JO&JOE Largo do Botícario – Old Rio Reimagined for a New Generation
Historic mansions, tropical courtyards, and social hostel culture beneath Corcovado
Type: design hotel, lifestyle & creative hotel, hostel hybrid, heritage hotel
Style: colors, tropical modernism, eclectic, adaptive reuse
Vibe: community, lively, hip hood
A Forgotten Corner of Rio, Brought Back to Life
Tucked into the lush hills of Cosme Velho beneath Christ the Redeemer, JO&JOE Largo do Botícario transforms one of Rio de Janeiro’s most atmospheric historic enclaves into something entirely contemporary. Once a near-abandoned collection of 19th-century mansions gathered around a hidden courtyard, Largo do Botícario long existed as one of Rio’s beautiful forgotten fragments — faded pastel facades, iron balconies, cracked tiles, and tropical overgrowth quietly resisting the city’s rapid evolution around them.
Today, under Accor’s boundary-pushing JO&JOE concept, the site has been reborn as a design-led social hostel that manages to preserve the soul of Old Rio while injecting it with entirely new energy. Rather than sanitizing the history, the restoration embraces texture, imperfection, and contrast — allowing heritage architecture, tropical decay, street art, contemporary design, and communal living to coexist naturally. The result feels chaotic in the best possible Rio way: colorful, layered, social, and impossible to replicate elsewhere.
Heritage Architecture with Tropical Energy
From the street, the restored mansions still carry the romance of historic Rio. Pastel façades, arched windows, tiled roofs, and cast-iron balconies preserve the site’s original character, while inside, the atmosphere shifts dramatically into something younger, looser, and far more playful. Murals, bold graphics, reclaimed materials, vibrant color palettes, and modular furnishings introduce a creative hostel aesthetic that feels rooted in Rio’s street culture rather than imported global backpacker minimalism. Architects and artists have treated the buildings almost like an evolving canvas — preserving architectural history while allowing contemporary interventions to remain visible and unapologetically modern. The spaces constantly shift between heritage elegance and youthful urban energy.
A Social Hostel Designed Around Community
Unlike traditional hostels built primarily around efficiency, JO&JOE prioritizes atmosphere and connection. Dormitories feature sleek contemporary bunks and thoughtful spatial layouts, while minimalist private rooms and apartment-style accommodations expand the appeal beyond backpackers alone. The design encourages movement and interaction naturally. Long communal tables, hammocks, beanbags, open lounges, shared kitchens, terraces, bars, and flexible gathering spaces blur the boundary between hotel, hostel, café, coworking space, and cultural venue. At the center sits the lush tropical courtyard — the emotional heart of the property. Framed by palms, greenery, and historic facades, it functions like a miniature urban village where guests drift between poolside conversations, live music, film screenings, cocktails, and late-night gatherings beneath Rio’s humid evening air. The atmosphere feels social without becoming forced — relaxed, fluid, and unmistakably carioca.
Rio Beyond the Beaches
What gives JO&JOE additional depth is its location. Cosme Velho offers a very different version of Rio than the city’s better-known beachfront neighborhoods. Here, colonial-era streets, dense tropical vegetation, local cafés, and hillside homes create a more layered, residential atmosphere deeply connected to Rio’s historical identity. The hotel sits moments from the Corcovado train station leading to Christ the Redeemer, while Tijuca Forest’s hiking trails and waterfalls remain close by. Yet Copacabana, Ipanema, museums, and downtown Rio are still easily accessible, making the property an unusually balanced base for experiencing multiple sides of the city. It feels rooted in Rio rather than simply positioned beside its tourist icons.
Adaptive Reuse with Real Character
Architecturally, the project succeeds because it avoids over-restoration. The buildings retain roughness, texture, and visual memory. Cracks, layers, old tiles, and historical irregularities coexist alongside contemporary additions, allowing the site’s past to remain visible rather than polished away. That honesty gives the project far more authenticity than many design-driven hospitality conversions.
DNA Hotels Verdict
JO&JOE Largo do Botícario captures something rare: a hostel concept with genuine architectural depth and cultural identity. By combining adaptive reuse, tropical modern energy, communal design, and Rio’s uniquely relaxed social spirit, it transforms a forgotten historical enclave into one of the city’s most original hospitality experiences. Creative, chaotic, beautiful, and deeply connected to place, it’s proof that budget-conscious hospitality can still deliver powerful design, atmosphere, and soul.
