Managing some summertime fun at Rio
By Kiko Miyasato
Ryan Hernandez
Ryan Hernandez is “TCB-ing,” as he likes to say. A big fan of Elvis Presley, Hernandez is “taking care of business”—the King’s famous motto—as the pool operations manager for the Rio. (Be sure to check out his tattoo of Elvis, and the more than a dozen others that he has on his arms and legs—“I’ve lost track of how many I have.”)
Hernandez, a Southern California native, is in his second season of taking care of Rio’s pools, including the 21-and-over, European-style pool club, The Voo. “I make sure that everything runs smoothly (and) everything stays in line,” he said. And, you’ll see Hernandez out at the pool watching over the party. “I like being around the fun atmosphere. Everyone is here having a good time in a wonderful setting. I’m very fortunate to have the job that I do. You can’t beat it. It’s awesome.”
At The Voo, it’s a mix of ages, but there is no division among partiers, Hernandez says, and he enjoys the fact that all of them party together. “They’re all having a good time.” Guests can enjoy an assortment of live DJs on the weekends spinning everything from top 40 to house music, and the pool even throws some themed and some recurring parties, like Flirt Fridays and Strip Down Saturdays. But what’s great about The Voo environment is that you can also unwind.
“It’s a relaxing getaway but a party pool, too … Not too crazy, but not boring. It’s perfectly in the middle,” he said.
The Voo
The cocktail menu at The Voo was planned to be tasty but also to be fun, Hernandez said. One of the most popular signature drinks is the namesake, The Voo. Mixed with Cruzan coconut rum, Cruzan 151 rum, melon liqueur, orange juice and pineapple juice, it’s a fruity concoction where the alcohol is hard to detect. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how hard you want to party.
