it can be booked for one night or up to six months.
More Riocas are already in the pipeline, meaning that the lifestyle brand will be one of the top ten serviced apartment providers in Germany within the next two years. Many of the apartments could even become part of large, multi-generational neighbourhoods. With WeLive, i Live is currently developing a combined project with business and holiday apartments, student accommodation, a kindergarten and senior housing. The first project is in Frankfurt. This is where our vibrant communities can really flourish again,' says Amos Engelhardt.
The Rioca houses can also be booked through Apartmentservice. The Berlin-based booking platform has been offering serviced apartments to business and leisure travellers for over 20 years. Companies in particular can rely on Apartmentservice to provide their employees with the best possible and safest accommodation for long and short project stays, and the team has been following the development of Rioca since the initial idea. ‘Rioca is so far the only serviced apartment brand from Germany that has dedicated itself and its employees to a country and cultural theme in such an intensive way,’ says Anett Gregorius, founder and owner of Apartmentservice. ‘She has brought even more colour and passion to this diverse and exciting segment.’