Hotel
Rosewood São Paulo
A luxury hotel in the restored Matarazzo maternity hospital and a new vertical-garden tower near Avenida Paulista, with 160 rooms and suites and around 450 commissioned…
Ruy Ohtake's arc-shaped design hotel in Jardins, opened in 2002, with round windows, 95 apartments and the Skye rooftop restaurant and bar beside a red pool.
Good to know
Hotel Unique is one of São Paulo's most distinctive buildings. Designed by the architect Ruy Ohtake as an avant-garde hotel and opened in 2002 after two years of construction, it takes the form of a 100-metre inverted arc, 25 metres tall, that has been compared to a boat or a slice of watermelon. The hotel calls itself a luxury boutique hotel, and its famous round windows are part of its identity. Interiors are by João Armentano and the landscaping by Gilberto Elkis.
There are 95 apartments over six floors, including 10 suites. The hotel sits in Jardins in what it describes as a quiet, tree-lined residential area, which makes a contrast with the drama of the building. The wellness area includes two pools, the red Piscina Vermelha and the yellow Piscina Amarela, along with a spa with a massage room.
The highlight for many guests and visitors is the rooftop. Skye, the hotel's restaurant and bar on the terrace, looks out over Parque Ibirapuera and the skyline of Avenida Paulista, and its red-tinted rooftop pool has become a signature of the hotel. The restaurant is led by chef Emmanuel Bassoleil, described by the hotel as a French chef with a Brazilian heart, and more than half of the menu is vegetarian or vegan. Breakfast is served daily from 7:00 to 11:00, with lunch and dinner served every day; dinner reservations are reserved for hotel guests, while other visitors are seated in order of arrival, which is a real advantage of staying here.
The Unique suits design lovers, couples and travellers who want a stylish base close to Parque Ibirapuera. It is a lively place in the evenings, when the rooftop draws a crowd and DJs play, so ask for a room away from the busiest areas if you are a light sleeper. Guests who prefer quieter, more traditional luxury may be happier at one of the city's classic hotels.
Reservations can be made on +55 11 3055 4710 or by email at [email protected], and the reception is on +55 11 3055 4700. The hotel's website includes a 360-degree virtual tour, useful for choosing a room before booking. The rooftop view over Parque Ibirapuera also makes Skye a natural place to end a day in the park.
The architect Ruy Ohtake, with interiors by João Armentano and landscaping by Gilberto Elkis.
In 2002, after construction began in 2000.
95 apartments, including 10 suites, over six floors.
The hotel's rooftop restaurant and bar, with views of Parque Ibirapuera and the Avenida Paulista skyline.
Yes, but dinner reservations are for hotel guests only; other visitors are seated in order of arrival.
Yes. There is a red rooftop pool at Skye and a second, yellow pool in the wellness area.
It is shaped like a 100-metre inverted arc, often compared to a boat or a slice of watermelon, with round windows.
Call +55 11 3055 4710 or email [email protected].
Café
Isabela Raposeiras's specialty coffee café, roastery and barista school in Vila Madalena, focused on traceable microlots from named producers.
Attraction
São Paulo's best-known art museum, raised above Avenida Paulista on Lina Bo Bardi's suspended concrete structure and holding more than 8,000 works from Raphael to Portinari.
Thing to do
The city's grand 1933 food market, designed by Ramos de Azevedo's office, with stained-glass windows, more than 290 stalls and a mezzanine of restaurants.
Tour operator
Tip-based walking tours of São Paulo's old downtown, Vila Madalena and Avenida Paulista, run in English and Portuguese by local guides several days a week.