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Rio is hot well before its best swimming months: average highs are 29.4°C in November, 30.3°C in December and 31.5°C in January, and February to April are the best three. Of the 22 hotels on our list with a pool on the roof, 10 are guests only and just one sells day passes. The other 11 don't publish who can swim.
Our first pick is the JW Marriott Rio in Copacabana, because no other hotel on our list sells day passes. The price and floor aren't published, so ask before you go. If height matters more, Hilton Barra publishes a 9th-floor pool, the highest on our list. Its access rules for non-guests are unpublished, so ask there too.
The only Rio hotel on our list that sells day passes
Copacabana, 5-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (5,483 reviews)
Sample photo, not JW Marriott Rio. Pjotr Mahhonin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Non-guests can swim
Day pass
Sold, price varies
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick this one if you're staying outside Copacabana and want a pool for one afternoon. Day passes are sold on mylittleriojournal.wordpress.com, and no other hotel on our list sells them. The price and the pool's floor aren't published, so expect to ask.
The JW Marriott sits at Av. Atlântica 2600 in Copacabana and runs a rooftop bar called Moonlounge Rooftop. The pool's floor isn't published, and neither is the day pass price. Passes are limited in number and depend on how full the hotel is.
Best forVisitors staying elsewhere who want one afternoon at a Copacabana hotel pool.
Skip it ifYou need a fixed price and floor before you plan the day.
Copacabana, 5-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (1,931 reviews)
Sample photo, not Emiliano Rio. Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book the roof-level suite if a private pool matters more than a shared deck. The hotel describes a 135 m² suite with a pool in the living room and 180° city views. No day pass is listed.
The pool is in the living room of a cube-shaped suite at roof level at the Emiliano, on Av. Atlântica in Copacabana. The suite has 180° city views, a dining room and a mezzanine bedroom with a king bed. Floor number isn't published, and neither is heating.
Best forA couple or small group after a private pool in a Copacabana suite.
Skip it ifYou want a shared deck, a day pass or a published price.
Eighth-floor pool on Ipanema's beachfront, guests only
Ipanema, 5-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (3,649 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hotel Fasano. Supercarwaar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
8thfloor pool
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose the Fasano for a published floor and a beachfront Ipanema address, provided you will book a room. The 8th-floor pool is reserved for hotel guests.
Av. Vieira Souto 80, on Ipanema's seafront, is the address of the Fasano, whose 8th-floor pool is for hotel guests. No day pass is listed. Heating isn't published.
Best forCouples who want a guests-only Ipanema pool with a published floor.
Skip it ifYou want to swim without booking a room.
Heated infinity-edge pool beside an 18th-floor bar in Leblon
Leblon, 5-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (907 reviews)
Sample photo, not Janeiro Hotel. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
19thfloor pool
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose Janeiro for warm water high above Leblon, as long as you're staying the night. The infinity-edge pool sits by the 18th-floor Little Pool Bar, and the hotel lists no day pass.
This 5-star Leblon hotel has an infinity-edge rooftop pool beside the 18th-floor Little Pool Bar. From the top floor you get direct ocean and Rio skyline views. Access is the catch: the hotel publishes no day pass, so you need a room.
Best forTravelers who want a heated infinity-edge pool with a bar beside it.
Skip it ifYou're hoping to swim for a day without booking a room.
Barra Olímpica, 4-star hotel, rated 4.7 on Google (9,052 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hilton Barra. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
9thfloor pool
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Go here if you're based in Barra da Tijuca and want height. The 9th floor is the highest any hotel on our list publishes. Access rules for non-guests aren't published.
Hilton Barra sits at Av. Engenheiro Carlos Carvalho 1430 in Barra Olímpica, with its rooftop pool on the 9th floor. A rooftop restaurant serves its daytime menu by the pool, with snacks, salads and sandwiches. Who can swim isn't published.
Best forGuests staying in Barra who want a 9th-floor pool with a daytime menu.
Skip it ifYou want a published day pass or a base near Copacabana or Ipanema.
Ipanema, 5-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (2,536 reviews)
Sample photo, not Sofitel Ipanema. Alexandre Ultré, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Sofitel suits an Ipanema stay built around an infinity pool and a poolside bar. The floor and who can swim aren't published, so confirm both, and that the hotel is open, before booking.
The rooftop infinity pool at Av. Vieira Souto 460 in Ipanema sits next to the Kosta bar and restaurant, with sun loungers. Views cover Ipanema beach, the Atlantic and Dois Irmãos Hill. Floor, heating and access rules aren't published.
Best forIpanema visitors who want a poolside bar and sun loungers on the roof.
Skip it ifYou need published hours, floor or non-guest rules.
