Originally Posted by bhomburg

I (have to) travel with a dog, and since I need a car to get around with her anyway I have resorted to staying in Barra de Tijuca where there's miles of empty (weekdays) or uncrowded (weekends) beaches and the Marapendi 'park' to explore.
I`d like to try the new Grand Hyatt there the next time. Anyone know when it'll open for business?

Fact: walking around Rio with a (large) dog, people don't seem to think one is a visitor/tourist, which simply avoids a lot of the negative experiences reported here and elsewhere.