Heated terrace pool with panoramic Ipanema Beach views
Ipanema, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (1,766 reviews)
Sample photo, not Sol Ipanema. Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book Sol Ipanema for a heated rooftop pool on Ipanema's seafront, as long as you're staying anyway. Only hotel guests get in, and the rooftop bar next to it is closed to visitors too.
The pool is on the terrace of Sol Ipanema at Av. Vieira Souto 320, with a panoramic view of Ipanema Beach. It is heated, and an exclusive bar sits beside it. Floor number isn't published.
Best forGuests who want a heated Ipanema pool and bar to themselves.
Skip it ifYou aren't staying, or need step-free access to the pool.
Unheated terrace pool with posted hours, 09:00 to 20:00
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (3,229 reviews)
Sample photo, not Premier Copacabana. Hu Totya, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this if you want a Copacabana terrace pool with hours you can plan around. It's unheated and open 09:00 to 20:00, so it suits the warm months. Who can swim isn't published by the hotel.
This 4-star hotel on Rua Tonelero in Copacabana has an outdoor pool on its terrace. The hotel lists panoramic views and pool hours of 09:00 to 20:00. The water is unheated, and the floor isn't published.
Best forGuests who want fixed pool hours and a terrace view in Copacabana.
Skip it ifYou want warm water or a confirmed day pass.
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.6 on Google (4,759 reviews)
Sample photo, not Arena Copacabana. Jvhertum, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Arena Copacabana suits guests who want a rooftop swim on Avenida Atlântica and don't need a day pass, since access is limited to hotel guests. Booking on the official website adds a rooftop welcome drink.
This 4-star hotel at Av. Atlântica, 2064 in Copacabana has its pool on the rooftop. Access is limited to guests. Floor, hours and heating aren't published.
Best forGuests on Avenida Atlântica who want a rooftop pool without leaving the hotel.
Skip it ifYou want a non-guest pass or must know the pool's hours before booking.
Rooftop pool with city, water and mountain views in Botafogo
Botafogo, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (3,015 reviews)
Sample photo, not Yoo2 Rio. Ori Ackerman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick Yoo2 for a Botafogo rooftop with city, water and mountain views, plus a bar. Who can swim isn't published, so confirm that before you plan around it.
The pool is open-air on the rooftop of this 4-star hotel on Praia de Botafogo, in front of Botafogo beach. Lounge chairs ring the pool, and the hotel lists city, water and mountain views plus a bar. Access rules and the floor aren't published.
Best forTravelers who want a Botafogo base with a rooftop pool and bar.
Skip it ifYou need a guaranteed day pass or published pool hours.
Glazed rooftop infinity pool 100 metres from Copacabana beach
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (937 reviews)
Sample photo, not Ritz Copacabana. Amanda Hawker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book Ritz Copacabana for an infinity pool over Copacabana beach, if guests-only access suits you. The deck is glazed, the hotel lists panoramic beach views, and the sand is 100 metres away.
This 4-star hotel on Rua Xavier da Silveira in Copacabana has an infinity pool on a glazed rooftop deck. The hotel lists panoramic views over Copacabana beach. Guests only is the catch, and the floor isn't published.
Best forTravelers after an infinity pool with a Copacabana beach view.
Skip it ifYou want to swim as a non-guest or need published pool hours.
Budget 3-star rooftop deck, reachable by stairs only
Copacabana, 3-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (3,250 reviews)
Sample photo, not B&B Copacabana Posto 5. Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Consider B&B Posto 5 for a simple guests-only rooftop pool and sun-lounger deck at a 3-star hotel. Reaching it takes stairs only, so it won't work for anyone with reduced mobility.
This 3-star hotel on Av. Nossa Sra. de Copacabana has its rooftop deck in the unit called P5. Sun loungers are for guests. The pool type isn't specified, and the deck is reached by stairs only.
Best forGuests who want a basic rooftop pool and sun loungers in Copacabana.
Skip it ifAnyone in your group has reduced mobility, since the deck is stairs only.
Top-floor pool that is listed as heated, on Barata Ribeiro
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (4,358 reviews)
Sample photo, not Américas Copacabana. Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Heated
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose Américas if heating counts for more than a beachfront address. The listing puts the pool on the top floor and calls it heated, but who can swim isn't published.
Américas has its pool on the top floor of a 4-star hotel at R. Barata Ribeiro, 550 in Copacabana. It is listed as heated, and the hotel has a steam room and spa facilities. The exact floor number and the access rules aren't published.
Best forTravelers who want a heated top-floor pool plus a steam room and spa.
Skip it ifYou need confirmed pool access for non-guests or a published floor number.
Rooftop pool with Sugarloaf views and two loungers terraces
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (6,334 reviews)
Sample photo, not Pestana Rio Atlântica. Blake Patterson from Alexandria, VA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose this for a rooftop pool on Avenida Atlântica with Copacabana beach and Sugarloaf in view. Rooms start from US$161 a night; whether non-guests can swim isn't published.
A 4-star hotel at Av. Atlântica, 2964 in Copacabana has an outdoor pool on its rooftop. Two separate terraces have sun loungers, and the Deck Lounge Bar is up there too. The catch is access: the hotel doesn't publish it.
Best forCopacabana visitors who want a rooftop pool with beach and Sugarloaf views and a bar nearby.
Skip it ifYou need a day pass or a published opening schedule.
Guests-only rooftop pool at the quiet Leme end of Copacabana
Leme, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (5,055 reviews)
Sample photo, not Novotel Rio Leme. Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Open all year
Why it's here. Book here if you want a guests-only rooftop in Leme, rated 4.5 from 5055 Google reviews. The hotel's own pool details are thin, so check hours before you plan around it.
A 4-star hotel at R. Gustavo Sampaio, 320 in Leme has the rooftop pool. It is for hotel guests. No floor number, hours or heating are published.
Best forGuests staying in Leme who want a rooftop pool without leaving the hotel.
Skip it ifYou want to swim as a visitor or need confirmed hours and floor.
Triangular terrace pool over the sea, with a sauna
Ipanema, 4-star hotel, rated 4.5 on Google (1,433 reviews)
Sample photo, not Hotel Arpoador. Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose from Montreal, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Open all year
Why it's here. Stay here for a triangular terrace pool over the sea in Ipanema, which the hotel calls a sitting pool. Only guests can use it, so you need to book a room.
The pool is a triangular terrace pool at R. Francisco Otaviano, 177 in Ipanema, with sun chairs facing the Atlantic. The hotel calls it a sitting pool, so expect a place to cool off, not to swim laps. The terrace also has a sauna.
Best forCouples who want a small sea-facing pool and sauna after a day on Ipanema beach.
Skip it ifYou want lap swimming or a pool you can use without staying.
Five-star Copacabana tower with a SkyLab rooftop restaurant and bar
Copacabana, 5-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (17,235 reviews)
Sample photo, not Rio Othon Palace. PattayaPatrol, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. This five-star Copacabana tower suits you if the SkyLab rooftop restaurant and bar matter as much as the pool. Who can swim isn't published by the hotel.
The hotel is at Av. Atlântica, 3264 in Copacabana, rated 4.4 from 17235 Google reviews. The SkyLab rooftop restaurant and bar has ocean-view dining, and breakfast there has views from the 30th floor. The pool floor and access rules aren't published.
Best forGuests who want a five-star Copacabana address and a rooftop restaurant with high views.
Skip it ifYou need a confirmed pool access policy or a published pool floor.
Rooftop pool and sauna in Lapa, away from the beach
Lapa, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (4,621 reviews)
Sample photo, not Granada Hotel. Pjotr Mahhonin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Consider Granada for a Lapa base, away from the beach, with a rooftop pool and sauna. Who can swim and on which floor aren't published.
Granada's rooftop pool is at Av. Gomes Freire, 530 in Lapa, in a 4-star hotel with a rooftop sauna beside it. The floor, hours and access rules aren't published. It is rated 4.3 from 4621 Google reviews.
Best forVisitors basing themselves in Lapa who want a rooftop pool and sauna.
Skip it ifYou want a beach address or a pool with published access rules.
Rooftop pool on Avenida Atlântica, with access rules unpublished
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.4 on Google (3,195 reviews)
Sample photo, not Orla Copacabana. Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Pick Orla if you want a 4-star Copacabana base on Av. Atlântica and will confirm the pool rules yourself. Access, floor and hours are all unpublished.
Orla Copacabana Hotel is a 4-star at Av. Atlântica, 4122, in Copacabana, with a rooftop pool. The floor isn't published. Neither are the hours, heating or whether anyone besides guests can swim.
Best forTravelers who want a rooftop pool on Av. Atlântica and will confirm the details by message.
Skip it ifYou need a stated floor, set hours or a day pass.
4-star Copacabana address with almost no published pool detail
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 4.3 on Google (3,919 reviews)
Sample photo, not Astoria Palace. Supercarwaar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Access not published
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Choose Astoria Palace for the Av. Atlântica location, not for pool certainty. Floor, access rules, hours and heating are all unpublished, so book only after you have asked.
Astoria Palace Hotel is a 4-star at Av. Atlântica, 1866, in Copacabana. Pool floor, access and heating are all unpublished. Google rates it 4.3 from 3919 reviews.
Best forTravelers who care more about the Av. Atlântica address than the pool and will check details first.
Skip it ifYou need to know the pool floor, hours or heating before booking.
Guests-only pool a block or so inland from the beach
Copacabana, rated 4.3 on Google (1,822 reviews)
Sample photo, not Américas Benidorm Palace. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Book Américas Benidorm Palace only if you are staying: the pool is guests only. Floor, hours and heating aren't published, so check that it is open for your dates.
Américas Benidorm Palace Hotel is at R. Barata Ribeiro, 547, in Copacabana. Its pool is guests only. The floor and heating aren't published, and Google rates the hotel 4.3 from 1822 reviews.
Best forGuests already set on a Copacabana room who want the pool as a bonus.
Skip it ifYou want to swim as a visitor, or need a published floor and hours.
4-star near Siqueira Campos, pool details left to you
Copacabana, 4-star hotel, rated 3.7 on Google (7,038 reviews)
Sample photo, not Atlantic Hotel Copacabana. Jose Monica, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Rooftopfloor not published
Who can swim
Hotel guests only
Day pass
No
Heated
Not published
Season
Not published
Why it's here. Atlantic is a Copacabana 4-star to consider for location, not for pool certainty. Floor, hours, heating and who may swim are unpublished, and Google rates it 3.7.
Atlantic Hotel Copacabana is a 4-star at Rua Siqueira Campos, 90, in Copacabana. The pool's floor, access and heating aren't published. Google rates the hotel 3.7 from 7038 reviews, the lowest rating among these four.
Best forTravelers choosing a Copacabana base on Rua Siqueira Campos who treat the pool as a maybe.
Skip it ifA confirmed rooftop swim is the reason you are booking.
Rio's best three months to swim are February to April. The warmer run starts earlier: average highs are 29.4°C in November, 30.3°C in December and 31.5°C in January. Our facts include no event weeks, so check hotel rates for your dates.
Three hotels on our list are listed as heated: Sol Ipanema, Janeiro Hotel and Américas Copacabana. Premier Copacabana is unheated and posts hours of 09:00 to 20:00, so keep it for the warm months. Most other hotels don't publish heating or seasonal hours.
Average daily highs: November 29°C (85°F), December 30°C (87°F), January 32°C (89°F). The warmest stretch for swimming is Feb–Apr.
Hotels you might expect here, and why they're not
Four hotels people expect to find here are not on the list, because no source places their pool, or any pool, on the roof.
Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro. No source places the Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro pool on the roof or a top-floor terrace. Sources describe an outdoor pool by the beach with a bar and loungers, and a restaurant at the foot of the pool. Treated as not rooftop, though no source states the exact level.
Hotel Nacional Rio de Janeiro. The hotel's pool page describes a heated, rounded pool with a beach exit and no roof or top-floor placement. No source places the pool on the roof, so it is not confirmed as rooftop.
Prodigy Hotel Santos Dumont Airport Rio de Janeiro. The hotel's own site describes a rooftop restaurant (Orla 21) with views, but no swimming pool is mentioned for this hotel in any source. The Galeão pool page is for a different hotel (Linx Galeão by Wish), so it was not used.
Mar Ipanema Hotel. No source mentions a swimming pool. The hotel's site lists a rooftop, and Wanderlog describes a rooftop bar, but neither mentions a pool. Google Maps names the hotel "Hotel Astoria Ipanema (antigo Mar Ipanema)", so this is the same property.
Rio de Janeiro rooftop pools: questions people ask
Which Rio hotels let non-guests swim in their rooftop pool?
One: the JW Marriott Rio in Copacabana sells day passes, and the price isn't shown. Ten hotels on our list are guests only, including Hotel Fasano, Sol Ipanema, Janeiro Hotel and Ritz Copacabana. Eleven don't publish their access rules, so ask first.
Are any Rio rooftop pools heated?
Yes, three are listed as heated: Sol Ipanema, Janeiro Hotel and Américas Copacabana. Premier Copacabana is unheated. The other hotels on our list don't publish whether the pool is heated.
Which Rio hotel has the highest rooftop pool?
Hilton Barra, on the 9th floor, is the highest that publishes a floor. Hotel Fasano in Ipanema is the only other one, on the 8th floor. Janeiro Hotel has a bar on the 18th floor beside its pool, but doesn't publish the pool's floor.
How much does it cost to swim in a Rio rooftop pool?
No pool price is published on our list, so we can't name the cheapest. The JW Marriott Rio is the only day-pass option and its price isn't shown. For an overnight stay, B&B Copacabana Posto 5 is rated 3 stars and has a guests-only rooftop pool.
Can I swim at a Rio rooftop pool without staying the night?
Yes, but only at the JW Marriott Rio, where day passes are sold. At Hotel Fasano, Sol Ipanema, Janeiro Hotel and the other guests-only hotels, you need a room. Sol Ipanema's rooftop bar is also closed to visitors.
